The Trolley Dodger

You can taste the bright lights / But you won’t get them for free

Oh, sweet Lady Irony: Eric Gagne may soon be in a Rangers uniform. According to an MLB.com article posted this morning:

The Rangers have agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract with reliever Eric Gagne. The agreement is pending a physical but the Rangers have already checked out his medical reports and are satisfied that he is healthy again.

As the strains of “Welcome to the Jungle” used to play and the bullpen gate opened, Vin Scully would don a French accent and announce, “Bienvenue, Monsieur Gagne! Bienvenue!” As I’m writing this, relieving the moment makes my hair stand up even after all the time that has passed.

There were a lot of such moments.

Dodger Stadium — August 28, 2002, the Dodgers playing host to the Diamondbacks. Gagne comes in in the 9th inning, relieving Odalis Perez who has a 1-0 shutout going. Eric gives up a single to Junior Spivey, then strikes out Luis Gonzalez and Matt Williams. A walk to Steve Finley. Pinch-hitter Erubiel Durazo comes up for shortstop Jay Bell and proceeds to strike out, ending the game and giving Gagne his 45th save of the 2002 season.

Dodger Stadium — July 5, 2004, and the Diamondbacks again, coincidentally. Nearly two years later, and Gagne still hasn’t blown a save — a major-league record 84 consecutive saves. Top of the 9th, Gagne comes in for Guillermo Mota (who had relieved starter Wilson Alvarez) with the Dodgers leading the Diamondbacks, 5-3. He strikes out Scott Hairston, then allows Shea Hillenbrand to single to center. Luis Gonzalez doubles to right, scoring Hillenbrand. 5-4, Dodgers still leading. Then Scott Tracy singles to right, scoring Gonzalez and tying the game. The streak is over. While the Dodgers wind up winning thanks to a Shawn Green sac fly scoring Dave Roberts in the 10th inning, the magic spell has finally been broken.

Injuries hit hard in 2005, and his season ended in June; he didn’t return until June 2006, and then for only 2 innings.

Recently, the Dodgers opted to buy out his contract for $1 million rather than pay him a guaranteed $12 million in 2007 — understandably, given his circumstances — which made him a free agent. And despite the Dodgers reportedly offering him $4 million with built-in incentives that could raise it to $10 million, Gagne turned it down to look for more guaranteed money. Amazing for a player who has pitched all of two innings since June 2005, but the high risk is perhaps balanced by the potential high reward of getting some semblance of the untouchable Monsieur Gagne. Astoundingly, Gagne has blown only 6 saves in his career, in 167 opportunities — an unheard of success rate of 96%.

It’s hard to imagine how intimidating it must have been to hear that music, see the lights and signs flashing, get buffeted by the roaring crowd, and watch the bullpen gate open to reveal a unkempt beast of a pitcher coming to strike you out. There was a reason his slogan was “Game Over.” When he came out, it was over.

So, what to make of Gagne’s turning down the Dodger offer? Someone wrote yesterday that Boras clients, no matter who they are, have one goal paramount to all others: making the most money. The Rangers’ (reported) deal is not that far off what Eric would have made with the Dodgers, assuming he met all incentives or not.

Check out this from a November MLB.com article, “‘Game Over’ playing the waiting game”:

When last heard from at season’s end, Gagne was upbeat about recovering from his back and elbow surgeries, talking about a willingness to accept a hometown discount to return, acknowledging that he’d been “a $10 million cheerleader.”

“Nothing’s changed,” Gagne said. “I’m always going to be a Dodger. I love the McCourts [owners Frank and Jamie]. I feel I have a great relationship with the Dodgers, and I’d love to go back. But I can’t control everything. It doesn’t mean much unless they want me there. That part is out of my control.”

It’s important to translate this. When Eric says “unless they want me there”, he is actually saying, “unless they display that desire by paying me more than anybody else will.” And from that perspective, that part is out of his control.

The part that was under his control, the “hometown discount” he told a reporter about, then recanted within a day or so, was whether he was willing to accept the Dodgers’ more than generous offer, given his medical history. You know, to say he wanted to be a Dodger and actually back it up with action.

But given how likely a Boras client is to do something like that, I can’t say I’m at all surprised by Gagne moving on. C’est la vie.

At least he’ll be in the American League.

Au revoir, Monsieur Gagne. Au revoir.