Who Is He?

A tale of two seasons:

2-0; 34 games; 16 saves; 33 1/3 IP; 23 hits; 8 runs, all earned; 12 BB; 29 K; 2.16 ERA
2-2; 20 games; 0 saves; 18 2/3 IP; 26 hits; 14 runs, all earned; 9 BB; 22 K; 6.75 ERA

Two seasons, but only one pitcher: Eric Gagne. The first half, as closer of the Texas Rangers, he was good enough to return a package that included a promising 25 year old pitcher, Kason Gabbard, and a fast 26 year old outfielder, David Murphy. Upon his arrival in Boston, Gagne blew up. He was terrible. Granted, his role changed. He wasn't about to be put in Jonathan Papelbon's spot, so he became a setup man, the 8th inning guy. Even that was problematic: Hideki Okajima was wicked awesome pre-Gagne, merely very good upon being pushed back to the 7th after Eric's arrival. No one, including Gagne, can ever argue that Tito Francona didn't give him a chance. Terry kept running him out there long past the time the Fenway Faithful began to boo with a passion normally reserved for the MFYs.
All of this reflection is, of course, occasioned by the decision by the Milwaukee Brewers to sign Mr. Gagne to a one-year $10 million contract. I'm going to let that sink in for a moment. Now I'm going to say it again: Eric Gagne has 10 million extra-extra-large coming for 2008.
The problem: who is he? Is he the capable, surgically restored closer that the Rangers had prior to July 31? Or is he the ticking time bomb who always seemed to explode about the time he reached the mound for the Red Sox? Gagne will be 32 the first week of January. He had three great seasons as the closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But he is now two major surgeries and three seasons removed from those dominating days. And right now, with the cash falling out of the pockets of Major League Baseball's owners, it is apparently even within the reach of smaller market teams to spend questionably, if not downright foolishly. Doug Melvin has said that he paid more money to avoid more years on the deal. If that isn't a plain proclamation of the economic state of the game today, then I don't know what is.
I have a very warm spot in my heart for Ned Yost, and Bob Uecker is one of the great figures of the game, so I hope this move doesn't blow up on the Brewers, but if I were a betting man...well, I know where my money would be. And it wouldn't be on Gagne. Or in his pocket.