Looking Forward To All-Stars In The Next Election Year

ESPN.com is out with its All-2012 baseball team, a projection of who will be the best players in the majors four years from now. Things look a bit bleak for the Cubs, with only Geovany Soto and Carlos Marmol mentioned - Soto as one of the top five catchers and Marmol in the second tier of elite closers.

Curious that Carlos Zambrano isn't included among starters, as he will only be 30 at the start of the season.

I'm not sure I would worry too much, however, as the All-2008 team from four years ago included quite a few Cubs, including Mark Prior, Corey Patterson and Zambrano on the first two teams. Not to mention Marcus Giles, Rocco Baldelli, Eric Gagne and Rickie Weeks.

Addition By Subtraction

Eric Gagne is broken and won't be allowing lots of runs for a while.

Insight From Brewerland

The Brewers finally win a couple of games and the commenters get a little sassy, such as:

The Cubs weren't able to solve the Gagne riddle during the last series at Wrigley...so no, I don't think all opposing teams know what's wrong with him.

Um, Gagne is sporting a 6.89 ERA overall. And a 9.00 ERA against the Cubs.

Moving on:

Perhaps the Cubs just failed to execute against Gagne in that last series.

Typical Brewer fan mentality. Three games a season make. As long as they beat the Cubs, the season is apparently a success. As long as Gagne pitches well against the Cubs (for a change), hitters can't figure him out. That's a recipe for an 16-146 season.

Moving on:

Don't worry about wrigleyville - he's just worried that the Cubs have been playing way over their heads these first 6 weeks and still couldn't put any distance between themselves and the rest of the division... things will even out and then they'll be in trouble.

Um, before the Diamondbacks sweep, the Cubs had lost four series in a row. Despite that mess, they lead the Central. Yes, the favorites "have been playing way over their heads" by slumping. Genius.

And the strange thing is, I agree with the premise of the post: Eric Gagne is bad at baseball - just as I said when he signed and in spring training. Welcome to the party, boys.

Who Was Right About Eric Gagne?

FireJoeMorgan, for one. Here's a look back to a little Chuckie Hacks mockery. Care to compare closers' ERA now?

(Even though Gagne's was 27.00 that day, too, oddly.)

Closers Atop The NL Central: Not So Good

Worried about Kerry Wood? Perhaps, but it could be worse. And it is for the other alleged favorites in the National League Central:

Jason Isringhausen, St. Louis Cardinals, 1-4, 7.47, 11 Ks, 8 BBs, 11 saves, 5 blown saves.

Kerry Wood, Chicago Cubs: 2-1, 4.00, 17 Ks, 3 BBs, 6 saves, 3 blown saves.

Eric Gagne, Milwaukee Brewers: 1-1, 6.14, 17 Ks, 10 BBs, 9 saves, 5 blown saves; UPDATE: 1-2, 6.89, 11 BBs after today (all other numbers the same).

Not only that, the Cubs have a more than viable substitute should Kerry not work out.

Eric Gagne, Doing What Eric Gagne Do

If you ask me, we're all getting our money's worth for Eric Gagne this year.

Canadians, Canadians, Everywhere Canadians

Do you think "Canadian Brewers closer Eric Gagne" is related to Canadian Dempster or Canada's Morneau?

Maybe Eric Gagne Doesn't Suck

Don't stop believing, Brewers fans.

Woody, Worse Than Wilkerson

According to Keith Law, Kerry Wood is the 19th best available free agent - one behind Brad Wilkerson and one ahead of Eric Gagne.

That is some lousy company to be in.