How bad was Eric Gagne last season in Milwaukee? So bad that even the loss of the guy who had replaced him as closer, Salomon Torres, was greeted with something resembling indifference by general manager Doug Melvin.
While Torres saved a career-high 28 games in 2008, his decision to retire did not put the club in the market for a proven replacement, especially not an expensive one.
Record-setting Francisco Rodriguez, future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman and fellow closers Kerry Wood, Brian Fuentes, Todd Jones and Brandon Lyon are on the free-agent market. None, it appears, is headed to Milwaukee.
"We're not going to spend a big chunk of money on a closer," Melvin said. "We've found closers in the past."
That wasn't exactly Melvin's attitude a year ago.
After losing Francisco Cordero to Cincinnati, Melvin ponied up $10 million to sign Gagne, who had been a disaster after Boston traded for him at the deadline in 2007. Gagne went 10-for-17 in save situations, lost the closer's job when he went out with a sore shoulder in mid-May and compiled a 5.44 ERA.
While the Brewers held a 2009 option on the 36-year-old Torres' contract, it wasn't a shock that he decided to walk away, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. After all, he was 25 the first time he retired from baseball, surviving for five years before signing with Pittsburgh in 2002.
Torres, a devout Jehovah's Witness, never has responded to the conventional motivations of athletes.
"We would have liked to have him back," Melvin told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "He's a real professional and a good teammate, and he's coming off his best year. I give him credit, and I respect his decision."
The timing could have been better for the Brewers. While the probable loss of free agents CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets has dominated headlines, Melvin also is faced with rebuilding his bullpen. Relievers Guillermo Mota, Brian Shouse and Gagne are free agents.
"We'll see what offers they get on the market and determine what we want to do," Melvin said. "We haven't given a lot of thought to the bullpen yet. ... There are more relief pitchers out there than starting pitchers and left-handed bats we're interested in."
Melvin has not abandoned hope of re-signing Sabathia. There's no way Milwaukee can compete financially against teams like the Yankees and maybe the Dodgers and Angels, but Melvin says he will do what he can to remain an option.
Looking west: White Sox bench coach Joey Cora is receiving serious consideration for the managerial vacancy in Seattle, where he was popular as a player. During a conference call, he spoke about the Mariners as if they already had hired him.
