Éric Gagné facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Éric Gagné |
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Gagné with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: January 7, 1976 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
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| debut | |||
| September 7, 1999, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 25, 2008, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 33–26 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.47 | ||
| Strikeouts | 718 | ||
| Saves | 187 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Éric Serge Gagné (born January 7, 1976) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He played for 10 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He is best known for his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Gagné first signed with the Dodgers in 1995. He started his career as a starting pitcher. But he had some trouble in that role. So, the Dodgers changed him into a relief pitcher. From 2002 to 2004, he was one of the best closers in the league. A closer is a pitcher who finishes the game. He won the Cy Young Award in 2003. This award goes to the best pitcher. During this time, he set a major league record. He successfully completed 84 save chances in a row. A save is when a pitcher protects a lead at the end of a game.
Gagné played less in 2005 and 2006 because of injuries. He had elbow surgery in 2005 and back surgery in 2006. The Dodgers did not sign him again after 2006. In 2007, Gagné played for the Texas Rangers. He did well as a closer for a short time. Later, he played for the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers. He was released after the 2008 season.
Contents
Early Life and College
Growing Up in Quebec
Éric Gagné grew up in Mascouche, a town near Montreal, Canada. His family is from Quebec. When he was a kid, he loved playing baseball and ice hockey. He went to Polyvalente Édouard-Montpetit High School in Montreal. This is the same school that baseball player Russell Martin went to.
His dad, Richard, coached his Little League baseball teams. Éric became a star player for Canada's Junior World Championship teams. He was a big fan of the Montreal Expos and the Montreal Canadiens hockey team.
Learning English in College
Gagné went to Seminole Junior College in Oklahoma. He spoke very little English when he first arrived. He learned English by watching American TV shows. His favorite show was the sitcom Kenan and Kel. He became the best pitcher for Seminole's baseball team.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
In 1994, the Chicago White Sox picked Éric in the MLB draft. He was chosen in the 30th round. But the next year, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He then played in the minor leagues. In 1997, he missed the whole season. He had a surgery called Tommy John surgery. This surgery fixes a ligament in the elbow.
Time with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1999–2006)
Gagné made his first MLB appearance on September 7, 1999. He started a game for the Dodgers against the Florida Marlins. He pitched six innings without giving up any runs. He also struck out eight batters. In his first year, he played in only five games as a starting pitcher. He had one win and one loss.
At the start of the 2002 season, the Dodgers changed his role. He became a relief pitcher. He got his first career save on April 7. He quickly became one of the best relief pitchers in the National League. He saved 10 games in a row. He was chosen for his first All-Star Game that year. He was the second player from Quebec to be an All-Star. He finished the season with 52 saves.
Record-Breaking Saves
In 2003, Gagné was amazing as a closer. He was asked to save a game 55 times, and he saved every single one! He was the first pitcher to get 50 saves in more than one season. He also reached 100 saves faster than any other pitcher. His 55 saves in 2003 tied a National League record. From August 2002 to July 2004, he had 84 saves in a row. This is a major league record! More than half of the batters he faced in 2003 struck out.
When Gagné came into a game at Dodger Stadium, it was exciting. The words "Game Over" would flash on the scoreboard. The song "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses would play.
Awards and Achievements
Besides his 55 saves, Gagné had a very low earned run average (ERA) of 1.20 in 2003. He also had 137 strikeouts. For his great performance, he won the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award. He also became the first relief pitcher in 11 years to win the Cy Young Award. This is a huge award for pitchers. He and Ferguson Jenkins are the only Canadian pitchers to win this award.
On July 15, 2004, Gagné got his 130th save as a Dodger. This made him the Dodgers' all-time saves leader. He pitched well in the playoffs that year.
Dealing with Injuries
Before the 2005 season, Gagné signed a new contract with the Dodgers. But he got several injuries that year. He still pitched well when he played, but he only appeared in 14 games. In June 2005, he had surgery on his right elbow. This surgery kept him from playing for the rest of the season.
In 2006, Gagné had more elbow pain. He had a second surgery. He finally played in a regular-season game on June 3, 2006. He pitched two innings and got one save. But the pain came back, and he went back on the disabled list. In July, he had back pain and needed surgery for two herniated discs. This ended his 2006 season.
Playing for Other Teams (2007–2008)
The Dodgers did not offer Gagné a new contract after 2006. He signed with the Texas Rangers for the 2007 season. He started the season on the disabled list. He came back and became the closer for the Rangers. He had 16 saves and pitched very well.
On July 31, 2007, Gagné was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He was expected to be a setup man for their closer. A setup man pitches before the closer. However, Gagné had a tough time with the Red Sox. He struggled in many of his appearances. He did improve later in the season. He helped the Red Sox win the 2007 World Series. He pitched a perfect inning in Game 1 of the World Series.
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In December 2007, Gagné signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. He became their new closer. But he continued to struggle. He lost his closer job to another pitcher. He finished the 2008 season with 10 saves. After the 2008 season, he became a free agent. He tried to sign with the Brewers again but was released during spring training due to a shoulder injury.
Independent League and Comeback Attempts
In 2009, Gagné signed with the Quebec Capitales of the independent Can-Am League. He played as a starting pitcher and also coached. He helped the team win the League Championship.
In 2010, Gagné tried to make a comeback with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He signed a minor league contract. He pitched in some spring training games but decided he needed more work. He asked to be released from the Dodgers. On April 18, 2010, he announced his retirement from baseball.
Years later, Gagné played in a few games for other independent league teams. In 2015, he played for the Trois-Rivières Aigles. In 2016, he pitched for the Ottawa Champions.
In 2017, Gagné joined Team Canada for the 2017 World Baseball Classic. After that, he thought about returning to MLB again. He signed with the independent Long Island Ducks. But he retired again on May 21, 2017.
Coaching Career
Coaching for France
Éric Gagné's first language is French. He became the pitching coach for the France national baseball team. He coached them in the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifiers. France did not win a game and did not qualify. In 2013, he became the head coach of the French national team.
Coaching for the Texas Rangers
In 2018, Gagné rejoined the Texas Rangers organization as a coach. He was the pitching coach for one of their rookie-level teams. In 2019, he was promoted to bullpen coach for the Nashville Sounds, a Triple-A team. He left the Rangers organization after the 2019 season.
Pitching Style
Gagné used several different pitches as a relief pitcher. His most common pitches were a four-seam fastball and a Vulcan changeup. His fastball was very fast, usually in the mid-90s mph. His changeup was slower, around 83 to 88 mph. He also threw a two-seam fastball, a slow curveball, and sometimes a slider.
Many people thought his changeup was his best pitch. It looked like his fastball when it left his hand. But then it would drop and break sharply. This made it very hard for batters to hit. He used these pitches to get many strikeouts. In his Cy Young-winning season in 2003, he had 137 strikeouts. He only allowed 37 hits. This means he struck out almost four batters for every hit he gave up!
Gagné was known for showing his feelings on the mound. He liked to be aggressive and give his all when he pitched.
Personal Life
Éric Gagné has four children with his ex-wife Valerie. They have two daughters and two sons. His father's cousin, Paul Gagné, played in the NHL.
Career Highlights
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Images for kids
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Gagné with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010
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Gagné during spring training in 2006
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Gagné with the Texas Rangers in 2007
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Gagné warming up for the Boston Red Sox in 2007
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Gagné pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers on April 12, 2008
See also
- List of Major League Baseball individual streaks
- List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
