Gag me

Some guys don’t know when to quit. I guess when playing baseball is basically all you’ve ever known, it’s hard to walk away. Diamond Leung says in his column Diamond Notes that Eric Gagne is going to try and make a comeback, possibly with the Dodgers. I wonder; can Kevin Brown be far behind? What’s Gagne’s theme song going to be when he comes out of the bull pen? How about Steve Miller Band’s "Take the money and run?"

I can hear it now...

This here’s is a story about Eric Gagne and Dodger Blue
A dirty old pitcher with nothing left in the tank
He wants to come back and prove us all fools
Problem is last time he pitched, he really, really stank

He’s headed to Glendale for Spring Training
Where he’ll try to make his way back
With a little luck it’ll be raining
And some team can be suckered into a big fat contract

Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run
Go on take the money and run

Speaking of comebacks, Edgardo Alfonzo wants to come back as well. So says, Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.

Alfonzo is basically quoted as wanting to still follow his dream. Truth is he was a nightmare in his last big league season of 2006, part of which he spent with the Angels. He hit a whopping .126 with an on-base percentage of .200. Dreamy numbers, don’t you think?

Alfonzo is 36 years old. He wants to retire as a Met. Perhaps the Mets can do him a favor, sign him to a one day contract and let him go out wearing blue and orange. As long as he doesn’t come back to Anaheim, I’m good.

You have to forgive me. I’m still bitter about the time Steve Finley spent in Anaheim in 2005, where he hit .222 and had an OPS of .645. So when I hear about a guy who wants another shot after a miserable season in the twilight of the careers, I get a little testy.

It’s just that the Angels give too many old warriors one too many chances and then ask me to buy tickets and sit in the stands and watch. Remember the Andres Galarraga experiment in 2004? Thankfully, he only got ten at-bats in his final go around. Even Cecil Fielder spent part of his last season in 1998 with the Angels.

This next year’s list of candidates for guys over the hill looking for a job include Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye. Please, please, please… just say no to both of these guys. The Angels already have 36 year old Bobby Abreu. He’s the exception to the rule. Let’s not apply the Abreu model to any other acquisitions this off season.

And don’t think I didn’t notice the Angels giving a minor league contract this past season to Rudy Seanez (albeit, it was during a stretch when it looked like no one in the bull pen could get an out). Thankfully, the forty year old never made it out of Salt Lake City; otherwise, my head might have exploded.

Trust me; this fan isn’t asleep at the wheel. I notice things...