The Gagne Effect

The Red Sox are going to the playoffs this season. That's a given. The acquisition of Eric Gagne will be felt most once Boston gets to the playoff but in a way not many people seem to be discussing.

Every team that will make the playoffs in the AL this year will have at least two Ace level starters. Detroit has Verlander and Bonderman. Cleveland has Sabathia and Carmona. The Angels have Lackey and Escobar. The Red Sox will be able to counter with Beckett and Matsusaka. The Red Sox top two starters should equalize the starts from any starters in games 1 and 2 and 5 and 6 of any series. So where does Gagne come in? Let me explain.

The Red Sox don't have the overwhelming offense that they had in 2003 and 2004 but what this team does very well is see a lot of pitches per at bat and get on base (they lead the AL in walks). Assuming that the top two starters for the Red Sox and whoever they face in the playoffs will be fairly evenly matched - the key to those first two games will be to get into the other team's bullpen. Being patient and seeing a lot of pitches is what the Red Sox do and that's how you tire out starters and get into the bullpen.

Conversely - with the acquisition of Gagne the Red Sox now have arguably the best bullpen in all of baseball. You have Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima and now Eric Gagne all leading up to Jonathan Papelbon. If the patience of the Red Sox hitters can get them into the opposing team's bullpen early - then the Red Sox have a HUGE EDGE.

This is not to mention the fact that the #3 and #4 playoff starters for the Red Sox - Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield probably have the edge on any playoff pitching match-up. Red Sox fans have to feel pretty good about their chances to win their second World series in four years.