Gagne: Injury Risk Sleeper

Rangers RHP Eric Gagne will probably not throw in a game until the middle of March. Gagne, who is coming back from two surgeries, has thrown off a mound but is on a different throwing pace than the other pitchers. While everyone else in camp is throwing every other day, Gagne throws every third day. Gagne is also being more selective about how much pitchers' fielding practice he participates in. He is trying to keep his back healthy. He underwent back surgery last July. Gagne also had elbow surgery last April.

Since his dominating run for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2002-04, when he converted 84 straight saves and won an NL Cy Young Award, Gagne has had three operations and pitched only 15 1-3 innings. The right-hander had as many appearances (two) as surgeries last year. "I want to keep feeling good every day. I don't want to take any step back. That's why I'm going so slow. I want to build my arm strength, get all the scar tissues out of my surgeries," Gagne said. "I'm just trying to get back to all my pitching muscles which I didn't use for two years." Gagne is well-worth taking in the middle rounds as an injury risk sleeper considering what he's been capable of in the past.
Source: CBS SportsLine.com