Gagne: Not injured, but will start season on DL

Rangers closer Eric Gagne will start the season on the disabled list. Gagne isn’t injured, but he needs more time to build up arm strength after throwing just three innings in Cactus League action. "He's feeling great," pitching coach Mark Connor said. "He just needs to pitch more innings." The Rangers are hoping Gagne can be activated on April 13. In the meantime, Akinori Otsuka, who saved 32 games for the Rangers last year, will serve as the team’s closer.
Source: MLB.com

Gagne: Roughed up against Padres, still Rangers closer

Eric Gagne was roughed up in Tuesday's game against the Padres, surrendering four earned runs in one inning of work. Rangers manager Ron Washington said he's confident Gagne will be ready to be his closer on Opening Day. "Yes, without a doubt," Washington said. "He's healthy. I've seen better stuff than he's shown today, but he's healthy. He's the closer. I'm not going to take the ball away from him." The one thing the Rangers do know is Gagne is unlikely to be ready to pitch back-to-back games once the regular season starts.
Source: MLB.com

Gagne: Rangers hope he will be ready for Opening Day

Appearing in his first A game in spring, Eric Gagne allowed a solo homer and struck out one in an inning of work on Tuesday. Despite the long ball, this was another positive step for the Rangers closer, who the team hopes will be ready in time for Opening Day. Even so, considering Gagne's shaky health record over the past two seasons, not to mention multiple surgical procedures, owners gambling on him are almost obliged to select teammate Akinori Otuska, last year's fireman, as a precaution.
Source: MLB.com

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