Eric Gagne Quotations

I was fluid today but I didn't throw enough strikes.

I have good days and bad days. I'm still off a little bit on my mechanics.

I didn't believe that then and I still don't. Unrelated.

I felt perfect on the mound. I threw all fastballs. I hoped to get to throw some more but the hitters were swinging at the first pitch. But if I have to choose five pitches or 15, I'll take five every day.

I felt all right. It was better than I thought it would be. I was kind of anxious and nervous, but it turned out all right.

I expected to feel good but I didn't expect to have so much zip on my fastball and movement on my change-up. I was surprised. It's reassuring.

I expected to feel good, but I didn't expect to have so much zip on my fastball and movement on my changeup. I was surprised. It's reassuring. I was under control, staying inside myself and throwing about 80 percent. The ball was going where I wanted it to, which is a big thing.

I expect to be what I used to be. I know I'm going to be the same pitcher I used to be.

It feels really good, so I'll start to play catch and see how it feels. If it's OK, we'll continue. If not, we'll back off and wait a little longer.

That was my best time in baseball there. He's the best ever.

I was pleased, especially with the hitters in there. I was under control, staying inside myself and throwing about 80 percent. The ball was going where I wanted it to, which is a big thing.

We haven't seen a lot of relievers win that award, so I was a little worried,

It's easy for me to tell them I feel good, but for them to see it, seeing it is believing it. It should be really good for their confidence. I never throw like that this early. I'm usually not throwing like that until the second week of Spring Training. I feel great. I'm ahead of where I'd usually be, but I'm coming back from injury. I have to make sure I don't rush it. I need to see how it reacts as we get closer.

It is tough losing the guys we did, ... But we have the best pitching in the division and pitching is the name of the game.

It's not a step back, it's a step forward. When you don't do good, that's when you go in and make adjustments. You've got to learn from it, and you've got to know where your mechanics are and what you need to do to make that adjustment.

The fans mean everything, ... The feeling I get when I pitch is amazing. It's the best feeling. Words can't describe it. The fans mean so much.

I'm not bitter. That's the business side of it. There's no hard feeling, ... Now, it's going to be a different story.

I'm very disappointed because I thought this would be behind us. It was a decision where I wanted to be 100 percent and be myself and enjoy it because I can't pitch with that kind of pain.

I knew I had the mental attitude to be a closer, it was just a matter of doing it in the major leagues, ... As a starter, you have to be more relaxed, you have to control your emotions more.

I'm more loose. I threw everything. I'm cutting loose. I'm going all out. I just need to get my arm strength up.

I'm up for it, ... We just need to be successful.

But I feel better than I usually feel at this time of spring. I'm just battling, trying to get some work in.

I have good days and bad days, but they aren't much different.

You have to be out there and have a mound presence. You have to be real aggressive and be real confident. You have to put the hitters on defense.

You want to be as dominant as possible and you want to put some doubt in the hitters' heads. That's what I'm trying to do every single time I'm on the mound.

One thing about this game: It's really frustrating. In hockey, if you team's losing, you can start a fight. You can get your frustrations out.

I'm me on the mound. I like to show my emotion, be real aggressive and give everything I've got for one half inning. I don't have to act. What you see on the mound is what I am in real life.

[In hockey] I was a goon, just protecting the better players. I've always been a better baseball player.

I don't think about delivery. I don't think about mechanics. I just think about throwing hard.

I like it when every pitch counts. There are a lot of people who see it as a negative, but I try to feed off it.

Sometimes, with two strikes and two outs, I step off the mound. People are yelling, they're yelling really loud. I step off because I want to feel it. You've got all that adrenaline going, you've got that rush. People think I'm thinking about something, but I'm just trying to listen to everyone and feed off it.

It's the best feeling in the world . The game's on the line, and you're the guy in the spotlight.