Brewers to give Gagne "mental break"

May 11, 2008 - 7:52 PM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost announced Sunday that Eric Gagne will be temporarily removed from the closer's role.

Yost said that Gagne will be given a "mental break" after the former All-Star called his latest performance embarrassing.

The righthander allowed two runs and three hits in an inning Saturday to suffer a loss against the St. Louis Cardinals.

"I'll keep going out there and keep fighting, but it's embarrassing," Gagne said after the 5-3 loss. "It's not discouraging, it's just embarrassing.

"I know what I'm supposed to do, I know what I'm capable of doing and I'm not doing it. I've got to get people out and I'm not doing it. I don't deserve the ninth inning right now."

Yost said he will "mix and match" in the ninth inning until Gagne is ready to resume the role.

"He's really pushing himself really, really hard and taking it really, really hard," Yost said. "We'll probably just mix and match, I'm not going to do anything crazy."

Gagne, who signed a one-year, $10 million free agent contract prior to the season, is 1-2 with a 6.89 ERA in 17 appearances for Milwaukee. He is tied for the National League lead with five blown saves in 14 opportunities.