We didn't seek this out, but after an in-depth exploration, it made sense for us.

I could be upset [about not closing], but what am I going to do with that? Nothing. I can do a lot of things to help this team win. I want a ring on my hand, and we have a good chance. If Gagne's healthy, he's going to be the closer and I'm not. We don't talk about it. We have a lot of other things to talk about.

Sometimes they hit two hard line drives right at the chest, that are mistakes, and they're out and you win the game. Sometimes you make good pitches and a couple of ground balls find the holes and you lose the game. That's baseball.

The first time I got the news, I wasn't happy about the trade. But when they told me Gagne was coming off surgery and they needed me in the bullpen because maybe Gagne can't throw three days in a row or he throws too many pitches and can't go back-to-back ... I started to think different.

There's a lot of things happening. There's a lot of speculation about Lou, about new ownership, about a lot of things. I don't want to think about all that. There's too many things that are out of our control.

They told me yesterday that Gagne wouldn't be ready and I would be closing today. If I have to pitch tomorrow, three days in a row, I think I'll be ready. Come tomorrow and I'll tell you. I think we're going to win, 10-0, and there's no need.