Eric Gagne, Trevor Hoffman, Brad Lidge: Why Are Great Closers Having Trouble?

Recording the final three outs in a baseball game has become one of the hardest things for a pitcher to do.

Just take a look at Eric Gagne. In 2003, Gagne won the National League Cy Young Award after converting all 55 save opportunities he had during the season. From Aug. 26, 2002 to July 5, 2004, Gagne converted 84 straight save opportunities, a Major League record.

Granted, Gagne did develop some arm troubles that caused him to miss significant amounts of time. However, coming into this season, Gagne had fully recovered and was completely healthy.

Through Milwaukee's first 21 games this season, Gagne has had 10 save opportunities. He has only successfully converted six of those.

Why does Gagne, the best closer in baseball four years ago, struggle to convert saves?

Well maybe it is just an anomaly and Gagne is the only one who has seen a significant drop-off.

But that is just not the case.

Trevor Hoffman, the all-time leader in saves with 528, is also struggling. In just six save opportunities this season, Hoffman has blown two of them.

Last night Hoffman was called on to finish off a San Diego victory against San Francisco. He came into the game with the Padres leading 1-0.

Hoffman retired Randy Winn on a fly ball to center, but Bengie Molina followed it up with a solo home run over the left field wall.

Hoffman would retire the next two hitters to finish off the inning, but he blew the save and forced the game into extra innings.

San Diego would go ahead and lose the game in the 13th inning, 3-2.

These are just two examples of great closers having trouble. Let's not even get started with all of the problems that former Astros and current Phillies closer Brad Lidge has had.

Is it just a mental game that pitchers struggle to win? Why are the last three outs of a game harder to record than any other three over the course of the game?

Just a couple of the many questions people are asking after watching the closer of their favorite team blow a lead in the ninth inning.