Angel Pagan: Man Versus Back
To kick off the 2015 season, the San Francisco Giants are already dealing with drama with the outfield. Right fielder Hunter Pence is missing a projected one month of the season after a broken forearm, leaving a void to fill. What the Giants were hoping is that the outfield would not suffer another casualty. Angel Pagan is the latest.
Pagan is no stranger to injuries, as he has dealt with serious injuries the past two seasons. In 2013, Pagan endured a torn hamstring on a game-winning inside-the-park home run. Pagan required surgery to repair the torn hamstring, and during a rehab assignment in the minor leagues, Pagan aggravated the same hamstring. As a result, another surgery was required.
In 2014, Pagan nursed a back injury that kept him out most of the season, and forced him to miss the entire 2014 playoffs. The necessary rehab to bring the back to a good state wasn’t enough, forcing an end to a remarkable season for the Giants. A Pagan-less playoff run was hard to fathom for a good portion of the Giants fan base.
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In 2012, General Manager Brian Sabean, worked out two offseason trades to bring in Pagan and Melky Cabrera. Cabrera went on to wow major league baseball with his play, and his failed drug test resulting in a suspension for the rest of the season. 2012 wasn’t all about Cabrera, as Pagan seemed to steal the spotlight.
Coming into San Francisco, the Giants did not know what to expect with the two trades they made, but both paid off as getting the team into the playoffs, and eventually leading them to the 2012 World Series title. Pagan went on to wow with his defensive plays, speed, hustle, and enthusiasm. Pagan’s style of play helped him reach 15 triples, 37 doubles, and 29 stolen bases, as well as flirting with 100 runs scored (95).
Needless to say, the Giants success came from a good portion of Pagan.
Sep 6, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; San Francisco Giants center fielder Angel Pagan (16) in the dugout before the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Pagan came on a bargain after a poor 2011 outing with the New York Mets. A cheap trade turned into a fortune when the Giants signed Pagan to a four-year, $40 million deal, after an incredible 2012 season and World Series title.
Pagan was rewarded, but the following seasons didn’t benefit the Giants. Marco Scutaro is another who got paid big and turned out to be a misfortune.
The Giants’ gods of the 2012 season are now crippled and gimpy ball players. The achievements by Scutaro and Pagan cannot be denied for the Giants’ franchise, but father time and style of play is starting to catch up to both players. Scutaro’s career looks to be over after a serious back surgery, as Pagan’s end looks to be near. The end of an everyday ball player could be upon him.
Pagan has been a fan favorite in terms of baseball and good looks since his arrival in 2012. Pagan’s presence certainly cannot go unnoticed as the Giants have had more success with him in the lineup as opposed to out.
What Giants fans have to be aware of is the fact Pagan’s health is no more a 100 percent to go. As much as it is to be optimistic, reality kicks in and these injuries have taken a toll on Pagan’s body. It is now Pagan vs. his back.
162 games is a work load and lot of stress on the body mentally and physically. Going hard for every game stepped on the baseball field is a difficult task to accomplish. Players every year are not only playing through injuries, but laying their health on the line to help the team. Some for the better, and some for the worse. When the words “injection” and “back” come into play for Pagan news, Giants fans should be concerned.
All hope is not lost for a Pagan return though, but expectations should not be set high by the fans.
Tim Lincecum is already enduring that stress by fans pressing the idea that he will return to Cy Young form after reconnecting with his father in the offseason and getting back to what he knows best. While all things look possible for a return to a consistent Lincecum, it will not be a Cy Young form pitcher the Giants fielded in 2008 & 2009.
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To elongate Pagan’s career and the remaining two years on his Giants’ contract, he will have to change his style of play to save his body. Whether he is willing to take a step back, we don’t know.
Pagan has a love and heart for the game of baseball and the Giants’ franchise. Pagan could decide to not change what defines his game, but it could cause him to go out earlier than he was anticipating. When returning from injury, the back can flare again at anytime for Pagan. But what won’t change is the drive Pagan plays with, and he will do what it takes to win.
The 2015 season is about to start within the next couple weeks, and a banged up or healthy Pagan will be on the roster. Number 16 will be manning center field until he can give no more. The Giants’ fan base has fallen in love with Pagan and what he has contributed to the franchise and what is expected as a teammate has been electric. Putting himself on the line to help the team win — Whether that would be making acrobatic catches, sliding into first base, or running into the wall to make a catch.
Giants are a different kind of team when Pagan is on the field, but they also have shown they can win without him as well, as they showed in seven games against the Kansas City Royals to win the 2014 World Series. Pagan still adds value to this team, but certainly not the value he brought when he first put on a Giants’ uniform.
Bouncing around from the Chicago Cubs and the Mets, Pagan has found a home in the hearts of the city of San Francisco and Giants’ fans. While fans will cheer as if these injuries have never occurred, the Giants will have to be prepared for what may lie ahead. Pagan has a new opponent. Not just the opposing teams — but his very own back.
Pray for a healed Pagan, but also be ready for a Fallen Angel.