Giants Ink Pesky Pagan to 4-Year Pact

On the first day of winter meetings action, the Giants just signed the player that is an absolute Dodger killer for four years today.  Angel Pagan was inked to a $40 million contract and should be roaming centerfield at AT&T Park until 2016.

There are those that are critical of the contract, but as a Dodger fan, I hate this signing. If there was a real thorn in the Dodgers side last season, it was Pagan.  The guy was an absolute masher against the blue, especially during the Giants dominance over them in late August when San Francisco came into Los Angeles and swept three games from the Dodgers and never looked back.  It was a series that I was present for and a painful one at that.  Every time I looked up, Pagan was slashing a double somewhere.

In eight games at Dodger Stadium last season, Pagan his .355 and had an on base percentage of .394.  In 17 games against the Dodgers Pagan scored 17 runs, stole 6 bases, and had 23 total bases.  The man was a wrecking crew and we have to hope that his performance last year was a peak against us and will not be repeated.  He broke the San  Francisco Giants franchise record with 15 triples last season, and in the process led the majors in that category.

Angel Pagan scores against the Dodgers on Oct. 2nd action.  This was the 4-3 Giant victory that eliminated the Dodgers from post season play.  (Photo by Mark J. Terrill/AP)

Pagan is reported to have said that San Francisco was his first choice to play next season, and who can blame him?  Giants Assistant General Manager Bobby Evans, covering for G.M. Brian Sabean who is out with the flu, said, “we had an advantage in that Pagan wanted to come back here.   That certainly helped us get him done.”  Winning a World Series sort of does that to you.  Giant posters on their blogs have been very fearful of the club signing Victorino in favor of Pagan for next year.

When the 4 year deal is up in 2017, Pagan will be 35 years old, so they have essentially locked him up for his remaining productive years as a player.  “We needed a center fielder and a lead off hitter.  We took care of both with Angel coming back,” said Giant Manager Bruce Bochy today after the signing was finalized.   The Giants next efforts will be towards re-signing second baseman Marco Scutaro.  It is reported that the Yankees are honing in on Scutaro, now that Alex Rodriguez’s hip surgery will sideline the third baseman for about half of the 2013 season.