Angel Pagan or Devil Pagan?

Angel Pagan shown in the place where he needs to spend more time - the batting cage

While plenty of kids my age spent Spring Break 2012 sun-bathing in San Diego or getting cultural in Cabo San Lucas, I decided to take a three day trip down to Scottsdale, Arizona to check out my San Francisco Giants in their final days in Spring Training.  Alongside my Dad, I hopped on a plane leaving San Jose International on Friday morning and landed in Phoenix Sky Harbor International two hours later.  After a Friday afternoon of pool lounging and libation indulging, Pops and I headed over to Scottsdale Stadium Saturday afternoon to check out our beloved Giants take on the Kansas City Royals.

Coming back from an off-season injury, last year's baseball Cinderella, Ryan Vogelsong, took the mound for two innings and had his good stuff going.  Middle reliever Jeremy Affeldt came in for two more, looked just as good as Vogelsong, and then that asshole with the beard came in for the fifth.  Brian Wilson, the aformentioned "asshole with a beard" threw one inning.  He too is coming back from injury Vogelsong, and Wilson was throwing heat resembling his 2010 World Series Season dominance, which was great to see.  He can keep that god awful beard so long as he saves the Giants games.

Day 2 my Father and I were lucky enough to watch the Giants take on the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim.  Big Time Timmy Jim was on the mound for the Gigantes, gave up two runs, took a no decision, but overall looked cool, calm, and collected out on the mound for most of the day.  As you can tell, it is not the pitching that has me worried about my ball club this year, it's the hitting - just as it always is.  Huff still tops the ball and Pablo still swings at everything...but we have all seen this before and we know those guys can be great (Huff during our 2010 World Series Run, Pablo last season).  For now, these usual "batting bums" of the Giants are not the ones who have me bent - it's a newcomer.  Angel Pagan.

For those who are not familiar with the name, Pagan has spent the last six years in the Big Leagues, starting with the Chi-Town Cubs, but spending most of his career as a Big Apple Met.  He is a speedy center fielder with a .280 lifetime batting average and the San Francisco Giants traded fan-favorite outfielder Andres Torres and middle reliever Ramon Ramirez to the Mets this off-season in return for Pagan.  Bay peeps were sad to see Torres go, especially after his magical 2010 season, but he was a journeyman on the wrong side of 30 when we signed him a few years back and Pagan showed promise with young legs and a good bat.

Well, just as your parents promised you Santa Claus was absolutely real as a young child, not all promises come to fruition.  So far this Spring, Pagan is batting a measly .179 with a .193 on base percentage (OBP) and 10 strikeouts.  To put it in layman's terms, this guy sucks...big time.  I would hate to be the boy to jump to conclusions, but if Angel Pagan does not get it together here in the last couple Spring Training games, he is going to murder the Giants in the 2012 season.  The last thing our offense needed was a shitty hitter who can play a little bit of out field defense.  Can anyone say Aaron Rowand?

Just as my Old Man and I were enjoying a margarita at The Salty Señorita after watching six innings of Giants baseball against the Angels (six innings with only one hit for the Giants, I might add), Angel Pagan came up and ripped a double in the right-center field gap.  I was ecstatic.  Sure, it was his first hit in 25 some-odd at bats, but maybe this was what he needed to end Spring Training on a positive note.  As he took a good lead from second base, Pagan looked over his right shoulder towards the shortstop to see where he was positioned.  The relief pitcher for the Angels, David Carpenter, immediately stepped of the mound, turned to second, and threw Pagan out.  Are you kidding me?  This guy is supposed to be the lead off speedster, but is too busy getting thrown out at second by some no named reliever?  Great.  This sent me into a rant and for those who have watched sports by my side know it was filled with very colorful language.

So here is my message to Angel "The Devil" Pagan:

Listen, I know it's only Spring Training, but Opening Day is on April Sixth in Arizona against the Diamondbacks and if this poor play continues I'll be out in the left-center field bleachers come the home opener against the Pirates, along with every other pissed of Giants fan, with one sign and one sign only: "Bring Back Grandpa Torres."  Get it together and try to help us win another Championship.