The Lunatic Fringe

Francisco Pegeuro is hitting consistently this spring, yet there’s so little discussion that’s been had about him.  Mostly, I think it’s because if you want to debate his positives and negatives, it’ll turn into a Moneyball debate, and everyone’s tired of that.

Without getting into it too deeply, no one denies Peguero’s talent, nor his ability to get bat on ball.  His power’s a bit suspect, but it’s not the major part of his game.  He squares up better than a lot of people.  However, he is a very aggressive hitter, and swings a lot.  While walks are not the truest indicator of a player’s plate discipline, it fits that he has just 96 career walks in 621 professional games.  And his career high was in 2008, and it’s been worse since then (though better since hitting a low in 2009).  Some think that’s an indicator that he’ll fail in the majors as he faces more difficult pitchers.  Others feel that it’s not as important for the type of hitter he is.

I don’t have the answer.  And, of course, no one knows until he gets a real chance, hard to do on a championship team.

Some point to a sub-par AAA season, where he only hit .272 and had his first sub-.300 OBP in any season, and his first sub-.400 slugging since he was very young.  But part of that falls into that he was hurt and started the season very slow.  When he got his callup to the majors, however, he had just ended a 22-game hitting streak, so he was clearly finding his groove up there.

His injuries are a bigger issue, in my mind.  In 2012, due to his knee problems, he wasn’t stealing bases.  In fact, he had just one attempt before getting to the majors.    This from a kid who had four straight seasons of 22 or more, even in limited game time (his 22 came in a season where he played just 75 games, when a regular minor league season is closer to 115 for a player).  Being 24 with knee problems is not good for an athletic player whose speed and range is a big part of his game.

And the truth is, a speed player should particularly be someone doing anything to up his on-base percentage, to enhance one of his better tools.

So, there’s a lot of reasons to think that Peguero won’t, or even can’t, make it.

Here’s my counterpoint: Why not stop playing the game on paper (or cyberpaper) and see if he does or doesn’t?

There’s a lot of reasons to think he can’t…but that could have been said about a lot of players.  Tim Lincecum.  Pablo Sandoval.  And sometimes, they can’t.  But we won’t know unless they try.

Left field is perhaps the biggest unknown for the Giants this season.  Two longtime minor league scrubs with questionable offensive abilities but flashes of greatness are expected to platoon out there.  One’s injured right now, the other is batting just .167 in six games.  Also, right field has a player who is a free agent after this year.

If there’s anytime to let a player who’s performing to be given a shot to perform, why not now?  We’re not talking about a player who’s being committed to for years (like a Rowand).  We’re talking about a player who, at his worst, would be similar to the options currently being considered.

But mostly, we’re talking about seeing what the Giants have, whether it’s a flash in the pan, or an unlikely star on a team full of them.

I say let it ride.  You don’t want to be excited about Peguero?  Fine.  But give him a chance, a real chance, to excite you.  I hope the Giants will do that, especially after this spring.