Both Humble and Deadly, Joc Pederson is Also For Real

Before the season started, like many fans I was apprehensive about Joc Pederson’s pending rookie year. I was concerned not only about his piling strikeout count during the spring, but also about his deer-in-the-headlights look when confronted by the media. Even during the most low-key locker room interviews he gave the impression of a boy out of his league, nervous, a bit overwhelmed at times.

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I was concerned that the perceived fear I saw in the young man’s eyes when asked about his potential claiming of the center field spot was a harbinger of tentative performances to come. It hasn’t been until the past few days I’ve realized that it wasn’t fear or nerves I saw in Pederson’s eyes. It was humility.

With each passing game, with each home run he hits, Pederson is gaining notoriety on a national level. After his grand slam against the Arizona Diamondbacks this past week, Joc appeared as unassuming and as uncomfortable answering questions from the media as one can imagine. When interviewed by reporters after the Dodgers’ 8-0 victory, Pederson still showed the same reluctant expressions and gave the same modest responses he was giving two months earlier. “It’s not how you start,” he said on SportsNetLA without a trace of irony, “but how you finish.”

How true.

When he’s not hitting home runs or running down fly balls, Pederson spends most of his time striking out. It’s a feast or famine sort of season for Joc so far. “This is a very humbling game at times,” Joc said in an interview last year prior to starting one of the most remarkable seasons of triple A ball ever. “And you have to stay humble throughout it if you want to be successful.”

Some days he’s hitting grand slams or leading off a game with a home run. He has 7 home runs to date. Other days he’s not even close. As I write this, in the midst of the Dodgers’ second game against the Brewers, Joc appears to be in a 3-day stretch of endless strikeouts (he now has 33 Ks in 77 at-bats with a 1.6 K/BB ratio). What’s most promising about this young phenom is his apparent knack for staying on the level. The kid has confidence in his ability and he shows no fear at the plate. During many games, shots of the dugout and the outfield catch him smiling, joking, and truly enjoying his Major League experience.

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“It’s fun seeing someone [like Pederson] who’s always smiling no matter what,” said Andre Ethier in a glowing article by Mark Saxon.

“He has been a breath of fresh air,” wrote Saxon, “to a Dodgers team that, if anything, has at times looked a little old in the past few years.”

Whenever asked about his on-the-field achievements Pederson is typically quick to give credit to his teammates and his coaches. He speaks quietly and answers questions quickly. During some of his post game interviews he may give the impression of a young man overwhelmed by the spectacle, but don’t let the façade fool you. Once on the field, Pederson is anything but overwhelmed.