When last we heard from free agent outfielder Angel Pagan, he was dismissing the idea of accepting a minor league deal with anyone, saying “I just don’t feel I need to be fighting for a job . . . if a team wants me to help a team win, they know I can help them win.”
Pagan proceeded to play for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, saying beforehand “I’m a winning player. I’m healthy. They’ll see it in the (World) Baseball Classic.” Pagan did well enough in the WBC, going 10-for-35 with three doubles and a couple of RBI in eight games. Fantastic? No, but he was certainly healthy and durable, being only one of three players on the Puerto Rico squad to play all eight games of the tournament.
That has not, however, resulted in a job offer. So Pagan tells the Puerto Rican website El Vocero that he is taking 2017 off. Via NBC Bay Area:
Per El Vocero, Pagan said the decision was made as a family. “I’ve been away from my house for a long time,” he said, adding that he wants to take advantage of time that can’t be recovered. Pagan said he is not necessarily retiring.
It’ll be interesting to see if Pagan sticks to that in the very likely event that an outfielder gets injured or released.
