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.
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.