Season in Review: Gregor Blanco

Twenty-eight year old journeyman fringe backup outfielders are not the people you would expect to have a huge role on a World Champion team. Heck, this Venezuelan isn’t even a Shortstop, so that may even turn you off to him a little more. Yet, as the cliché goes: here we are. Gregor Blanco may have also made the defensive play of 2012, as it saved a certain Matt Cain’s Perfect Game, which was important because without that catch, there is definitely another game’s blu-ray disc in that Giants A&E DVD pack that is sitting unopened next to my PS3.

Interesting Gregor Blanco stat for the 2012 Postseason: he had four hits in each of the series, including five extra base hits. Blanco’s stats aren’t super by any means, and they might just be the best the Giants get out of him. They know it, too, which is why they have Andres Torres to platoon with him this coming year, even though most of Blanco’s numbers against LHP are better than his numbers against RHP. The proof:

vs. LHP

vs. RHP

HR

3

2

OBP

.333

.332

OPS+

116

80

wOBA

.308

.299

wRC+

.299

89

So it should be interesting going forward what Gregor can do for the Giants, but barring some crazy Spring Training showing from Andres, even though Clayton Kershaw will probably be the Opening Day starter for the Dodgers, I think Bochy will say something like “Gregor’s earned this one, you never know when you’ll have another.” You know it in your heart to be true.