San Francisco Giants: 5 December Trades That Worked Out

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Aug 4, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; General view of a San Francisco Giants hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Giants trade Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez for Angel Pagan

The Giants caught lightning in a bottle in January of 2009 when they signed Andres Torres. Prior to that, he hadn’t shown much production at the Major League level, not even appearing in a big league game since 2005 with the Texas Rangers.

Torres went on to have a very strong season that year, and had an even better one in 2010. (He hit .268 with 16 home runs, 63 RBI’s, and 26 stolen bases. He also played stellar defense all over the outfield.)

But after 2011, he was showing signs of slowing down a bit, and had a few injuries.

Ramon Ramirez had been a key cog in the bullpen after coming over from Boston in 2010. (He had a 0.67 ERA in 25 games down the stretch.) He followed that up with a 3-3 record and a 2.62 ERA in 66 games in 2011.

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But the team was in search of a more permanent solution for centerfield and at the top of the order.

So the Giants traded the fan-favorite Torres, one of the most likeable guys in the sport, to the New York Mets for Angel Pagan. It was December 7th 2011. It was a gamble, and it paid off.

After coming to the Giants, Pagan hit .288 with 15 triples (leading the league), and 29 stolen bases hitting primarily out of the leadoff spot. His defense, which was a concern in New York, was very strong in center, and helped propel the team to its second championship in three years.

After one forgettable year with the Mets, both Torres and Ramirez returned to the Giants in 2013, for one last hurrah.

Despite a slight decline in production, and some injuries, Pagan’s value in 2012 made it a very good trade for the Giants.