Dodgers: Joc Pederson's Championship Swag Transformed the Atlanta Braves Last Year
Joc Pederson has long been a confident player. Pederson's positive attitude and love for the game were omnipresent during his seven seasons with the Dodgers. Pederson was also an integral part of the Dodgers 2020 championship roster.
The outfielder signed with the Chicago Cubs last offseason. The Cubs promptly traded him during their trade deadline fire sale.
The Braves acquired Joc from the Cubs two weeks before the deadline. It was Pederson's confidence that lifted their season. According to one Atlanta coach, Pederson played a big role in the Braves 2021 championship run.
On an episode of AM570’s Dodger Talk, Atlanta third base coach Eric Young discussed the championship “swag” that Pederson brought to the Braves and how it changed their clubhouse.
“Absolutely. At the time when we got him, we were a .500 team. We were treading water. We could’ve gone in either direction. He came in and brought that swag, brought that confidence, that ‘this is what the other teams think of you guys’ and last year what the Dodgers thought of us.”
Atlanta was four and half games out of first (44-45) when they acquired Pederson from the Chicago Cubs on July 15th. Atlanta had also lost the NLCS to Pederson’s Dodgers the season before after holding a 3-1 series lead.
Young also revealed Pederson’s explanation for the pearl necklace he wore in-game.
“He brought that swag in. When he brought the pearls out, we were all wondering where the pearls came from. He said well hold up, ‘they got the gold chains so I might as wear the pearls, something a little different.’ Then he came with the blonde hair. He brought more character to a bunch of a guys thinking more about the season and how we weren’t having success.”
Pederson is a one-of-a-kind baseball character. After being a fan favorite in LA, the endearing slugger ingratiated himself with this Atlanta teammates and fans alike.
That'll happen when you help two different teams win championships with a smile on your face.
Pederson's swag is now available for hire. He's one of the many veterans who remains unsigned during the MLB lockout.
