Angel Pagán

Infobox MLB player
name=Angel Pagán
position=Outfield
team=New York Mets
number=16
bats=Switch
throws=Right

birth date and age |1981|7|2
debutdate=April 3
debutyear=2006
debutteam=Chicago Cubs
statyear=May 6, 2008
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.260
stat2label=Runs batted in
stat2value=52
stat3label=Home runs
stat3value=9
teams=
*Chicago Cubs (by|2006-by|2007)
*New York Mets (by|2008-present)

Angel Pagán (born July 2, 1981 in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico) is currently an outfielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the New York Mets. Pagan's original contract in Major League Baseball was with the Mets, but he was transferred to the Chicago Cubs when they bought his contract. Pagan was subsequently traded back to the Mets prior to the 2008 season.

Professional career

On January 25, 2006, the Cubs purchased Pagán's contract from the Mets. Pagán made his major league debut with the Cubs on April 3, 2006 but was injured early in the season and missed two-and-a-half months. On July 2, 2006, his 25th birthday, Pagán hit his first and second career home runs in a game against the crosstown rival Chicago White Sox. Pagán is the first person in Major League history to hit his first two career home runs on his birthday.

Pagán returned in May 2007, being recalled in place of Matt Murton, who had struggled somewhat and was not getting regular at-bats. Pagán then became a regular outfielder and enjoyed modest success for the rest of the 2007 season. On January 5, 2008, Pagán returned to the Mets in a trade for two minor-league players. He began the year as the starting left fielder for the Mets because Moisés Alou was injured and on the disabled list. [cite web| url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080105&content_id=2339938&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym| title=Mets deal two Minor Leaguers for Pagan| author=Marty Noble| publisher=Major League Baseball| date=2008-01-05| accessdate=2008-01-05] When Alou returned from the DL in May, he took over the starting job in left field from Pagán.

On May 7, 2008, Pagán made a spectacular catch in foul territory, falling into the stands, in Los Angeles against the Dodgers while playing left field. Although he originally stayed in the game, Pagán was later removed with left shoulder pain. The injury eventually caused Pagán to be placed on the disabled list. Pagán was undergoing rehabilitation in the GCL and was expected to be on the active roster after the All-Star break. However, he left a rehab start with the Brooklyn Cyclones feeling pain when batting from the right side. Pagán had season-ending surgery on his shoulder on July 29, 2008. [cite news| url=http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=280724121&prov=ap | title=Delgado’s big hit puts Mets alone in first place | publisher=Associated Press | last=Cohen | first=Jay | date=2008-07-24 | accessdate=2008-07-24]

References

External links

*Baseballstats |mlb=434636 |espn=6488 |br=p/paganan01 |fangraphs=2918 |cube=p/angel-pagan