Same energy. Same character. Same passion. Different results.
Jake Peavy has turned his season around since being traded from the Boston Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants shortly before the Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline. The veteran right-hander already has emerged as a leader with his new club, both on and off the field.
“Not only has he thrown the ball great, but he’s brought a lot of energy,” Giants catcher Buster Posey told reporters Thursday. “It’s definitely helped. He’s a vocal guy. We don’t have a ton of vocal guys on the team.”
Peavy’s vocal chords have been receiving a healthy workout since the 33-year-old broke into the majors back in 2002. Whether it’s an outpouring of emotion on the mound, chatter in the dugout or strategizing in the clubhouse, Peavy’s enthusiasm has proven both bold and contagious at all four of his major league destinations, including Boston.
The Red Sox loved Peavy. However, the club recognized shortly before the deadline that moving Peavy, a struggling free agent-to-be, in exchange for two promising prospects, Edwin Escobar and Heath Hembree, was a no-brainer. The Giants, meanwhile, saw an opportunity to acquire a proven pitcher with leadership qualities who simply ran into a rough patch from a performance standpoint.
Peavy, who was 1-9 with a 4.72 ERA through 20 starts at the time of the trade, has rewarded the Giants since landing in the Bay Area. He’s 5-4 with a 2.29 ERA in nine starts with San Francisco, helping the team absorb the loss of Matt Cain. Peavy’s 1.12 ERA since Aug. 9 is tops in the National League.
“Over the past few weeks we’ve found some identity as a team,” Peavy told reporters Thursday after another solid performance. “Playing good team baseball, playing for each other, playing hard.”
The Giants entered Friday with a 22-15 record since the beginning of August. They trailed the Los Angeles Dodgers by only two games in the National League West and sat atop the NL Wild Card standings alongside the Pittsburgh Pirates. Obviously, it’s not all Peavy’s doing. But San Francisco looks rejuvenated.
“As you get older, you realize what the word ‘teammate’ is,” Peavy said. “When I walk away from this game, that’s what I want to be said about me. I don’t care about any numbers, any wins and losses. I want my peers, when they get asked about me, to say this guy came in prepared, he got his work done, and he was one of the best teammates I’ve ever had.”
Peavy’s status as a great teammate never was in question. Now, with a change of scenery, he’s back to being a quality starting pitcher, too.
