Joc Pederson might have just unintentionally stoked the fire. The new Arizona Diamondbacks addition aimed to make upturn references for his new team. He compared them to Patrick Mahomes‘ “underdog” victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Though well-intentioned, his analogy landed with a thud.
After setting off online ridicule and highlighting the battle the Diamondbacks face in the National League West, maybe the 31-year-old is reconsidering his words. He conveniently overlooked the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl title just months before. Online critics strongly feel that Mahomes made a poor choice with his words. Also, was it fair to unfavorably compare Arizona and Kansas City?
Joc Pederson’s bold analogy set the stage for epic Dodgers clash
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The Los Angeles Dodgers, whom Pederson intended to direct his comment, is not one with a calm fanbase. The Blue Crew fan squad was quick to seize the opportunity, roasting Pederson on social media for the slip of the tongue.
New Arizona D-backs DH Joc Pederson says he certainly respects the Dodgers for their rich and talented team, but says: "That's why you play the games. Patrick Mahomes was as an underdog last week and he came back and smoked the Baltimore Ravens, which nobody really saw coming.''
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 30, 2024
The consensus? Fans established that Mahomes and the Chiefs, were anything but underdogs while the Diamondbacks remained firmly in the “underdog” camp. Moreover, now with Shohei Ohtani patrolling the LA outfield, his analogy for the LA Dodgers stands as null and void.
What was an attempt to make a relatable motivating statement, backfired. Not only that, it exposed a tension of sorts between Arizona and Los Angeles. Not to mention, Pederson, a former World Series champion with the Dodgers, now has to lead Arizona to an upset divisional victory over his former team.
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The Pederson – Diamondbacks Equation
Pederson’s words were a bold claim. It also drew attention to the Diamondbacks’ significant offseason investment, It is no secret that it broke the franchise payroll records in their pursuit of a World Series run. The two-time All-Star played for 7 seasons with the Blue Crew. During this time, he earned the badge of an All-Star. Not only that, in 2020, he won the World Series with them. This off-season, Pederson signed a contract D-backs for a 1-year worth $9.5 million. The D-backs have already broken a franchise record in terms of payroll this offseason.
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That said, Pederson’s statement was a bold claim in its timeframe. Those words came during the offseason, even before any game had been played. This sure has placed a lot of pressure on the shoulders of the Snakes to live up to the underdog label. Will the team be able to deliver an upset victory over the heftily favored Dodgers?
