This is not Joc Pederson‘s first playoff rodeo. The Atlanta Braves outfielder has been a part of the postseason every year since he became a major league regular in 2015, getting plenty of experience during the Dodgers’ run through the NL West. That experience certainly paid off with the Braves this season, as he has been a key part of their own run to the World Series.
Naturally, one would be curious as to what Pederson has learned during his time in the playoffs, what secrets he has to success. It turns out that the key to winning is very simple.
Joc Pederson, who has played in three World Series, is asked what he has learned it takes to win these games.
— Stephanie Apstein (@stephapstein) October 25, 2021
"Score more runs than the other team," he says.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Joc Pederson shares brilliant nugget of wisdom
Pederson is technically correct in his assessment. No one is handing out wins for a moral victory. While a team may feel better about themselves after battling back from a 5-0 deficit to lose 5-4, it is still a loss.
He certainly knows a bit about winning in the playoffs. This is Pederson’s fourth World Series, as he was part of the Dodgers’ NL Championship teams in 2017, 2018, and 2020. Likewise, this could be viewed as a bit of a revenge series, as the Dodgers lost to the Astros in 2017. Given the controversy surrounding the team that year, and the subsequent revelation of AstroGate, Pederson may have a little extra motivation.
But it all comes down to the scoreboard. No matter how much motivation a team may have, or how hard they battle, they need to outscore the opposition. Thankfully, Pederson is here to remind us of that simple fact; otherwise, we all may forget how to accurately determine who wins and loses the World Series.
Joc Pederson has been through his fair share of postseason battles. On Monday, the Atlanta Braves outfielder shared the wisdom he has gained in that time.