MLB Player Profile: Hunter Pence
There are certain players whose fame is inextricably attached to the team they belong to. There are players whose presence actually adds to the strength and the prominence of the team. But when both the team and the player are of high stature, deciding who
the real source that emboldens the other is becomes a sort of unanswerable flux.
Hunter Andrew Pence is that player and the Philadelphia Phillies is the team that force one to launch some scrutiny into it. A Major League Baseball outfielder, Hunter Pence is a new addition to the Philadelphia Phillies, a team that has lately been a source
of envy for the rival teams due largely to its admirably performance throughout the season.
With 82 wins to their credit, the Philadelphia Phillies top the rank, leaving all other teams behind with the Boston Red Sox standing second with 77 wins. Given the kind of performance the team has shown as the whole and inclusion of a player like Pence,
the Phillies are all set to rule the roost.
Born in Arlington Texas, he would well be the natural choice for the Texas Rangers. But the player was first introduced to the Houston Astros where he was inducted as the centre-fielder on April 28, 2007. Playing against the Milwaukee Brewers in the same
game, the debutant had a hit and scored a run to make a strong case of his arrival and talent that he possessed.
Within a couple of weeks, he hit the first home-run of his majors against the St. Louis Cardinals that was in the form of grand slam. So overwhelmingly promising was his performance since his start that he was unanimously selected for the 2007 Tops Major
League Rookie All-Star Team, making him an enviable choice for any team which wanted a player of his stature.
Although there were a lot of big awards that Pence missed by a minor difference of votes and points, he was named All-Star for the first time in 2009. He maintained an average of .269 with 25 doubles, 160 hits and 25 home-runs that year. As the consistency
of his performance saw upward trend, he was once again named 2011 All-Star, making him all the more favourite choice for the bigger teams.
It was this prospect that eventually led to Philadelphia Phillies’ decision to acquire the All-Star in 2011 from Houston Astros. A big sum of money was sent to the Astros to pay for the over 2.2-million-dollars to Hunter Pence to make the deal official.
"He's a guy that I think our fans will take to very well," Phillies’ general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said.
For Pence, it was a huge moment in life. "I think every competitor at the highest level wants to be in a pennant race, wants to be in a World Series," Pence said. "I'm pretty lucky now I get to jump on board with one of the best teams, and hopefully have
an opportunity to do that."
Given the consistency that he has maintained throughout his career, it is expected of him to play the same part for the Philadelphia Phillies. "I'm really looking forward to just trying to be a part. Give it my heart and soul like I always do," Pence said.
"One thing I try to take pride in is hustle, grind and preparation. It's really cool to be wanted like that."
Hunter Pence has a career average of .291 with 368 runs he has scored in 701 games, remaining at-bats 2727 times. Also, in 2011, he has an average of .310 with 65 runs that he has scored – having 16 home-runs and 76 RBIs.
Tags: