The way that Hunter Pence beats up on a baseball, you’d think he was mad at them.
“He hits the ball hard all the time,” said Hooks manager Dave Clark. “We have a saying in this office. It’s that he hates that baseball.”
At his hometown University of Texas-Arlington, Hunter Pence wasn’t a big power hitter. In 109 games there, he had just 16 homers and 77 runs batted in.
That changed last season. The 2004 second-round draft pick of the Houston Astros hit a combined 31 homers with 90 RBI in 121 games at low Class A Lexington and high Class A Salem. He batted better than .300 at each stop.
He has developed the reputation of being a power hitter, even if he doesn’t see himself that way.
“I try to be an RBI guy,” Pence said. “With my natural swing, I’m going to hit the ball into the ground, so I work on hitting the ball hard and lifting it into the air. My role is to hit doubles and home runs and drive in runs.”
Knowing your role is 40% of the formula for success. The other 60% comes in the execution, which Pence takes very seriously.
Last off-season, Pence was a fixture in Arlington, working out and swinging a bat at Cover All Bases and practicing with his alma mater’s current players. “They can ask me anything about the game,” he said. “I’m always willing to share my knowledge.”
He has carried that knowledge over to this season as one of the Double-A Texas League’s best run producers for Corpus Christi. The 23-year-old outfielder entered August with 24 homers, 80 RBI and a .296 average.
The mild-mannered Pence doesn’t seem hateful, or high-strung, but, said Clark, “He’s very intense. He can’t wait to put that uniform on.”
Pence’s attitude isn’t unusual on his team.
“We’ve had guys like J.R. House and Josh Bonifay who have been around and played at the upper levels. They’re just great guys who set a real good example. They’re in the weight room working hard. Their attitude toward the game feeds off on us younger guys. They’ll tell you to get in the weight room after a game.”
The 6’4”, 220-pound Pence doesn’t need motivation from others.
“I’ve been a guy that has had a lot of motivation. I enjoy baseball. I enjoy working out. I enjoy practicing baseball.”
Asked to compare Pence to players he has seen, Clark answered: “Vlad Guerrero. The kid is up there ready to hit, and his strike zone is a little bit different from other players.”
When it was pointed out that you don’t see many players like Guerrero, Clark replied, “You don’t see many like Hunter Pence either.”
For Pence, making it to the majors is a matter of time. The red flag for all Astros players remains what the major league club will do with their handling. Pence seems to have the inner-stuff that can withstand a low-communication clubhouse. He represents one of the best hopes that Houston has for a bright offensive future, and returns on the FAB50 Baseball 2006 rankings up 29 from his entry in the FAB50 at 43 in 2005.
- Lary BUMP
