Answer Man: Hunter Pence

Funny stuff! He's a good kid.

 

Nice interview. One more reason to like HP.

 

NEEEEEERRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDD!

Also, Lance Berkman is a "legendary smart guy"?

 

Damnit...now I want to know about that cab ride.

 

I'm curious about the cab ride with Oswalt. Where were they and where were they going?

 

Quit doing interviews and start hitting the little white ball with authority.



DD

 

Amen brother.

 

Speaking of , hes fixing to be on 790 with CP ...... (3:30) .

 

Good read...Let's just hope he gets out of his slump...I need to hear more about that cab ride...probably a gentlemen's club adventure...

 

Dropped to 7th in the order ........ ouch . Maybe this will be what he needs to get on track .

 

If he doesn't stop the drinking and partying he's going to get dropped to the minors. Anyone who doesn't think he wasn't wasted when he crased thru that glass door is a fool.

 

Jesus Ortiz, is that you?

 

LOL, had the same reaction.

 

We need to get Matsui healthy and put Hunter in the 3 hole.

 

I'm a huge Pence fan, but he needs to stay in the 7th spot until he is laying off pitches. He is swinging at the first 3 pitches he sees in every at bat.. his approach is TERRIBLE right now. No way he is sniffing the top of the order till he does that, especially considering Kaz is coming back and Pence looks completely lost right now. Coop won't bump Lance, Lee, or Tejada for Pence with the way he looks at the plate right now.

 

He's being asked to take pitches and everything else the 2 hole requires.In addition pitchers have a bit of a book on him.(lots of sliders)You hit him 3 and he has protection with plenty of fastballs to hit.I agree Hunter's looked horrible so far,but I really think it's more a function of the above and will get straightened out.Our lineup will be more productive as he'll find his groove and besides the others mentioned will produce wherever they are.Perhaps your right about dropping him for now,but I see him needing the protection more than ever at present......make them pitch to him without the added burden of thinking too much out there.I really believe before all is said and done Pence will have a big year.

 

Or we need to trade Matsui for a can of beans, have Loretta start every day, and keep Hunter as far from the 3 hole as possible until he stops swinging at pitches 2 feet off the plate and in the dirt.

 

C'mon.Matsui hasn't even played one game yet.While I respect Loretta's ability,a healthy Matsui gives us a more balanced lineup capable of manufacturing runs as well as getting the big inning.Guys get to hit where they were meant to before the start of the season.
Again,like I said Hunter is thinking too much in the box.Whether it's attempting to protect MB...giving him pitches to run on..etc.
Pitchers adjust and so will Hunter,but give him the benefit of fastballs to feast on for awhile.You see him choking up on that bat even more than usual.Let him just swing the lumber and find himself.He's not a 2 hitter and shouldn't have to fight that and his sophmore walk through.
Pence will NOT be seeing sliders in the dirt at 3 and hitting 7 doesn't give him the protection he needs now.
Let him get his stroke and confidence back.
You do this and you have a deeper more productive lineup for the longhaul.

 

Looking at Loretta's career and Matsui's career, I prefer Loretta. And Matsui never plays anything remotely similar to a full season. We've gone from anal fissures to back spasms already with the guy...that's been the story of his career.

Looking back on it, I really wish the Astros hadn't spent that money on Kaz. I hope to be pleasantly surprised.