Astros' Hunter Pence named NL player of week CHICAGO — Astros right fielder Hunter Pence was named the National League Player of the Week on Tuesday. In six games last week against the St. Louis Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks, Pence went 11-for-22 with a .542 on-base percentage and a .909 slugging percentage as the Astros went 5-1. Pence scored five runs and drove in nine while striking out just three times. His first of two home runs for the week turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead in last Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Cardinals that completed a three-game sweep. His second, also a three-run blast, held up in a 3-2 win over Arizona on Sunday after Pence hit it in the first inning. The honored week was part of a late-season revival for Pence, who at the time of the award was hitting .333 since the All-Star break after a .263 first half. He also had a 139-point improvement in slugging as his home-run pace has picked up drastically. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bb/7190016.html
Congrats to Hunter. He's been on fire since early July and I think he's taken very well to being the leader of this team since the Oswalt and Berkman trades. You definitely see a difference in the way he's played and in his attitude on and off the field. I'm sure having Bagwell in the clubhouse has made a huge difference.
WOW, the Cubbies have their AAA team out there tonight and a pitcher coming off the DL. Wind is BLOWING tonight.
Figueroa has had success for us as a starter but he seems to get off to shaky starts just about every time out. In his last start, he was shaky all the way through but kept getting clutch outs in pressure situations. He's Moehler-like with his lack of velocity and reliance on command.
Yeah no kidding. Looks like another shaky start to tonight. What's he projected to be if he's in the rotation next year? 5th or bullpen?
Not sure. My guess would be long relief and fill-in starter, sort of like Moehler has done for us in recent seasons. I don't know what their plans are for him though. Have they said anything about bringing him back?
