Hunter Pence Plays a Mean Ping Pong

After an inspirational postseason, Hunter Pence adopted a pretty unique training regimen to prepare himself for the upcoming baseball season.

More ping pong.

“Sounds crazy, right?” Pence told reporters. “It works your fast-twitch muscles. You react. I just got a bunch of different friends and we didn’t play games. It was just rallies, as hard and as long as we could.”

Apparently the San Francisco Giants outfielder has been a table tennis enthusiast for a while, but it wasn't until his brother Howie pointed out that the more Pence played in the off season...the better he did during the regular season.

And after batting a career low .253 while splitting time between San Francisco and the Philadelphia Phillies...Pence was down to try anything.

“It might be a coincidence,” he added, “but it was worth a try.”

Absolutely.
 

 

Pint-Sized Pence Is Just As Manic

Back-to-back Hunter Pence posts?  Yeah...I know.  And they've got the same picture.  For that...I apologize.

Full disclosure.  I was looking for embeddable video of Pence's homage to Ozzie Smith from Wednesday when I found some fresh clip of a young San Francisco Giants fan doing his best impression of the wild-eyed outfielder.

Looks like my boy Gar Ryness better watch his back, because this young buck (smart money is that his name is either Connor, Aidan or, yes, Hunter) has got Pence's on deck hysterics figured out.

Hunter Pence Flips Out

Hunter Pence was wasted in Houston.

Hear me out.

When you look at the stat line, the outfielder was pretty darn good during his five-year tenure with the Astros, but that's not what I'm talking about...dude was just a name.  We knew precious little about him. 

And in a game where character matters...he was wasted.

Seriously, think about it. Jeff Bagwell is only getting about half the attention of the Hall of Famers voters because of, well, PED uncertainty and where he played. This year, it's possible Craig Biggio and his 3000-plus hits might suffer the same fate. Both are more than qualified for Cooperstown, but both are being seemingly ignored, because, I'd contend, we know little about them.

So, yeah, I'm not about to put Pence on the same level as either one of the "Killer Bs"...it wasn't until recently that we have been able to crack the nut that is Hunter Pence.

First, there was the chatter about his inspirational speeches during the Playoffs.

Then, it was his appearance on "Conan".

And, most recently, the end credit roll from the San Francisco Giants World Series DVD.

But, now...well, now there's this.

Over at MLB.com, there's a video of Pence apparently celebrating Ozzie Smith's 58th birthday Wednesday by doing, you guessed it, an Ozzie-style backflip. But what is most impressive is this..."The Wizard" came in at 5'11" (many say shorter) and 150 pounds.

Pence is 6'4" and listed at 220.

I'll embed the video when I can, but until then...CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Hunter Pence's Teammates Must Love Him

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

Charles Caleb Colton

If Charles Colton's famous idiom is true...the San Francisco Giants must absolutely LOVE their teammate (and inspirational leader) Hunter Pence.

Just check out the end credits to the team's official 2012 World Series film.

 

***Tip o' the hat to Jimmy Traina.***

Hunter Pence Cracks Up Conan

San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence was labeled as plenty of things this postseason...an inspirational leader, the lead singer from Spin Doctors and, of course, a crazy eyed meme generator.

But if his recent appeance on Conan is any indication...dude is also pretty funny.

What a difference a World Series makes, huh?  Last week at this time, the 29-year-old Pence looked like a grizzled mountain man and now, well, he's clean shaven and recommending Katy Perry.