Pence hoping to stay in game
“If the Giants do hit me up, obviously I’d love to share whatever I can with the organization.”
Hunter Pence, former Giants outfielder
Hunter Pence said Monday he’d be open to working for the Giants again in a capacity other than a player.
“A life’s work of baseball, I want to share it,” Pence said.
Pence, who was designated for assignment in August and retired in September, was asked on MLB Network about his plans in retirement, and he said he’d like to try broadcasting or working with hitters.
Pence played 789 of his 1,707 career regularseason games with the Giants, and he helped them win the World Series in both 2012 and 2014. After the 2018 season, he reinvented his swing, played winter ball in the Dominican Republic and enjoyed an AllStar season in Texas.
Pence returned to the Giants in 2020 but didn’t live up to his 2019 season.
“I’m very sad my body gave out on me,” he said, “and maybe it’s because I went a little too crazy learning the swing. I took so many swings. I was in the cage an hour, hour and 15 minutes at least, seven days a week that whole offseason.
“But reprogramming a life’s work took that. My hip definitely didn’t love that. But at the end of the day, it’s just the love of the game. I’m so excited that moving forward, hopefully, I get to share a lot of stuff I learned about hitting to the future kids coming up to play.”
Another option Pence wouldn’t mind exploring: “Potentially doing something in broadcasting. At least talking about the game, being around the game. If the Giants do hit me up, obviously I’d love to share whatever I can with the organization.”
Pence, 37, said he hasn’t discussed anything specific with the Giants, who have used many former players as guest instructors during spring training as well as analysts during telecasts and on their pregame and postgame studio shows.
Pence was the Giants’ nominee for the distinguished Roberto Clemente Award, which went to St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright on Monday. Pence and his wife, Lexi, use their coffee line, Pineapple Labs, to raise money for many charities, including The Chronicle’s Season of Sharing Fund.
“It’s one of the greatest honors of my career. I can’t just say I did this alone,” Pence said of the nomination, acknowledging those who ordered or donated at the pineapple labs. com.
Pence shed light on his final season in which he batted .096 in 17 games.
“I had such a bond with the city and so many memories, and I was so lucky I had the opportunity to come back,” he said. “I wanted to have one last year to say thanks to all the fans and really try to just give it my all.
“I knew my body was kind of fading, and I wanted to play as long as I could. My decision when I was really young was, I want to play as long as I can. I want to play as hard as I can. Eventually, your body just kind of gives out. As much as you want to fight it, I just couldn’t quite get it going this year.”
On the Giants’ final day of the season, Pence was on a boat in McCovey Cove pulling for his guys — a win would have sent them to the playoffs — and signing autographs.
“They weren’t expected to do anything,” Pence said. “The fact they played that well, I think the Giants have a lot to look forward to. They’re on that proper trajectory.”