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San Francisco Giants: Five Predictions for the Upcoming Season

By Sean Bialaszek

Mar 13, 2015; Clearwater, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies mascot Phanatic (right) and Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Hak-Ju Lee (36) entertain the crowd during a spring training baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies at Bright House Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2015; Clearwater, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies mascot Phanatic (right) and Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Hak-Ju Lee (36) entertain the crowd during a spring training baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies at Bright House Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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San Francisco Giants
Jul 21, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne (right) reacts after giving up a solo home run to San Francisco Giants right fielder Hunter Pene (background) during the second inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

Hunter Pence Returns and Leads the Giants in Home Runs Again

Hunter Pence is getting older, and maybe his body is beginning to betray him. Last year was a tough season for the former ironman, as he missed big chunks of time because of wrist injuries and an oblique strain, and fans were hit with discouraging news that Pence would be forced to miss a small bit of time in Spring because of a little achilles discomfort. But that minor injury won’t hold Pence back for long, and he’ll be back at full strength again this year.

Pence is still one of the strongest guys in the game (seriously, put him in the Home Run Derby), and despite playing in just 52 games last year, he still slugged .478 and hit nine home runs, which extrapolated over an entire season would be a team-leading 27 blasts. With 194 home runs on his ledger, he’ll certainly crack the 200 mark this year, and will go well beyond that as well.

The crazy-eyed right fielder is no stranger to hitting bombs. Before the injury-filled 2015 season, he had hit 20 or more home runs in seven straight seasons, with at least 25 home runs four times. He led the Houston Astros in 2010 with 25 home runs and the Giants in 2013 with 27, and finished second on the 2012 Philadelphia Phillies with 17 home runs despite playing just 101 games with them before a deadline trade brought him to San Francisco.

Pence probably won’t play 162 games again, but he definitely won’t play in only 52 this time around, and that’s something the Giants should be extremely happy about. He’s the heart and soul of the team, and as Pence goes, the Giants go. That’s quite evident by the 34-18 record the Giants accumulated when Pence played, and the 50-60 record they posted when he didn’t play.

He’s already shown off his power in his brief exhibition stint, hitting a home run in his second at-bat back from the achilles issue.

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