The Astros made it clear this off-season that Hunter Pence was a mainstay in their future. In a sophomore campaign that saw a major drop in average (.322-.269), The Astros center fielder showed great power potential and an ability to steal a bag at any given time. Enough potential to keep Astros management from dealing him to San Diego for Jake Peavy.
Even though his numbers for 2008 were not spectacular (.269 25hr 83 RBI), Pence is the all-around type of outfielder that you should target off the bench in 10-12 team leagues.
Hunter Pence, who will most likely hit sixth behind Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada this upcoming season, has been projected by the mastermind Bill James to add 100 RBIs with a decent .294 average. Of all the projections out there, nobody believes that Pence will hit under .280.
After a wierd season last year, that saw it’s highs (.346 in May .977 OPS) and it’s lows (.200 in June), Pence should become more consistent in 2009 for a variety of reasons.
Firstly, Pence shouldn’t struggle as much against lefties in 2009. For a hitter who blasted left handed pitching in 2007, by hitting .354 with 4 home runs in 92 at bats. 2008 was a different story. Facing quite a lot more lefties (152 ABs worth), Pence managed more power, with 7 homers and 19 RBIs. But his average suffered. He only hit .250 against lefties.
Though Pence sometimes struggles with pitch selection and taking pitches, 2009 could be a turning point for the youngster. All it takes is just a bit of selection. As last season progressed, Pence began to take more pitches. It brought down his production a bit, but in 2009 he should be able to balance these.
In money leagues, twelve dollars is not a bad deal for Pence, considering other outfielders, such as Johnny Damon, and Torri Hunter. Another player at the same value to keep your eye on is Corey Hart.
The Bourn Identity:
Astros manager Cecil Cooper originally thought that center fielder Michael Bourn was going to hit closer to the bottom of the order. But now, It seems that Bourne could hit second behind Kaz Matsui. Cooper has been impressed with Bourn’s ability to cut down the strikeouts and the way that he has been working on his bunting. Bourn is still a reach, but could be a player to watch. If he is in the second slot, he creates a lot more RBI oppurtunities for Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman, and Miguel Tejada.
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