Carlos Beltran vs. Hunter Pence

Battle of the Mid-Season Right Fielders: Carlos Beltran vs. Hunter Pence

By: Emika Abe

In both 2011 and 2012, the San Francisco Giants brought in new Right Fielders as mid-season replacements in hopes of saving the day (or the season). The Giants traded the Mets for Carlos Beltran in 2011 and then traded the Phillies for Hunter Pence in 2012. Looking at a wide array of statistics, cold hard facts, photographic evidence, and of course, my biased personal feelings, I will examine which of these two Giants contributed more to the Giants in their respective seasons.

Sure, Carlos Beltran is statistically a better hitter

As an individual player, Beltran had significantly stronger figures than Pence when it comes to, well, almost all ways of looking at hitting strength. Beltran’s BA was a solid .323, whereas Pence’s was a measly .219, putting Pence just a hair above Emmanuel Burriss in 2012.

Pence had a rough year in 2012. And I don’t blame him - it would take me a few months to recover from being on the Phillies, too. But Pence had the good fortune to be on a stronger overall Giants team than the 2011 squad, which led to more runs scored by Pence (28 vs. Beltran’s 17) and RBIs (45 vs. Beltran’s 18). Of course, it’s also worth noting that Pence played more games and had more at bats as a Giant than Beltran, so looking at the total numbers of runs and RBIs is a bit skewed compared to the averages. However, it leads me to my next point...

Hunter Pence was a larger presence on the team

On the field, Pence was more present, playing 15 more games with 52 more ABs than Beltran. But more importantly, Pence was a more visible, vocal presence in the dugout and the clubhouse. Although Beltran was known for giving batting pointers to other Giants during BP, Pence’s famous pre-game speeches in the post-season were the rallying cries that very noticeably kicked the Giants into high gear, leading directly to their World Series Championship win. While Pence may not have lived up to his potential on the field, he far surpassed any expectations as a leader off of the field.

Pence contributed more to the Giants’ competitive advantage

Along the same lines as the reverend argument, it is undeniable that Pence fit in more with the overall identity of the Giants teams of the past few years. The San Francisco Giants’ competitive advantage is their deep-rooted commitment to the team, while honoring each individual team member’s contribution to the whole, and encouraging player to express his unique personality.

Beltran joined the Giants as somewhat of a star. Sure, he earned the recognition that he received for his above-average baseball skills, but Beltran was also very open about the fact that he wanted to be with a team that was going to win him the elusive World Series ring. Unfortunately for Beltran, 2011 didn’t pan out that way. Motivation matters, and Beltran’s self-focused motivation did not help contribute to the Giants’ team dynamic, which did not reinforce their competitive advantage.

In contrast, Pence was more noticeably focused on the team’s success, and his struggles at the plate likely made Pence rely more on the team to pick him back up, with the bat and emotionally. Moreover, Pence’s personality clearly contributed to the Giants’ “band of misfits” identity. Is he an alien? Is he a time traveler? What are those noises he is making? Why is he so awkward and fidgety? What the hell is going on with those eyes? All of these Pence quirks highlight how great a fit he is with the Giants, which Beltran never was.

In conclusion

Sure, baseball is a game of stats. But stats alone don’t win games. The San Francisco Giants have won two World Series in the past three years because of something special and unique to them, not because they looked the best on paper. It is the Giants’ embrace of their quirky personalities and their unflinching focus on the team that sets them apart from the other 29 teams in the MLB. Because Hunter Pence more clearly fit in with the Giants’ identity in 2012, he contributed more to the team as a Right Fielder than Carlos Beltran.