Hunter Pence has played for the Astros, Phillies and Giants in his 12-year MLB career. There's no way the Texas native will say anything negative about Houston or Philadelphia, but both cities simply don't compare to San Francisco and Giants fans.
"There's a really special thing with the Giants, and Giants fans, and AT&T Park, and just walking through the city, getting to talk to people on the bus," Pence said on KNBR Thursday during the Giants' day off. "You just feel the connection. There's a strong power to the connection and it's a lot of fun."
Pence was traded from the Phillies to the Giants during the 2012 season, the same year the team won their second World Series in three years. Despite the success, fans' attitudes around the city in the low times is what really stood out to Pence.
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"I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly, and something that is unique to San Francisco is when things are going bad, you hear words that you don't hear often like, 'Hey, we love you guys. Go get them tomorrow,'" Pence said.
In 2014, Pence enjoyed his first and only All-Star season as a Giant. But in June and July the team fell in a tailspin, going 10-16 in June and 12-14 in July after a dominant 20-9 May. Once again, Pence was reminded how special San Francisco is.
Fans didn't join the Giants in the tailspin. Instead, they believed there could be a third World Series title in five years.
"I remember fans being like, 'you know what, we really think you guys can do it,'" Pence said. And they did, with Pence hitting .444 in the World Series against the Royals.
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The final three games of the 2018 season likely call for the end of Pence as a Giant. His five-year, $90 million deal ends, and manager Bruce Bochy is giving Giants fans as many chances to see Pence as possibly by leading him off in all three games against the Dodgers at AT&T Park.
"Everyone knows this is a great place to play," Pence said on his Giants career. "I think it's something that should be named and should be respected. It's just a fact. There's an atmosphere and a fun electricity about being a Giant."
If the 35-year-old Pence does call it quits, the Giants have their next great recruiter who can sway the big free agents to San Francisco.
