Outfielder Hunter Pence has won his arbitration case with the Astros for $6.9MM, according to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (Twitter links). The 27-year-old is represented by the Beverly Hills Sports Council.
Houston was offering the 2009 All-Star $5.15MM for this season but came away paying a bit more. With Pence now taken care of, the Astros have no more arbitration cases to tackle for 2011, according to the MLBTR Arb Tracker.
This marks a big win for BHSC, particularly since this W comes against arbitration guru Tal Smith. The agency holds a 4-4 record in the last decade of arb cases.
Nice to see, Pence has always been on of the most underrated players in baseball.
Not really. his ISO is unbelievably not so spectacular. If he doesn’t hit a home run, it’s a single. He also can’t get on base.
OBP and ISO are important but not end-all, be-all.
He’s a pretty decent 3-tool player reaching his prime, yet he gets minimal press because the Astros are garbage.
I’d say he qualifies as underrated, but I’m still surprised he won his arb hearing.
I didn’t think he would win
I love watching Pence play. He has to be the most awkward looking baseball player of all time.
Yeah really, a few years back he apparently ran through a glass door because he thought it was open. No joke.
Wow. Hahaha. Haven’t heard that story before.
It was during spring training a few years back. He ran through a sliding glass door in the townhouse he was renting on his way to the hot tub. Hunter claims he was completely sober. I believe him, but that’s still really funny.
how about kevin youkilis’ stance? he looks hilarious with his knees and toes pointing in like he has to piss. but hey whatever works right?
If I’m messing around, with my friends, Youk and Craig Counsell’s old stance are the most common ones we use. Of course, those stances don’t really work for us.
Moises Alou, anyone?
Sheffield and Bagwell too.
Ed Wade is going to have to rock Uncle Drayton to sleep tonight for sure. It’d be nice if in a fit of spite, the Astros traded Pence to the Rangers for Michael Young.
everybody knows Ed on trades with phillies , next year pence is in the soon to be vacant left field in citizens bank park
I have to admit that I’m mildly surprised that Pence won, and Weaver lost. I thought that Weaver had a much stronger case to make what he was asking for. I like Pence, but I don’t get nearly as excited as many others do about his overall game.
I really think Pense is a very solid player and has a lot of upside. I think he will now settle down and turn into a guy who hits .300 with between 25 and 30 HR with over 100 RBI. also is a solid defender with a good arm. i think his main problem are being too aggressive at the plate and on the bases. Good coaching can help with that and I think he now will get that with Mills and Barrett. He is only 27… i think he is the only player the astros have who other teams would really like to have.
Michael Bourn has been more valuable than Hunter Pence over the last two seasons.
Yes, on defense. Bourn is the definition of a replacement hitter.
Is that why Bourn’s WAR was highest on the club by far and pretty close to Carl Crawford’s?
If the Astros didnt want to pay him that, did they have the right to decline? I think Pence is worth what he won, but I think Houston should have been able to pay only what they see fit, or what they can afford. Joe Blanton, took the Phils to arbitration because he wasnt happy with 7 million, Go figure with his numbers and production, but he wanted 10!! MORE THAN 10!!! For a guy that gives up runs in 21 of 27 starts in the 1st inning, he didnt get out of the 1st once until August or so. His Era was over 6.00 until august, he ended up with era at around 5.00, more home runs allowed than most, never gets out of the 5th inning, cant bunt to save his life, his outs are all loud, hit hard or to the warning track. Kyle Kendricks numbers are identical in most catergories and makes 1 25th what Blanton makes, less than a half mil. . My point is, the Phillies should have declined if they could have, and let Joe walk. They may have made it to the world series had they done that. Because Joe was awful in the playoffs, in a game they needed an ace like performance. Hunter on the other hand, deserves more credit. Hes got more potential, hes younger, he hits for power, and drives runs in, he fields well.