SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.–From the first day position players arrived for spring workouts, the lawn beyond the left field fence at Scottsdale Stadium acted as a drivable green on an easy Par-4.
Not every Giants’ player peppered the green with consistency, but left fielder Hunter Pence found himself crushing balls toward the flagstick, or the large light pole resting comfortably beyond left center field, with regularity.
The intense whipping motion from Pence’s bat even sounded like a golfer following through with a driver, but unfortunately for Pence, batting practice was his equivalent of the range. When the lights came on and spring training games started, his stroke was nowhere to be found.