This is an interesting story. Hunter Pence has been almost absent from the Giants offense so far this Reds-Giants NLDS series. So far Pence has just one hit in 12 at bats for a .083 batting average. A piece published today on CSNBayArea.com by Andrew Baggarly says that Pence made all the difference yesterday…with a speech.
The most interesting thing in this story, perhaps, is where it comes from. The text of Hunter Pence's speech was published on the Facebook page of Tim Flannery's band. Tim Flannery is the Giants' third base coach. The band is called "Tim Flannery and Lunatic Fringe". The Facebook page of the band posted this text from Pence:
"get in here, everyone get in here..look into each other eyes..now! look into each others eyes, I want one more day with you, it's the most fun, the best team I have ever been on said the Reverend Hunter Pence. " and no matter what happens we must not give in, we owe it to each other, play for each other, I need one more day with you guys, I need to see what Theriot (jerry) will wear tomorrow, I want to play defense behind Vogelsong because he's never been to the playoffs..play for each other not yourself, win each moment, win each inning, it's all we have left".
I did not attempt to edit for grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Flannery added his own thoughts here:
for me an old coach it moved me like I have never been moved before…purity, real, passion, soul. the last of the holdouts this Pence..no arrows being shot, no hey look at me, no spotlight on me, no dance but "play for each other"…honor the game the game honors you..don't know where and when it ends, but tonight I was proud to be together as a team, in a hostile environment, with just us..brothers that play for the name on the front, not the name on the back.
I personally am rooting for a Reds – Orioles World Series.