In the grand scheme of things, longtime San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence wasn’t really that big of a torn in the side of the Dodgers. It’s just that he had an uncanny knack for always being the proverbial ‘fly in the ointment’ for them.

On Saturday afternoon, that ‘fly’ announced on social media that he was hanging up his spikes after 14 major league seasons.

The now 37-year-old Fort Worth, TX native was initially drafted by the then National League Houston Astros in the second round in 2004 out of the University of Texas in Arlington and made his MLB debut with Houston on April 28, 2007. Pence was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012 before landing with the San Francisco Giants in 2013, where he would spend eight of the next nine seasons; hence that Dodgers nemesis thing.

Over his 14 MLB seasons, Pence slashed .279 / .334 / .461 / .794 with 244 career home runs and 942 RBI; not Hall of Fame numbers, but good enough to be a four-time All-Star and (ugh) two-time World Series champion. During the 2013 and 2014 seasons, he led all of baseball by appearing in all 162 regular-season games in each of those two seasons.

During his 133 games against the Dodgers, Pence went 120-for-505 (.238) with 14 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 63 RBI while scoring 52 runs.

But putting his numbers aside, Pence was just plain fun to watch. He played the game with the enthusiasm of a little leaguer. In fact, during one of those 133 games, Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully once said: “Hunter Pence makes a cup of coffee nervous,” not in a demeaning way, but to describe that tireless enthusiasm.

But things didn’t always go Pence’s way. Dodger fans may recall that during a game against the Giants at Dodgers Stadium on August 8, Pence, normally a right fielder, made a rare start in left field. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Dodgers second baseman Kiké Hernandez hit what should have been a routine flyout that Pence lost in the twilight that dropped for a triple, thus bringing an abrupt end to the no-hitter that veteran Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto had going.

Like him or not, and despite the Giants dismal COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, baseball will be a bit less exciting without Hunter Pence and his signature high top socks patrolling the outfields across the country.

Godspeed to you, Hunter.

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