With 2017 still in the distance, Mark Melancon is quickly becoming a fan favorite of the San Francisco Giants. Not only does he satisfy an obvious need for the Giants, he already shares an inside joke with Hunter Pence.
In almost everyway you look at it, Mark Melancon’s deal with the San Francisco Giants fits perfectly. His experience and dominance of the ninth inning patches San Francisco’s largest hole from last season. Moreover, his expectations of benevolence and personability of the Giants’ organization set by former teammate Ryan Vogelsong were exceeded.
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Above all, the recollection of his unique experience with Hunter Pence helped seal the deal. In the early years of both their careers, Pence and Melancon played together on the Houston Astros from 2010-2011. They remained teammates until mid-2011 when the Astros traded Pence to the Philadelphia Phillies. After Pence spent 2012 in Philadelphia, the Phillies sent him to the Giants, where he became the crazy-eyed icon of the franchise.
Meanwhile, Melancon pitched one season with the Boston Red Sox in 2012 before his four-year stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finished his contract in the nation’s capital after a trade sent him to the Washington Nationals.
Not just any yoga
During his time with the Astros, Melancon helped improve his flexibility with Bikram yoga. Four to five times a week, he spent an hour and a half doing yoga in 105 degrees. His workout routine caught the attention of Pence, who is accustomed to intense and unusual workouts. After bombarding the right-hander with question after question, Melancon suggested Pence try it for himself.
“As Giants fans know, Hunter is one of the most intense guys you’ll ever meet,” said Melancon (via The Players’ Tribune) He does everything at 110%. Everything. He’ll run through a wall if he has to. And he was so pumped for that session. I mean, he was ready to go.”
Drenched in sweat, Pence struggled through, but managed to put in a full 90-minute session with Melancon. Despite a masked response, Pence’s face gave away his true exhaustion.
The following day, Melancon’s phone rang:
“Mark, that was the craziest workout ever,” he says. “I could barely stand up after that. And get this, on my way home I pulled into a parking lot and I was so out of it that I backed my car into the front bumper of another car. Dude, the bumper actually fell off! Like the whole way off. I’ve never done that before. I couldn’t believe it. Hot yoga is crazy, man. It cost some poor guy his bumper!”
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Although that proved the last and only time the pair did yoga together, it is a story they laugh about to this day. More stories are sure to come from the Giants clubhouse as Pence and Melancon await their reunion in 2017.