All-time favorite SF Giants: first baseman
by StickRat on Oct 22, 2009 12:48 AM PDT
126 comments
Alright, here it goes. I've been really looking forward to this one. I believe this one is going to appease many of the people who have been upset by the lack of old-school representation. Of course, I could be wrong. There is certainly a clear-cut fan favorite for every generation. Only one way to find out fer sure though.
First, the results from second base and lefty starters. I'm calling the second-base voting for Jeff Kent, who registered 50% of the votes. Robby Thompson registered 43%.
Favorite left-handed starter is Kirk Rueter by a landslide. Here are the results: Woody 45%, Dave Dravecky 11%, Noah Lowry 11%, Vida Blue 11%, Shawn Estes 10%.
This is the poll for the all-time favorite San Francisco Giants first baseman. To avoid ridicule, the imposition of over analysis, and the like, please vote for your FAVORITE player at each position. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best, meaning if Dan Gladden is your fave in CF, it's your prerogative to vote for him over Willie Mays. Regarding WRITE-IN VOTES ... do it! Click "other", put the name of your favorite IN THE TITLE OF A POST. Once again, I'm listing just the cream of the crop.
This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.
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Willie McCovey was my first hero as a kid. I have to go with him.
"All I know is right now, you comeback and do you dwell on that? I think you're man enough to take it, you're man enough to chew on it, to spit it out and you learn from it. ... I think winners let it go. I think losers dwell on it and talk about it all week and that screws you up for the next opportunity going forward." - Mike Singletary after the 49ers loss to the Vikings
by SFGuy on Oct 22, 2009 3:04 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I picked The Thrill for the same reason. I absolutely idolized the guy.
by oneflapdown on Oct 22, 2009 4:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Me too
Meet my new son: Sundrendy Windster, on the Curacao-SF express (via Arizona).
by EliminateMe on Oct 22, 2009 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree this will be an interesting vote. I voted for McCovey, but I know a lot of people around here grew up idolizing Clark.
No Edgar, it's not your fault, it's the fault of the idiot that plays you
by rxmeister on Oct 22, 2009 4:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I missed a lot of McCovey.
I mean , I know he was playing but the memory – it’s fuzzy.
Or I was sort of tuned in the early 70s to some ruckus or other over in the OACC.
But every time I caught a snippet of a game J.T was in either on TV or more likely radio he seemed to be doing something right either with the glove or the bat.
And the Darren Baker thing is firmly entrenched.
"I don’t know why people feel the need to come up with reasons 'why' for everything..." - Missing Barry
by victor frankenstein on Oct 22, 2009 4:47 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Stretch
I saw a lot more live Will Clark and J.T. Snow. But as a kid, I did McCovey impressions. Stretching for the throw. The warm up swings at the plate.
Gotta go with Stretch. I’ve got a personalized autographed jersey of his hanging in my house.
"The questions are so stupid. I don't believe in rivalries. I don't believe in curses. Wake up the damn Bambino, maybe I'll drill him in the ass."
- Pedro Martinez, asked about the Curse of the Bambino
by achiappanza on Oct 22, 2009 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
JT
just because he’s the only one I’m old enough to remember.
"Snow woulda had it!!!"
Has decided to put all his "In this thing" energy to being in the Shark Tank and the Big House.
by beat_la_25 on Oct 22, 2009 6:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Remember when he hit three homers on opening day and everyone was jokingly yelling “HES ON PACE FOR A BAZILLION HOMERS!” because they had spent so much time tracking Bonds’ pace? That’s all the reason you need (the endless parade of Gold Gloves doesn’t hurt either).
by quincy0191 on Oct 22, 2009 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah same here, I’m way too young to have seen the thrill
Congrats to my soul mate and birth brother Zach Wheeler on being drafted into greatness. Should I just buy my Wheeler jersey now, or wait till my next birthday?
by TexasRanger on Oct 22, 2009 8:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know who I should pick. Willie McCovey has got to be the most favorite player in San Francisco Giants history. I respect the man and everything he’s done for this organization.
But the bottom line is I never saw him play (or remember seeing him play). Will Clark was my idol growing up. I still hold resentment over Barry Bonds because his signing pretty much guaranteed the Thrill’s days with the Giants were over. I resent Robby Thompson’s last years with the Giants. I hate Mark Portugal and his stupid contract. Will Clark was the San Francisco Giants to me and he still is. His swing, his intensity, his eye black and his swing all contributed to me realizing baseball was the greatest sport there is.
"It's too late now."
by ResDog on Oct 22, 2009 6:46 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Losing Will Clark is a tragedy that’s right up there with any Giants heartache you can think of (62, 87, 93, 2000, 2002, 2003, any of ’em).
The baseball Satanist
by thehavenot on Oct 22, 2009 8:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Will the Thrill
and it’s not even close.
by Fresburg on Oct 22, 2009 6:50 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Yup. My favorite Giant of all time. That swing. The eye-black. The funny voice!
by xanthan on Oct 22, 2009 7:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Easily my favorite Giant. I’m too young to have seen McCovey.
F. the Lewis.
by calpolynate on Oct 22, 2009 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Perhaps....
..you all should take your comments over to Clark Chronicles.
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Oct 23, 2009 7:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Like others, it’s gotta be Clark. If I had ever seen McCovey play, I’m positive he would be my favorite hands down, but I’m just not even close to old enough for that….so….
by Missing Barry on Oct 22, 2009 6:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I remember when I was really small I wasn’t allowed to turn on the stereo by myself and I’d have to wait for my Dad to come home from work to find out how the Giants had done that day. And as soon as he’d come in the door I’d ask two questions: How’d the Giants do? and How’d Covey do (because I couldn’t get my tongue around the Mc part yet)? As reported by my Dad, Willie hit at least 1 HR in every game that year, and occasionally 2, although that 200 HR season I recall so well doesn’t seem to show up anywhere in the history book. At one point he was easily the most feared batter in the NL and that was an awesome time.
There were a few occassions in 1969 (when McCovey set an at that time unthinkable record with 44 intentional BB) when Mays refused to move up from 1B on wild pitches, because he didn’t want to take the bat out of McCoveys hands (though I personally don’t remember him ever stopping at 1B on balls he hit into the gap — I think that part’s mythical).
McCovey also just wore out Drysdale, which was nice.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
by Roger on Oct 22, 2009 7:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
McCovey also just wore out Drysdale, which was nice
Indeed!
by E Ticket on Oct 22, 2009 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's midnight and I am laughing at E's avatar.
Not a bad beginning to the day.
Not a normal beginning, but who cares?
"I don’t know why people feel the need to come up with reasons 'why' for everything..." - Missing Barry
by victor frankenstein on Oct 23, 2009 12:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Can deny that that dude has a way of doing self portraits.
I R 5
by say hey nation on Oct 23, 2009 6:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
For me it has to be Willie Mac. I cried when I heard we was traded and cheered when he came back. He always seemed to have a calm, steady personality and man did he inflict some pain on the Bums. There is a good reason the team has an award named after him.
Who’s brain did you bring me?
Brain SabeanOranother.
by daveinexile on Oct 22, 2009 7:50 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
And he had that awesome slashing swing. He was even intimidating when he swung and missed.
My Bucardo is better than yours.
A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
by Roger on Oct 22, 2009 8:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He would step to plate in a meaningless game and I would stop what I was doing. And most of memories, now days, are the last few years were his knees were obviously messing with him. Living through Willie Mac made it so much easier for me to appreciate Barry when he became a Giant. Decades later I still love Willie Mac for it.
Who’s brain did you bring me?
Brain SabeanOranother.
by daveinexile on Oct 22, 2009 8:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I remember a nationally televised game when McCovey’s knee was so bad he couldn’t play, and he had to sit on the bench with his leg elevated. He was in so much pain that one of the times they showed him he had tears in his eyes. He limped up to the plate later as a pinch hitter, ripped a ball into the gap and hobbled into second place. They pinch ran for him and he returned to that same sitting position. Just an amazing man. It’s ok to pick Will Clark as your favorite player, just don’t think for a second he was a better ballplayer than Willie McCovey.
No Edgar, it's not your fault, it's the fault of the idiot that plays you
by rxmeister on Oct 22, 2009 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ummm….J…..Ummmm…..T….Ummm….Snow
I R 5
by say hey nation on Oct 22, 2009 8:01 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I taught myself to hit left handed so I could pretend to be Will Clark when playing whiffle ball.
Please hit better, Randy Winn.
by oldjacket on Oct 22, 2009 8:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
haha, me too.
We're all basically Pedro Feliz.
by SF Pete on Oct 22, 2009 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Did it stick? I ended up being a better left-handed hitter than right-handed.
Please hit better, Randy Winn.
by oldjacket on Oct 22, 2009 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I switch hit through little league then when I went to the 90 foot diamond I went back to only batting right handed. I had been better left handed but for some reason I thought that I should just stick to my natural side when moving to the bigger diamond. Giving up switch hitting is one of my great regrets from my playing days (along with giving up catching for pitching).
We're all basically Pedro Feliz.
by SF Pete on Oct 22, 2009 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I never did this, but I did totally practice his batting stance out in the yard.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 22, 2009 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
me, too!
Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants
by nostocksjustbonds on Oct 22, 2009 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was the right-handed Will Clark even though my dad tried to teach me to be more Matt Williams and get my arms up. In HS I ended up having more of Robby Thompson swing with the bat laying flat so I could get it around quicker.
"It's too late now."
by ResDog on Oct 22, 2009 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Willie Lee McCovey!
Ohhh…Willie Mac, when are you comin’ back…sooo new school…a blog named after the guy, a team award named after the guy (number 44 in your old school program, about 20 cents), and it’s Clark?…Why..he’s half the number McCovey was…Clark’s my second favorite…jim
by dnajms on Oct 22, 2009 8:48 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It’s Clark for the simple reason that most of us have seen Clark play, and most of us have not seen McCovey play.
by Missing Barry on Oct 22, 2009 9:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Which I get, think your votes are well cast and approve. Will’s first AB vs Nolan Ryan is still one of my top 5 Giants plays. But there was just something about Willie Mac. I really wish I was better with words. The best I can say is I am a man well into his 40’s and I think about Willie Mac and I am the 7 year old running around the field " not hearing" my Mother call me inside because it is dark. I doubt I could say more than 2 coherent words in presence and those 2 words would be " Thank You" before I just turned into a babbling fan boy.
Who’s brain did you bring me?
Brain SabeanOranother.
by daveinexile on Oct 22, 2009 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
All you guys describing Willie Mac is really making me wish I had seen him play.
We're all basically Pedro Feliz.
by SF Pete on Oct 22, 2009 1:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I feel the same way about the DiMaggio’s. Some of the old timers (when I was kid) played ball with them and hearing them descried Joe and Dom always made me feel a little bit of a loss.
I think it is good because despite the different eras inside the game, and out, it lets us fans enjoy the fact greatness is not photocopied. But IT happens in a multitude of ways and there is no way we will ever see it all, so there is no way we will ever know all the way greatness can be.
Who’s brain did you bring me?
Brain SabeanOranother.
by daveinexile on Oct 23, 2009 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
JT Schnow.
Still backing Notgardo, wheresoever he may wander. (Don't forget to wriiiite!)
by tk on Oct 22, 2009 9:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I obviously never saw Willie Mac play… but I’m too young to remember Will all that much either. So I’m voting for Willie because I love looking at his bb-ref page and I love that he still watches so many Giants games and he’s our namesake.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
"AT LAST I AM A PARENTS." - Buster
by jponry on Oct 22, 2009 9:48 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
“too young to remember Will…”
/sheds a silent tear/
/puts on a shirt older than jponry/
/politely tells kids on front lawn that any further “get off” commands will be texted or tweeted/
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Oct 23, 2009 7:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
WHAT!!!!
No Francisco Melendez!? No Todd Benzinger!? No Desi Wilson!? No Dan Peltier!?
Seriously, though: Will Clark. He came up to the Giants when I was six, so I was the perfect age. The team previously had had no hope, and then there he was, and he was FUCKING AWESOME. And there were always stories of how he was an asshole or a racist or whatever, but just watching him on the field he was so incredible. The batting stance, the bat jiggling back and forth, that perfect swing, the death stare, just everything. He’s still the first thing I think of when I think ballplayer – he was just iconic in so many ways. And he kicked ass and took names in the NLCS in 1987 AND 1989.
It was 13 when he left. It was so devastating. I held out hope until the end that maybe he’d come back and finish his career with the Giants – even when we had J.T. Snow under multi-year contract.
For those of you who don’t remember Clark because you’re too young or because you weren’t a fan then, it’s probably hard to understand the hold he has in the psyches of folks like me. But he was incredible.
I’m somewhat surprised that J.T. gets so many votes. I guess he’s the only non-lousy first baseman a lot of you can remember. But to me, I never liked him that much. His defense was fun to watch, but overall, I never thought he was much more than mediocre.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 22, 2009 9:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
WILL THE THRILL....
Not only was Will Clark my favorite 1B he was my all time favorite Giant. I loved his intensity and his will to succeed. I remember when the Giants chose to retain Robby Thompson and let Will Clark go as if it were yesterday. That decision pains me to this very day….
Will Clark brought youth,enthusiasm,optimism and was a gamer in every sense of the word…If you think about it, aside from 2002, we really never were the same…
"Buy High-Sell Low"--The Brian Sabean Method Of Trading
by Mordy From Monsey on Oct 22, 2009 10:09 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
1997, 2000, and 2003 were pretty good teams.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 22, 2009 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That might be so on paper, but those seasons never matched the intensity of the Clark era….It didn’t hurt that my favorite manager,Roger Craig was the manager too!!
The years you mentioned were great mainly because of Bonds but with Will Clark, he seemed to elevate the rest of the team with him…Just one mans opinion….
"Buy High-Sell Low"--The Brian Sabean Method Of Trading
by Mordy From Monsey on Oct 22, 2009 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tell the Thrills elbow got messed up he turely was beast with a bat.
Who’s brain did you bring me?
Brain SabeanOranother.
by daveinexile on Oct 22, 2009 11:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like how he ended his career with a nice second half for the playoff Cardinals. He still had some baseball in him.
"It's too late now."
by ResDog on Oct 22, 2009 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Best Giants team we have seen: 1993
"It's too late now."
by ResDog on Oct 22, 2009 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
2000 was pretty amazing too, with Bonds/Kent/Burks in the middle of the lineup.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 22, 2009 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was the first team I really invested in emotionally. I started following the Giants in 1998, with a bit of 1997 just because “OMG the Giants” fever was in the air.
... null, void, invalid, iniquitous, unjust, damnable, reprobate, inane, empty of meaning and effect for all time
by shanghaijim on Oct 22, 2009 1:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can’t remember not being emotionally invested in the Giants. The first time there was any return on investment at all was 1986, when I was six.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 22, 2009 1:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
no doubt. if only they had a decent 5th starter…
Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants
by nostocksjustbonds on Oct 22, 2009 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Thrill
First baseball player I ever drew.
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
Mr. F! | comics | art | New Nattowear | Unofficial McImage Directory
by Natto on Oct 22, 2009 10:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Still no votes for Cepeda, the poor bastard.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 22, 2009 10:50 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Was only a Giant for a short time, so doesn't qualify...
…but The Big Cat was an awfully cool dude and deserves a shout out
"We're in this thing!" My adopted Giant: "Raptor Jesus" Guzman, "Sweet Jesus" Guzman and Jesus H. Guzman.
by Goofus on Oct 22, 2009 10:52 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Definitely.
I always wanted him in the lineup instead of Snow.
by AmorVincitOmnia on Oct 22, 2009 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Remember that 500-foot home run almost to the glove?
... null, void, invalid, iniquitous, unjust, damnable, reprobate, inane, empty of meaning and effect for all time
by shanghaijim on Oct 22, 2009 1:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeh.
That was ridiculous.
I wonder if we’ll ever see another homerun like that at AT&T.
by AmorVincitOmnia on Oct 24, 2009 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Will Clark.
Kinda sad to think what could have been with him. I think without the numerous injuries and maybe had he stayed a Giant he might be in the HOF.
His power kinda disappeared in the early 90s though. :( But again injuries played a role in that.
I will fondly remember him being traded to the Cardinals in his last year and hitting like 15 HR’s in the last 2 months to help get them to the playoffs after McGwire went down with the knee injury that ultimately ended his career as well. It showed that Will still had plenty left but he decided to hang em up too.
by Hobbes2d on Oct 22, 2009 10:56 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
That’s what used to happen to players. Him & Mattingly seemed to have similar careers. Unbelievable starts & then the power goes away with nagging injuries. If they had been juicing maybe they would have been the elite of the league for a while longer.
Which reminds me of an interview I heard with Will when his college teammate Rafael Palmeiro received a positive steroid test. Thrill (chuckilng): “You got caught, partner!”
"It's too late now."
by ResDog on Oct 22, 2009 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Clark had the better best season (1989: 175 OPS+ for Clark; 1986: 161 OPS+ for Mattingly) and the better career (137 OPS+ for Clark, 127 OPS+ for Mattingly). Clark also played longer.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 22, 2009 12:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Will The Thrill
the first game I ever looked forward to watch (and I don’t really recall why) on TV was the opening day game in Houston in 1986. I was 11 years old. Will hit that homer off of Nolan Ryan and I was HOOKED! I was also a first baseman on my little league team, so it was also natural for me to follow him. But, from that moment on he was my favorite Giant and I was so bummed out when the team refused to offer him a deal beyond 3 years and he left for Texas. that has to be one of the worst personnel decisions EVER by the Giants. Like others, I practiced his sweet swing many hours in my backyard. (In fact, now when I play softball, I’m a pretty good hitter from the left side.)
I know my dad would say McCovey as he loved watching him and Mays play. He told me many times that during post-game interviews with Lon Simmons, Simmons would recount something from the game and ask McCovey about it and Big Mac would respond “that’s right, Lon.”
But I was too young to have any memory of seeing McCovey play and if I had, it would have been towards the end of his career, so Will the Thrill, the Natural, it is.
Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants
by nostocksjustbonds on Oct 22, 2009 11:01 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
one more thing
Will Clark belongs in the Hall of Fame. I don’t care what anyone says. He was one of the best players at his position in his era. Career .303/.384/.497/.880/137 (ops+). 1GG, 6 AS (4 as starter), 2 Silver Sluggers. And he was a winner and did it when it mattered (333/.409/.547 in 132 post-season PAs). that he didn’t get more consideration by the stupid HOF voters is an absolute travesty.
Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants
by nostocksjustbonds on Oct 22, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn’t expect him to make it, but I was shocked he got so few votes.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 22, 2009 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I never expected him to make it, either, but the real travesty to me is that he got fewer votes than either Mattingly or Garvey.
I'm as tall as Mel - why can't I hit 500 home runs?
by Ott on Oct 22, 2009 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Will Clark: 23 votes
Don Mattingly: 64 votes
Ugh.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 22, 2009 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That entire article in on CNNSI.com under their vault section. I read it last week, was a great read.
by Hobbes2d on Oct 22, 2009 2:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I picked Will Clark...
Even though I was too young to watch him play consistently.
In fact, I didn’t start watching regularly until about 2001 or so.
But I’ve seen a little bit of Will Clark, by watching the Giants Greatest Games and stuff like that.
Have seen lots of highlights… And yeh… The guy was awesome, and I really wish I could have watched him regularly.
Was never really a big fan of Snow, although his glove was great.
Cepeda needs some votes!
by AmorVincitOmnia on Oct 22, 2009 11:31 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Whoops, meant to vote for JR Phillips.
Nah, Will The Thrill it is.
I'm thinking but nothing's happening.
by JRPhillips on Oct 22, 2009 11:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I voted for JT because I’m 18 and he’s the only one I really got to see play. And I’ve met him a couple times and he’s a really nice guy. And I actually have his phone number (long story.) And plus he was so goddamn handsome
by lincecuminyourface on Oct 22, 2009 12:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I want to talk to JT on the phone. I expect a lot of uhhhhs.
by xanthan on Oct 22, 2009 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
OK
Tell the story. Ink is cheap.
Still backing Notgardo, wheresoever he may wander. (Don't forget to wriiiite!)
by tk on Oct 22, 2009 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Actually its not really that long of a story. But one of my friend’s friend babysits for JT, and my friend got Jt’s number from her, and then I got it from him. I don’t have the balls to actually call him but its fun to have his number in my contacts haha. On a side note I would like to rescind my vote for Jt, and vote for Damon Minor. He put up a 1.990 OPS in 2000!
Our Philosophy is, we go out there and hit em in the mouth
by lincecuminyourface on Oct 22, 2009 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
JT is very good looking yes.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Oct 23, 2009 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Oct 23, 2009 7:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Uh ...
I have to go with Snow. He remains the 1st baseman in my mind, and also because he was the original poster boy for the Battin’ From The Left Yahoo! group.
... null, void, invalid, iniquitous, unjust, damnable, reprobate, inane, empty of meaning and effect for all time
by shanghaijim on Oct 22, 2009 1:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
KLESSKOOOOOO
Not really but I love that gif
Aaron King is still my homeboy... iffy mechanics and all
McFAQ for all you newcomers out there.
GET THAT VORP AND WHIP SH!T OUTTA HERE!!!
by baetown415 on Oct 22, 2009 1:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Willie Mac
And it’s not close. Willie Mac played in a pitchers’ era. They wasted his early years trying to figure out what to do with him, because they had Cepeda too, and neither of them, really, could play any position but first. They played McCovey in left for awhile, where he was awful, but he did his best. He got hurt a lot, had bad feet. So, pitchers park, pitchers era, hurt a lot, couldn’t run. And he still hit over 500 home runs.
And this:
In 1968, I played first base on my little league team in Indiana, and our coach told us if we won city, our reward would be a trip to Cincinatti to see a Reds game. I was tall, awkward, clumsy; I could hit a little, but was no way an even passably good player. Anyway, we won, we went to Crosley Field, with that funny slope up to the outfield fences, we took infield with the players. And me and a few teammates went up to Pete Rose and asked for his autograph. His answer, short and sweet was ‘fuck off, kids.’
I didn’t want to cry, but it was pretty close. I walked away, not sure where I was even, and this big black guy comes up to me and says ’what’s the matter kid?’ It was Willie McCovey. He took me over to the Giants’ dugout, and Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Jim Ray Hart and Juan Marichal signed my glove. Also Dick Dietz, Jesus Alou and Ty Cline. I wanted Gaylord Perry’s, but he was warming up to pitch.
When I went off to college, BTW, my Mom cleaned my room and threw out that glove. Still haven’t forgiven her for that.
From that day on, I was a hardcore Giants fan. I was the only guy from my team to root against the Reds that day. I was also the only guy on my team with a glove signed by Willie Mays. That was Willie McCovey.
1980, I’d met the girl I wanted to marry. She was from San Jose, and we went out to California to meet her family. Her little brother was a hardcore Giants fan (still is), and I thought I’d take him (and her) to a ballgame. Willie McCovey played first for the Giants, and ripped the hardest single I’ve ever seen—straight to the right fielder, who was playing deep, but hit so hard he nearly threw Willie out at first. The next day, the Giants brought up Rich Murray to replace Willie Mac, and Willie Mac announced his retirement. So I got to see that too, his last hit.
Will Clark was a great player, and I loved watching him. But Willie McCovey was my hero. And not just because he was a great player.
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by Giantsfan4life on Oct 22, 2009 1:23 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
When I went off to college, BTW, my Mom cleaned my room and threw out that glove. Still haven’t forgiven her for that.
Oooooh. That’s rough.
by xanthan on Oct 22, 2009 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was a cool story.
We're all basically Pedro Feliz.
by SF Pete on Oct 22, 2009 1:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fucking Arctic , it's so cool.
"I don’t know why people feel the need to come up with reasons 'why' for everything..." - Missing Barry
by victor frankenstein on Oct 23, 2009 12:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Will Clark
He is the reason this kid from the northeast became a Giants’ fan…
He was my first idol as a kid, he made me love the game of baseball…
Watching Game 1 of NLCS against the Cubs is one of my favorite memories…
by Sgt. Dingleberry on Oct 22, 2009 2:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Willie Mac's my All-time favorite Giant regardless of position
but I agree, Will the Thrill belongs in the HOF.
BTW, I was at McCovey’s last home game against the Reds. He hit a scorching line drive to right-center and even though he didn’t run well at that point in his career, he beat the throw to 2nd. Dave Bristol lifted him for a pinch runner and the crowd sensed that would be the last time they’d see him play… great ovation… multiple tips of the cap… lots of tears… and 2 games later he officially retired while in LA.
by karl m on Oct 22, 2009 2:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Wasn’t that game actually Willie McCovey Day, which they had quick-like put together when they were shoving him into retirement. I might be conflating a couple days, but I do remember he got the big hit as a PH on his official celebration day.
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A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.
by Roger on Oct 22, 2009 3:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You may be right
I’d have to go back to the official results to be sure, but now that you mention it, it may have been his “Day”. What I do remember as clearly as if it happened yesterday is the weather (beautiful sunny day game)… where we sat (lower reserve off 1st base)… who I was with (ex-wife and a couple of her FFA buddies, all avid fans)… McCovey’s hit (sharp crack of the bat… an easy double and maybe even a triple in his prime)… and the emotions. Time seemed to stand still.
It was my favorite Candlestick moment (just ahead of the freezing night game in June against the Dodgers when the fog rolled in and you could barely see the field from the upper deck… then someone set fire to the brush on the hill next to the park… fire engines, flashing lights, fog, wind, at least 40 thousand people for a Wednesday night game… man, it was a surreal AND we beat the bastards).
by karl m on Oct 23, 2009 12:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
For me its between Snow, Klesko, Ishikawa, Niekro and Minor
They are the only ones I have seen play
’
So I went JT
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by GrahamCrakalaka on Oct 22, 2009 2:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
JR Phillips
"Buy High-Sell Low"--The Brian Sabean Method Of Trading
by Mordy From Monsey on Oct 22, 2009 5:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
my one exception to my "must have played during my fandom" rule
I chose Clark, partly because JT has no chance of winning the poll right now. Snow was one of my favorites, actually, so I probably should have voted for him, but judging from the old games I’ve seen and what I’ve heard, clark would probably have been my favorite player of that era. (And Mccovey is very cool too. This is a tough one for me. Really any of them are great)
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by raisingcain on Oct 22, 2009 3:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
McCovey was McCovey, and I have fond memories of J.T. Snow, but I had to vote for Cepeda.
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by El Person on Oct 22, 2009 4:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I had to post a Cepeda vote for Dad
Orlando was off the Giants by the time I was watching baseball, but Dad just loved the way his homers were line drive shots that just happened to clear the fence. It was Dad’s appreciation for the less showy but more consistent styles of playing the game that influenced the way I play sports and my appreciation for the modern metrics that show the true nature of player contribution.
"The questions are so stupid. I don't believe in rivalries. I don't believe in curses. Wake up the damn Bambino, maybe I'll drill him in the ass."
- Pedro Martinez, asked about the Curse of the Bambino
by achiappanza on Oct 22, 2009 11:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Where is Damon Minor?
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by Giant among Angels on Oct 22, 2009 7:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Oklahoma?
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Oct 23, 2009 7:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tough Choice
Went with Snow because he was the guy i grew up idolizing (always wanted to be just like him)
Clark was clutch, that was a tough one.
Cepeda was good, but I haven’t seen games that he played in. I go to school with his grandson, so he got some consideration.
by russian.tank on Oct 22, 2009 9:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
i only got to watch snow from the list
but for some reason i voted mccovey, maybe just for the fact that i wanted to see him play so badly. plus, the dude’s got a blog named after him. enough said
also, no one’s voted for “other” yet
by sfoakbay on Oct 22, 2009 9:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
What blog is this?
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
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by Natto on Oct 22, 2009 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can't wait to see who's going to outpoll Willie Mays
My money’s on Brett Butler, for that gritty way he’d bunt his way onto first.
"The questions are so stupid. I don't believe in rivalries. I don't believe in curses. Wake up the damn Bambino, maybe I'll drill him in the ass."
- Pedro Martinez, asked about the Curse of the Bambino
by achiappanza on Oct 22, 2009 11:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I know you were joking, but Brett Butler is easily the second-best SF Centerfielder in my lifetime. The fact that he went to LA doesn’t diminish his place in the pantheon of Giants, in my view.
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Oct 23, 2009 8:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’ll always love Chili Davis the most but he split time between RF and CF with the Giants so I’m not sure where he’ll show up in these polls.
We're all basically Pedro Feliz.
by SF Pete on Oct 23, 2009 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
let’s make him a RF so he’s not up against Mays.
We're all basically Pedro Feliz.
by SF Pete on Oct 23, 2009 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
But then he goes against The Ripper. Poor Chili.
Who’s brain did you bring me?
Brain SabeanOranother.
by daveinexile on Oct 23, 2009 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not a problem for me since I started following the Giants in 1986. One of my first memories from going to games was one in which Jack Clark was ejected as a Cardinal. I had never seen someone get booed like that, so I always assumed SF fans hated Clark.
We're all basically Pedro Feliz.
by SF Pete on Oct 23, 2009 11:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, I practice selective amnesia with his Cardinal years as much as possible.
Who’s brain did you bring me?
Brain SabeanOranother.
by daveinexile on Oct 23, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Epic trade
But it was totally worth trading Jack — to get back David Green, Gary Rajsich, Dave LaPoint, and Jose Uribe!
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Oct 27, 2009 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Uh, did you say something?
Who’s brain did you bring me?
Brain SabeanOranother.
by daveinexile on Oct 27, 2009 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I really remember him as a right fielder, but looking it up, he played more CF. Hell, he played CF in 1987, the season I most remember from his Giants tenure. Huh.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 23, 2009 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah I went through the exact same process.
We're all basically Pedro Feliz.
by SF Pete on Oct 23, 2009 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Chili size
He came up in CF, subjecting him to the line of “Next Willie Mays” articles that seemed to kind of give up after he wasn’t.
In fact, I think the whole “Next so-and-so” meme has kind of aged off. I can’t remember one in a while.
"The questions are so stupid. I don't believe in rivalries. I don't believe in curses. Wake up the damn Bambino, maybe I'll drill him in the ass."
- Pedro Martinez, asked about the Curse of the Bambino
by achiappanza on Oct 23, 2009 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, his earliest years were too early for me to remember. My main memory of him as a Giant seems to be when he was in right, Dan Gladden was in center, and Jeffrey Leonard was in left.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 23, 2009 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It was hard for me to choose between Cha Cha and Stretch, but ultimately my vote went to McCovey.
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by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Oct 23, 2009 2:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I’m a little surprised Clark got a lot more votes than JT did since I thought more people here grew up during JT’s playing days over Will’s (Clark’s Giants days ended 16 years ago).
"All I know is right now, you comeback and do you dwell on that? I think you're man enough to take it, you're man enough to chew on it, to spit it out and you learn from it. ... I think winners let it go. I think losers dwell on it and talk about it all week and that screws you up for the next opportunity going forward." - Mike Singletary after the 49ers loss to the Vikings
by SFGuy on Oct 23, 2009 4:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
We aren’t that young.
I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
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by Natto on Oct 23, 2009 6:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I feel like I’m around the median age here, and I’m 29.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 23, 2009 6:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Orlando
Cepeda
Came to bat with the bases jammed
Orlando
Cepeda
With a wham
Bam
He hit a grand slam!
Schadendodgerfreude 2009!
by WhereThere'sAWillieThere'sAMays on Oct 23, 2009 7:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I liked Will Clark a lot, but went with Willie Mac.
The way Stretch came up to hit taking those big lazy confident practice swings as if to say, ‘I don’t care what you throw me, I’m gonna crush it’. There was the game at Wrigley one year when he was up with the bases loaded. He hit a towering shot way above the foul pole that either the home plate or first base ump called foul, but our first base coach said it looked fair.
Even without that one, his 18 grand slams is still a NL record.
by boogalou on Oct 23, 2009 8:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
what happenned to whitey lochman, bill white, and willie mays.
Or did mays just play some first on the Mets. I thought he played a bunch of games at first for the giants.
by bradleybear on Oct 23, 2009 9:57 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
the votes need to be stratified by age of the fan.
by bradleybear on Oct 23, 2009 10:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also
I was curious about the other two guys you mentioned. Lockman looks like he had a few decent years and some mediocre ones, so okay, that puts him in company with J.T. at least, but the Bill White I found who played first base basically only played one year with the Giants, hit 22 home runs but doesn’t look like he was much more than solid overall, at least from a quick glance at the stats:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/whitebi03.shtml
…and then he basically disappeared for two years (36 PA combined), and then resurfaced with the Cardinals, where it looks like he was a pretty good starter for a decade. Interesting career path – I wonder what happened there.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 23, 2009 10:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He was the guy who eventually became NL President in 1989, wasn’t he?
"The part of the roster where most of the money is spent, though, is on free agents and guys acquired through trade — guys Sabean did play a big role in acquiring. And they are not good. When you get 2/5 of a pitching rotation for free, you would think you could do better with $76 million than to field the league’s worst offense."
-Taliesin September, 2009
by Lyle on Oct 27, 2009 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mays played 84 games at first base, 28 of which came with the Mets.
Anyway, players only appear in the voting for one position each, I think.
"Why not trade Bumgarner for some banger stud?" - sfgiants.com commenter or online porn ad? You be the judge!
Adopted Giant: the probably soon to be ditched but still awesome Fred Lewis
by jcb9 on Oct 23, 2009 10:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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