Future Portwalk Plaque Installments & Past Snubs
by jastape on Mar 27, 2011 11:11 PM PDT
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PrintI'm sure most of you have walked the port walk in right field. Most of you have probably admired the arches, the bay, and the occasional kayak or water vessel. You have probably also seen and walked over a few of the plaques on the ground. Since 2000, the organization has eagerly installed these plaques on the port walk to celebrate accomplishments in the ballpark history. That Barry Bonds guy really did get a lot of plaques. About half (7 of 15) belong to Lamar and its seems that the amount of plaques since 2007 have significantly diminished. The only plaque installed since the Bonds era ended was the Jonathon Sanchez no-hitter. Here is a list of the current plaques on the port walk:
The inauguration of Pacific Bell Park (2000)
Barry Bonds Career 500th Home Run
Barry Bonds Single Season 73 Home Runs
Barry Bonds Career 600th Home Run
2002 National League Champions
Barry Bonds, Willie Mays Career 660 Home Runs
Barry Bonds Career 700th Home Runs
Barry Bonds Career 715th Home Run
Jason Schmidt Ties Christy Matthewson with 16 K's in Single Game
Barry Bonds Career 756th Home Run
Jonathon Sanchez No-Hitter
What 2010 Provided - Our Future Plaques?
There are no guidelines or requirements for the Portwalk. However, if the Giants continue their trend, we are in for quite a few new plaques celebrating 2010.
2010 Western Division Title
The team celebrated the 2000 and 2003 Division titles, this one must follow suit.
Tim Lincecum Record 14K's in Postseason
Jason Schmidt gets a plaque for the regular season, Timmy should get a plaque for the post season... right?
2010 World Series Champions
2002 National League Champions? phh, try this on for size.
2010 Rookie of the Year
Buster Posey, enough said.
Port Walk Snubs
Barry Bonds only member of the 500/500 club
Who else is gonna do something like this? I think one of the multiple Barry Bonds plaques could have been replaced with this one.
Gaylord Perry - Retiring #36
Retiring a players jersey number is a big deal. You are letting everyone know that this player is so irreplaceable and such an icon to the organization that his number can no longer be worn. One constant of the Portwalk plaques is that all events happened during the tenure of AT&T Park. Gaylord Perry's number was retied in 2005.
Tim Lincecum Cy Young 2008
The guys was the best pitcher in the National League and maybe even MLB. "I don't care what they say Tim, you should have won the A.L. Cy Young award too. Cliff Lee had (and still has) nothing on you". Why was the Cy not added to the Portwalk?
Tim Lincecum Cy Young 2009
Back to Back Cy Youngs? I kinda wanted to cut the Giants a bit of slack here about the 2008 Cy Young snub because maybe they were gonna wait until Tim stopped winning Cy Youngs so the could have a Back to Back Cy Young Plaque. Nothing yet.
Monte Irvin - Retiring #20
Same as Gaylord Perry.
Location, Location, Location
in 2058 when the Giants are celebrating 100 years in San Francisco, the ballpark might look a little different, but the portwalk should look a lot different.
As I wrote in my fan post about player statues, AT&T Park is running out of room. The plaques that are already on the portwalk stretch from the foul pole to the end of the arcade section. The Giants were very eager to build on the portwalk in the 2000's, but were ambitious in their beliefs that the team would stop breaking milestones after the Bonds Era.
Currently, each plaque is separated by about 20 ft. I'm pretty sure if organization wants to continue this tradition, things need to change. The portwalk is going to need to be torn up and re-cemented. I suggest that there is a row strictly for championships (Division, National League Pennants, and World Series Championships), a row for individual accomplishments (Bonds HR's, Nen Saves, LeRoy Cy Youngs) and a row for special events, etc.(All Star Games, number retirement ceremonies).
Thoughts?
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I don’t think plaques are really needed for retiring numbers. I feel like they should be reserved for on-field events that have happened during the ballpark’s existence. The same goes for individual awards like Cy Youngs since they already have special places within the park anyway. I could see the other ones happening though.
I agree about retired numbers; they're already displayed above the left field foul pole
But you’ve got Willie Mays 660 plaque already there
The thong is, it happened.
-Barry Bonds home runs are an individual feat. But they are also milestones. Name the last San Francisco Giant to have more than two Cy Youngs – milestone.
-The retired numbers are a joke in left field. How many other ballparks have you been to where the retired numbers have been so tucked away in the stadium? PETCO Park, those numbers are font and center and illuminated at light. Dodger Stadium have the retired numbers accent the pavilion seats, and Yankee stadium does not even bother with retired numbers. They have a monument park! I kinda agree that retired numbers do not belong here. Maybe I’m just trying to say they deserve a better spot than where they are now.
WWTLD
This is an interesting post!
Like you I have often looked at those plaques, and other memorials in the park, and wondered how they would look in the future. In particular I’ve wondered that with the King St. player plaques.
I agree with your logic generally, especially with those for Timmy’s Cy Youngs, and Buster’s for the RoY.
And let’s hope this is the kind of problem that only becomes more intractable in the next 5 years!
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
"I stick to my strengths as opposed to going after everyone’s weaknesses. If you can hit it, come hit it."- Tim Lincecum
Where does it stop?
If you’re going to list Cy Young’s and ROY, do you list Silver Slugger and Gold Gloves? Rolaids relief awards?
The thong is, it happened.
Next thing you know...
…you’ll have people trying to marry their pets!
at the end of the day it's all about kicking the tires
by duke_diligence on Mar 28, 2011 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions
That will be a nice problem to have, won’t it?
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
"I stick to my strengths as opposed to going after everyone’s weaknesses. If you can hit it, come hit it."- Tim Lincecum
by natteringnabob on Mar 29, 2011 8:44 AM PDT up reply actions
and
Gold gloves? I don’t see two for Omar, so I’ll put that down as “straw man”. Rolaids can buy their own awards.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
"I stick to my strengths as opposed to going after everyone’s weaknesses. If you can hit it, come hit it."- Tim Lincecum
by natteringnabob on Mar 29, 2011 8:46 AM PDT up reply actions
I’d add all four of the 2010 achievements and Bonds’ 500/500 since he’s the only member.
And remove Bonds’ 715th (passing Ruth was cool, but really it wasn’t THAT special even though I saw it), and his 500th/600th/700th. Again, special achievements, but these seem more suited to a wall somewhere inside the stadium where there’s more room. Lincecum and Schimdt’s single-game K records seem dubious, though if Schmidt stays Lincecum should get a plaque too. The All-Star game and Bonds/Mays 660th could be moved too.
Seth Rosin can hit the side of a barn with a baseball. From space.
Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)
I think the Schmidt and 715 plaque should be gone. The 660 means so much to the organization. Bonds passed Mays and became the Giants HR leader. That is significant enough.
I just wish the ballpark had enough room to create a Hall of Fame / walk of fame area for some of the smaller stuff. We need a trophy room too.
We need a trophy room.
WWTLD
The Schmidt 16K game sets the bar pretty low, to be honest.
Same with the division winning plaques, “division winner” is a bit of a backhanded compliment.
VAE PVTO DEVS FIO
WHAT ABOUT REUBEN RIVERA?
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
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