Name Your Top 5 Favorite Giants of All Time
Just base it off how much excitement and passion for the game they brought to you. This is a pretty difficult list to compile and you either won’t be able to do it or you won’t be satisfied with the end result. A good question that helps is “How many times did you jump off your couch or out of your chair or just *up and down* because of something they did…….
In particular order…….
1) Will Clark. He’s my favorite Giant of all time and he’s the only one who ever inspired me to jump out of a window –grand slam off Maddux, ball sails high, disappears into the Chicago night line, and I bee-lined across my dorm room, over my friends and out the 3rd story window. Seemed like a prudent thing to do at the time. That was an extreme example of being overcome with emotion and excitement for my team. But Will had it all– the sweet swing, the kick ass nickname. I’ve never seen someone look MORE like a ball player. He’s #1 for me………
2) Barry Bonds. Barry hit 586 HR’s as a Giant. I would guess that I saw 500 hundred of them or so. That could be a high estimate though it FEELS like I saw him hit 2000 hone runs. He was a monster at the plate. Every time he came to bat, no matter the circumstance, I was a rocket ship waiting for lift off. Just like the baseball he was about to send into orbit…….
3) Kevin Mitchell. Kevin was exciting upon arrival. A July 5th trade in 1987 brought him to us (along with Dravecky and Lefferts). In his first game (or at least the first game I remember him playing for us) he banged out two home runs in Chicago. He was a bad ass. And as a fan of the team I was now a bad ass by association. Kevin’s career wasn’t long with us but he was the essence of excitement and passion from the first day he showed up until he left. Plus, as I said: BAD ASS. Loved this dude.
4) Tim Lincecum. The leader of the pitching staff that brought us our single World Series. Timmy was all-excitement and hype way before he made his debut for us in 2007. He showed up looking like a little boy with that short haircut. His hair grew and so did his legend and the excitement he brought to us. He became a rock star without the instrument or the band. This picture of him moments after we won the Series, hair flying around, #1 sign pointed up and him belting out a the primal scream of victory— it’s the greatest picture I’ve ever seen. He’s in my top 5 for this moment alone….
5) Rod Beck. This last spot was tough to fill. Jack Clark and Matt Williams almost made it. And maybe I’m being too sentimental about him because he’s gone. But everything about this guy, to me, was exciting. Long hair, arm swinging back and forth between pitches. 199 of his 286 saves were as a Giant. I’d guess maybe 20 of those 199 were 1-2-3 innings, lol. As his career wore on I think he, more than anyone, started getting guys out because of his passion for his game and not the physical skill set he brought to the mound. Shooter was the shit. Easily one of my all time favorite Giants…..
Those are my top 5. I’d love to hear who yours are if you have the time to post it in the thread……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Few of my favorites are stars:
Vungo: in my opinion ( and that of fangraphs) the 5th most MVP in in the NL(in 2010) and the best defensive outfielder, he was not just “one of many” who led the team to the titile- he was the heart and soul of the Champs.
( this a SUBJECTIVE, there is no right or wrong)
Jose Uribe: might have won GG or two if not for Ozzie.Smoothest ever.
Hac-Man: If Jose was the smoothest, Jeff was the coolest
Cain: once 1-2 in voting for “dumbest Giant” ( Fred Lewis always won) . He’s the glue that holds the staff together.
Jim Barr: had to have a guy from first year here ( ’74).Tough. mean, and a pretty good pitcher
How many times did you jump off your couch or out of your chair or just *up and down* because of something they did…….
—————————————————————————————
Using that criteria alone, thus negating some of the greats in their prime even though I did see some of them in their late years (Mays, McCovey, Papa Bonds) in no particular order and with no particular single memory:
1. Will Clark
2. Barry Bonds
3. Tim Lincecum
4. Kevin Mitchell
5. Matt Williams
Honorable mention: Chris Speier had me jump off the couch when he hit for the cycle in 1988 (the same game Ernest Riles hit the Giants 10,000th HR). But though I liked him very much, I wouldn’t call him an all time favorite
Okay, I’ll play, but I’m not going with known greats. I mean a five favorite could be filled pretty easily with the 3 Ms, Baby Bull and Bonds. I’m going with a list of guys who, for whatever reason would put a smile on my face.
1) Mitch – I was at a spring training game back in 89 and Mitch hit one of those shots into the AZ afternoon sky that was a monster blast. Flights had to be diverted around Scottsdale, the OFers went to the stands and got beers and dogs and chatted with some babes before going back on the field to watch the ball touch down. There are so many stories about Kevin but I’ll just say, the dude always made me smile and he’s my number one.
2) Edgar Renteria – Nobody on the Giants has ever given me a smile as big as the one Rent gave me. Nobody.
3) Don Robinson – Come on, you just gotta like the Caveman. I remember he pulled a butt muscle once and the reporters asked Roger Craig how long he’d be out. The Humm Baby came back with “I don’t know, have seen the size of his butt?” And he was also a great example why not to have the DH.
4)Ellis Burks – What a class act. I loved this guy, can you imagine if we would’ve got him early in his career? Still with banged up knees this dude produced for us in the short time he was here. After games at Pac Bell he would stop in Mo Mos and have a beer with the crowd still there.
5) Rod Beck – RIP Shooter and thanks for making me smile.
Honorable Mention goes to Jason Schmidt, yes he pitched well for the Giants but what really made me smile was him taking the Dodgers for all that money. I’m sorry he was hurt but I loved the irony of it all.
the cool thing with this thread is that it’s impossible to argue against any player you pick. And I like seeing everyone’s different take on it. I hope we get a lot of posts today…….
Yeah you right (said in a Cajun accent). Flav, did you know that New Orleans folks were big Giants fans when Will played for us? I swear almost every bar down there in the 80s had some sort of autographed Clark memento. Wearing a Giants cap in those days was widely excepted. It was pretty cool.
I hadn’t looked them up until now, but often there’s more than one player of the same name, the Latin players in particular (no, not Gomez) . Anyway, is this good or bad: there are two Miguel Tejadas. The “other” one is 21 YO, an infielder. In 3 minor league seasons, he’s hitting .193. Seems the kid skipped the salad years and went straight to the Miggy we know…
How about 5 that made me jump up and dow for the wrong reasons?
1. Mike Ivie
2. Armado Benitez
3. Jose Cruz
4. Moon Man Minton
(tie) 5a. Ruben Sierra
(tie) 5b. Candy Maldonado
The 5 I loved to watch were:
1. McCovey (esp before he left)
2. Mays
(tie) 3a. Bobby Bonds
(tie) 3b. Barry Bonds
(tie) 4a. Matt Williams
(tie) 4b. Robby Thompson
(tie) 5a. Will Clark
(tie) 5b. Kevin Mitchell
Based up your criteria, Flav…
Will Clark – because he was “Will the Thrill” and always excited…loved his intensity and the eye black
Barry Bonds – most remember him for his majestic, game-winning home runs, and many forget that he was also an eight-time Gold Glove winner
Lincecum – what’s not to like about 55…
Robby Thompson – I played second base growing up…and just loved the way the guy played the position
Matt Williams – one of the sweetest right-hand swings ever
Okay WTF…after seeing what Chuck did…what’s good for one Chuck is good for another…
5a – Thompson
5b – Kevin Mitchell
This got me out my seat, and it’s none of your damn business where I went
Stretch
Timmeh
Bobby Bonds
Brenly
Dirty Al Gallagher
BF, what no Hackman???
Kevin Mitchell
Will Clark
Barry Bonds
Darrell Evans
Scott Garrelts
Article in the Chron, Steve Decker is now the hitting coach in Fresno. They hope he can turn these guys into hitters
Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, Gary Brown, Joe Panik, Roger Kieschnick, Andrew Susac, Francisco Peguero, Hector Sanchez, Charlie Culberson, Ehire Adrianza and even potentially Angel Villalona, among others.
Any comments on these guys, who will make it in the bigs??
Hacman didn’t get me out of my chair like those other guys (outside of the ’87 NLDS). I liked him but I liked his nickname maybe a little more…..
1. Tim Lincecum
2. Brian Wilson
3. Matt Cain
4. Mark Gardner
5. Kirk Reuter
All pitchers. Weird. It’s ’cause 99% of the time I am following the Giants on the radio, I think. Hitting is more exciting in person or on the TV, for sure. But for some reason, a great pitching performance just comes across as a very satisfying experience on the radio. A great hit is fun for a few seconds, but a great pitching performance is fun for hours.
Starting at the bottom, I had been a casual fan of the Giants until the mid to late 90’s. There was something about listening to a Gardner or a Reuter start. They never shut anybody down, really, but the Giants were always in the game when those guys pitched. Plus those guys (especially Reuter) worked fast, so the game moved along at a pleasant pace when they were pitching, also a plus when you are stuck in a car listening to a game, as I was often back in those days. The real fun of following the Giants was kindled for me listening to Gardner and Woody starts.
Cain is just a good dude. Not the greatest pitcher maybe, I don’t think he will ever be a #1 guy on a staff. I never enjoyed his starts all that much, until he threw that gem in Colorado back in September of ’10. One of my favorite Giant games ever. That game and him taking the lead to make the “It gets better” video get him on the list for me.
Wilson and Lincecum, they turned my son into a baseball and Giant fan, and for that I am very grateful. I was ok with it that he was into soccer (there are some really cool dudes who play the game in Brazil and Europe), but Lincecum and Wilson gave him somebody cool to look up to in his own backyard. The first game I took him to was a 1-0 Giants win against the Phils in ’09, Lincecum vs. Cliff Lee. Lee looked like just another mean asshole out there (mean assholes remind him of his dad), but Lincecum looked like somebody he wanted to be. Wilson sort of won him over with the Airforce connection, plus the goofy act is just what a boy wants to see.
5 isn’t enough spots.
Say, 5 fave pitchers, and 10 favorite position players. . .
No, it should stay at 5. As Flav said in his intro “you either won’t be able to do it or you won’t be satisfied with the end result.”
yes.
Least Favorites:
Piershytski
Benitez
Hal Lanier
Von Joshua
Sam McDowell
Tim Foli
Felix Rodriguez
Boo
Rennie Stennett
Reggie Smith
Atlee
Steve Carlton
Mike Benjamin
Marvin Benard
Zito
You forgot Vanlaunchingpad
Von Joshua?
Yeah, I left off pitchers.
1. Marichal
2. Timmy
3. Schmidt
4. Perry
5. Shooter
Ah, being a giants fan, what a treat. So there really are some 5 a,b,&c guys and I pick ’em cause I like to watch or I liked their team spirit.
1) Juan Marichal
2) Barry Bonds
3) Stretch
4) Timmeh
5) Robby Thomson
1) http://lakeviewhs-latinamericanhistory.wikispaces.com/file/view/Marichal.jpg/166837185/Marichal.jpg
2) I really thought the day they picked him up was the beginning
3) I always thought any pitch he connected with HAD TO BE crushed and loved the stretch @ firstbase
4) My man! what is not to like?
5) Great Giant Career and great Giant
Guys like Thompson, Butler, Uribe etc…loved them but they didn’t have me leaping out of my seat. I like the personality guys. Who knows, maybe I’m paying closer attention to them or something,
I was wondering if anyone was gonna write in Kent. MVP? Not good enough, eh? It always just felt like it was nothing more than a job to Kent— just my take.
AZTYC HJUHJUHJUHJUHJUHJUHJUHJUNM B
Very well put
Ooops. Spilled some coke on my keyboard . . .
Thompson was fun becuase he was Thompson. A scrappy guy who was pretty much balls out every play. Kent? Yeah. He was a guy going through the motions it looked like. Matty was a blast to watch. There was an old-time uniform day or some shit, and about 45 mins befre the game Matt did his Babe Ruth impression (home run, and wierd-ass trot around the bases) and the crowd (what was there) went nuts. It was pretty funny.
Shit, Brian Johnson had me leaping out of my seat. Once.
I got no problem with Kent. Not one. He got in Bonds face, that was cool with me. He did his job, and did it beyond well. He earned his salary. I wish we still had him. Giants don’t get to the playoffs and WS in the early 2000s without him. Clutch dude. With his hitting and HRs, he’s a HOFer at 2nd. He’s just not one of my favorites…
Story I heard was that Kent was dogging David Bell for not scoring on a double by Kent. When Kent wouldn’t shut up about it, Bonds told him to shut up. And the fun ensued . . .
Oooh. Keep that story on the Q T. It makes Bonds sound like the good guy. Can’t have that
If true, Bell probably should have scored. I’ll go with Kent on that. I loved that Bonds/Kent dust-up, showed some emotion in a usually docile Giants dugout that always gave Bonds a wide berth….
Even if it is true, two things. We don’t know Bell *could* have scored and if he could have, Lt. Dangle should still have shut the fuck up and quit harping on it
I thought Bell was pissed at Kent because he thought Kent could have made it to third on the play Bonds and Bell scored on. The game was on TV and when they showed the dugout Kent and Bell were going at it. Bonds stepped in and Kent yelled at Dusty (something about it being Bonds team anyway) and then Dusty had to be held back.
1. Bobby Bonds–My favorite since I was a kid in the early 70’s. I have two older brothers and Mays and McCovey were mostly “their” guys, from their era—Bobby was “my” guy.
2. Dave Kingman–always fascinated me–admittedly short run as a Giant though
3. Will Clark–for me, he’s the one guy that represents the Giants returning to a relevant franchise in the 80’s
4. Barry. I’d have no problem with ATT being named Barry Bonds Park.
5. JT Snow—so smooth in the field, clutch at the plate, always seemed to play well when I watched him. Loved when he occasionally pulled off the hidden ball trick. The time he got Carlos Perez was the best.
Kingman. Great one. K or Bomb. I was a little too young to watch him as a Giant and appreciate this dude.
1. Willie Mays – I still remember my best friend and I arguing endlessly about who was better, his favorite player, Hank Aaron and my favorite player, Willie . . . Once even trading blows (actually, the real reason was about a girl we both liked. Grin.). Also, my coach in HS, ragging on me for catching flyballs “basket” style.
2. Tito Fuentas – Again, my coaches in little league and HS were POed at me for doing this baton act when I approached the plate, where I twirled the bat around my hand ala Tito (although, I did quit doing it when my HS coach came unglued. LOL.).
3 Juan Marichal – I loved everthing about Juan (the leg kick, his won loss record, era, etc.). I was 10 years old camping at McCarthur Birnie (sp?) falls when I found out about him hitting Roseboro with a bat and being happy about it. Today, I know better and am glad John wasn’t hurt seriously. Moreover, that they became friends later.
4. Chris Speier – I played infield back in the day and he could do no wrong in my mind. I remember him being key in their division title run in 1972 (?). Ted, yes the moment you mentioned had me jumping too, especially so late in his career. Thank you for reminding me! 🙂
5. Will Clark – Baseball was pathetic in the SF bay area for what seemed like eons before “The thrill” came along. Couple that with Roger Craig, Hacman, Thompson, Williams, and Mitchell – BASEBALL ROCKED AGAIN IN THE CITY!!!!!
Honorable Mention – ENTIRE WORLD SERIES TEAM FROM 2 YEARS AGO, INCLUDING WHITEY!
blade, did you ever learn how to do that bouncy thing with the bat on the plate ala Fuentes? I never could
You still in Panama, Blade? If you are or heading out somewhere else in C. America, can you get some scouting in? We need some damn outfielders…
1. Jack Clark – the 1st favorite player I ever had. I had a plastic cup that said “Jack Clark lights the spark at Candlestick Park.” Used it so much the printing came right off. Probably only made me jump out of my seat a 1/2 dozen times since in those days I could only see him play when the G’s played the Mets on WWOR Channel 9 NY.
2. Will Clark – the tie breaking hit in Game 5 of the ’89 NLCS off Mitch Williams was the single greatest moment of Giants’ baseball for me up until Brian Wilson struck out Ryan Howard looking.
3. Barry Bonds – no one ever created more excitement in every at bat. He made the Giants a must see for everyone in the country, not just Giants’ fans.
4. Tim Lincecum – he was the personification of hope since he came up in ’07 – I would have canceled anything to watch a Lincecum start, still would.
5. J.T. Snow – the best defensive 1st baseman I ever saw, a guy that got you really excited about his run-saving plays & who can forget him saving Darren Baker at home plate?
You know my sister told me all the girls in her school had a crush on Jack Clark. I always found that odd. I mean, he ain’t The Elephant Man or anything but still…
Ted, I never did it. My brother dated this girl across the street who was a world champion baton twirler and she taught me how to do the bat twirl (quite easy to pick up) and juggle 3 balls (much more difficult – it took me all day standing in front of a mirror to get the technique down. At one time, I was able to do variations of juggling 3 balls such as under my leg or behind my back. I could never do more than 3 though.).
Snarrk, yeah, I’m still in Panama, but doing a weekend trip to Boca Del Toros tomorrow for a couple of days of SCUBA diving. Good area for dolphins and manatees, which I’ve yet to see underwater. Late next week, I cross the border into Costa Rica for at least a week, then return back to Boguete. By the by, I met a woman here, whom I’m seeing (went out to dinner last night). She owns a floral shop, speaks excellent English (Mom is an English teacher) and here is the kicker – she is 38, looks like she’s mid 20s, and like I told my Mom, “I guess I still have it at 56.” LQTM 🙂
You go, Blade.
Just make sure she’s not the female Fausto Carmona of Panama…
That totally went over my head, until I googled his name.
“forwarned and forearmed.” Thanks. Grin.
blade3colorado, Spreading the Flap/Giants love. One nation at a time
Just a humble servant spreading Love American Style 🙂
In Chronological order;
1. Tied- Jack Clark, Reggie Smith, and Joe Morgan from the ’82 team that came within a game of winning the division. Whole family was at the game that they lost it, and heard Joe Morgan bitch-slap the Dodgers on the drive home to Fresno the next day. (In one of those station wagons with a backward-facing seat, screaming joy next to my sister who couldn’t give a shit).
2. Will Clark- ’86 After he jerked Ryan in his debut, his AB’s were ones you’d stop what you were doing to listen-to or watch right up until he left the Giants (hated that day)
3. Barry Bonds ’93, no steroids (not that I care) during this season. Biggest aquisition, EVER, for the Giants and paid dividends immediately
4. Ellis Burks- ’97 someone above posted about Burks, RF- power, speed (even in his 30’s), perfect 5 hitter, the Giants are still looking for to this day.
5. Jeff Kent- When did they Giants have more legit HR/RBI threat from 2nd freakin base!
1. Barry
2. Kevin Mitchell- He made his bare handed catch when I was in little league. The only year I played and our coach made an example out of that. If he could bare hand it we had no excuse for not gloving it. Anyway, this is the play that made me a Giants fan.
3. Timmeh
4. Will
5a. Robb Nen
5b. Rod Beck
No nonsense closers that didn’t induce cardiac arrythmias when they took the mound.
love your #2.
But I think you’ve forgotten the cardiac’s that Nen and Beck gave us. Truth is, I think they all do (except Mariano and even he’s finally starting to slip a little)……..
BTW, great post today Flavor.
A name I was surprised to see more than once: JT Snow.
Good to see some of you guys come out of the woodwork for this. You’re gonna challenge me to come up with more interesting and interactive threads……..
I’m fine with the Clay Hensley signing today. He’s had a few flashes of mediocrity in his career that would allowe me to not *look away* at some starts from him as our fifth starter. At some point Sabean needs to think about who is going to take over for Zito when the phantom-DL him in mid May. Might as well be this dude.
Ask me tomorrow and my list of 5 might be different, as there are many different reasons why one could be a “favorite” Giant on any given day. Simply based on “get back from the fridge in time to see this guy’s at bat” or on jumping out of the chair:
* Bonds. Too obvious, but I watched every at bat I could.
* Timmy. Too obvious, but I’ve watched every pitch I could.
* Willie Mac: As I think I’ve mentioned before, one of my first memories ever of a baseball player via a grainy black/white TV picture, the sheer menacing hulk of this Giant waiting for a pitch…
* Brian Johnson: got me off my bar stool with that home run back in ’97.
* Jim Davenport: simply because in little league, I used a bunch of different bats but finally realized that every time I used the Jimmy Davenport signature bat, I got a hit.
Happy lunar new year to everyone!
great to see you Paul, thanks for checking in. Fab ref on the B-John call. I heard that one on the radio sitting on a friend’s porch who didn’t get the game on tv. We were smoking cigs (I quit that year) and watching these giant fish swim around in the pond by his front yard (I know, huge party, right?).
I would like to hear that radio call again, I’ll see if I can find it.
Yeah, Craig, that would be fun to re-live. Odd how some events cement all the senses in memory: I can still smell the beer and piss of Pierce Street Annex on Fillmore where I watched that homerun… Just came back from 10 days in Cambodia for lunar new year holiday, time to rejoin the real world… if Saigon can be considered real. In the online world, the Flap is as real as it gets…
Found this on youtube. Rick Quan, epic. That dude video taping his tv could easily be Nipper, at least that’s who I am imagining did this. 🙂 Look at all those fans in Candlestick, LOVE IT. See all the dirt flying around in the late innings? I’ve gotten used to that clay shit, we never see shit fly around anymore.
Check out Shooter after that houdini act: sun setting, dirt infield flying around him, high fiving with that ridiculous mullet flying in the wind. Classic Beck. That image of him is burned into my brain. It’s why I fucking loved that dude. If heaven actually existed, that’s how I imagine he would enter it…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYC3rQ2wzGI&w=420&h=315
And it was indeed fun to relive it! I’d forgotten about Beck’s bases-loaded no-out performance. Great to see some old names on the back of the uni’s … Javier, Reuter, Hamilton, et al. Good stuff.
Also will always remember the Chron story and photo when they clinched the division that year. Headline: “Worst? No, First!” accompanied with a photo of Shooter standing on the mound, arms raised to the sky, eyes closed, huge smile on his face. Classic.
If you watch that vid I posted of the B-John Bomb, click on the bottom right corner vid after it ends. It’s a 1994 Giants/Dodgers game with Beck closing it out in the 9th. 1-2-3. Fucking loved that dude……..
I love Bonds hefting Dusty in celebration at the end!
absolutely. And Dusty going bezerko after that double play was awesome. He was at his best back then…
Gee. This is harder than I thought, and if I did it 5 minutes from now I might pick 5 different guys. Let’s see:
1. Willie Mays
2. Willie McCovey
3. Dave Dravecky — based in large measure for his performance in that one game against John Tudor in the playoffs. ’87?
4. Timmy [notice how he is so iconic no other name is needed?]
5. Brian Wilson
Vungo, I want him in there…and also Terry Whitfield, for personal reasons, and The Count. Oh. I’m almost up to another 5. Johnny Antonelli. And…BOBBY THOMSON. And Dusty Rhodes.
Good night.
I could easily toss in the name of Juan Uribe for one reason alone: his HR in the game that clinched against the Phils in 2010, a la Renteria.
AND BRUCE BOCHY. WHY NOT?
The “excitement” and “passion” you talk about, Craig, in your opening post… how much the players bring to us the fans is often most manifested by how much excitement and passion the players themselves exhibit. That’s one reason why that photo of Timmy is so great… same with watching that old video and seeing Brian Johnson rounding third with his arms raised… Shooter with that look on his face in that photo I remember… Dusty going berserko.. B. Wilson after striking out Cruz to end the series and Buster kind of bouncing out from behind the plate, not even sure what to do next… These are things I hope we see more of this season. That will mean a very satisfying season…
Felipe Alou, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal.
Masanori Murakami.
Jeff Kent was on my list and then got pushed off. Same with Kevin Mitchell. I almost forgot meeting Vida Blue! Could not have been friendlier, and that was in 1978, fine year.
Great post, Flav; I’ve enjoyed everybody’s takes. This thread should be a keeper. Ted, I too remember Speier’s hitting for the cycle; I have an old green Chron box score somewhere to memorialize it. Anyway, this is a hard list to do, and it’s made me reflect on my attention as a fan. There were definitely periods where I checked out, e.g., early 80s. I think I’ll divide them by eras of my fandom. And, as PaulinAsia said, I’ll probably think of others tomorrow:
1. John ‘The Count’ Montefusco. I saw him pitch at the Stick, always looked forward to his games, and enjoyed reading about him in the papers the next day. He was young, brash, had swagger, and made you feel the Giants were going somewhere.
2. Willie McCovey. Saw Stretch early at the Stick, but I remember most that magical year he returned in ’77, when he seemed to deliver in all the clutch spots. I believe I was at Willie McCovey Day–at least I have the poster to prove it–but I also recall he hit one then. Anyone confirm that? Anyway, I saw he just turned 74 two weeks ago. I have to say when he goes I will be saddened by his departure. Seemed like a true class act.
3. Barry Bonds. As a five-tool player, Bonds was by definition exciting. But the Giants family connection with his dad and Willie Mays also did it for me–baseball was given to me by my Dad and grandfather. I find Bonds a tragic figure in that he was so good, one of the best ever, yet still chose to use steroids because I believe he couldn’t stand watching lesser lights break the records which were his due. Most important to me, however, was that Bonds made the Giants dominant, which, although they’d had success, they’d never been in my lifetime. Players and teams feared us, and Bonds didn’t back down to anyone. As a hitter, he was an artist to watch; his analysis on his rare visits to the radio booth is really something.
4. Edgar Renteria. Bozo posted above about the big smile Edgar brought him. I always thought he was a great pick-up because of his record in big moments. And that was a Big One. Thank you, Edgar!
5. Pablo Sandoval. ‘Adios pelota!’ ‘Look out Oakland!’ Jon Miller says it better than I can–although Twin has adequately promoted his athleticism and fielding as well!
No love for Big Daddy? Maybe another list.