Every sport evolves with each
passing generation -- from the
size and athleticism of players to
game strategy.
Baseball’s evolution, however, is
both historic and unique given the
pre-integration and dead ball eras.
For the former, full segregation took
place from 1887-1947. Full
integration, which was a gradual
process, came in 1959. The
Deadball Era was a period in the
early 20th century when baseball
was characterized by low scoring
and emphasis on pitching.
There was the Steroid Era, which has no definite start time though
it is generally assumed that the era ran from the late 1980s until
the late 2000s. This era was defined by shattered home run
records leading to exorbitant salaries.
The San Francisco Giants have existed since 1885 but they were
the New York Giants from 1885-1957. The franchise has called
San Francisco home since 1958. The Giants have won eight
World Series titles (Five in New York; three in San Francisco).
Despite having some of the best players (notably Willie McCovey,
Willie Mays and Barry Bonds) in Major League Baseball history,
the franchise had a 56-year drought between World Series titles
(1954-2010). The Giants won three World Series crowns in five
seasons (2010-2014).
Today, I form a Giants Dream Team that is all-encompassing
between the New York and San Francisco eras in 26-man roster
format. For openers, to make this roster, four years as a Giant
are required. No exceptions. With the free agency era, I’m not
going to cheapen this roster with 1-3 year rentals.
I’m forming a 12 man pitching staff, five starters and seven
relievers. For the latter, I want at least one lefthander in the
bullpen. For position players, I am taking what I believe is the
best of the best regardless of era. For the bench players, it’s
the best of the rest with versatility being heavily considered.
Merit achievements such as Hall of Fame, All Star appearances
and Gold Gloves are considered but not guaranteed. General
impactfulness on the franchise is also considered.
Generational reminders
If I believe you were the best at your position in the pre-
integration era, you are on the team. If you played on a World
Series champion, there is no guarantee of landing on this roster.
If you played during a bad season, that does not deter you from
being on this roster. Off the field baggage is not a deterrent to
landing on this team, nor is any Steroid Era affiliation. This is
baseball, not the Boys Scouts.
Starting rotation
Christy Matthewson, Juan Marichal, Madison Bumgarner, Carl
Hubbel, Gaylord Perry
Leaving Tim Lincecum off this list was a hard decision but
nonetheless a very strong five-man rotation. Mathewson is one
of five players in the Hall of Fame's inaugural 1936 class.
Marichal dominated the 1960s, winning 191 games. Perry
spent the first decade of his Hall of Fame career with the Giants.
His infamous spit ball has since been outlawed. Bumgarner
helped usher in the modern era of success for the Giants, helping
deliver three World Championships in five seasons. Bumgarner,
who is now an Arizona Diamondback, has become perhaps the
best postseason pitcher in Major League Baseball history. His
performance was on full display during the 2014 World Series
victory in seven games over the Kansas City Royals. During
Hubbel's Hall of Fame career, he won 253 games and had a
2.98 ERA on the way to a Hall of Fame career.
Bullpen
Closer -- Rob Nen.
Rod Beck, Brian Wilson, Gary Lavelle, Jeremy Affeldt, Hoyt
Wilhelm, Sergio Romo
The bullpen has a very turn of the century look because in the
2010s, the Giants bullpen was perhaps the most defining
quality of their championship teams. Nen is a no-brainer as a
closer because he is the Giants all-time saves leader with 206.
Beck, whose fu manchu mustache and mullet made him look like
he was from a motorcycle gang, set the Giants single-season
save record in 1993. On this team he could easily translate into
a setup man roll. Lavelle tends to be forgotten because he
pitched for a lot of bad Giants teams from 1974-1984, nonetheless
he was very reliable. Affeldt had an astonishing 0.69 ERA in the
postseason.
During the Giants 2010 run at winning the World Series, Wilson
tied Beck's franchise record for a single season with 48 saves.
Romo spent his first nine seasons with the Giants and was a vital
cog in the franchise winning three World Championships from
2010-2014. Wilhelm spent the first five seasons of his Hall of
Fame career with the Giants.
Infield
Catcher -- Buster Posey, First base -- Willie McCovey, Second
base -- Jeff Kent, Shortstop -- Travis Jackson, Third base --
Matt Williams
Posey was the face of the franchise for three World Series
championships in the 2010s. Posey has had a borderline Hall of
Fame career and is one of only three players to catch three no-
hitters (Bill Carrigan and Yogi Berra are the others). On the way
to a Hall of Fame career, McCovey was one of the most feared
hitters in history and remains a beloved figure among Giants
fans.
Kent was a journeyman before he was traded to the Giants but
his 351 career home runs as a second baseman is a Major
League record. On the way to a Hall of Fame career, Jackson
recorded at least a .300 batting average six times. Williams initially
broke into the big leagues as a shortstop and his 247 career
home runs ranked fourth in San Francisco Giants history.
Outfield
Leftfield -- Barry Bonds, Rightfield -- Mel Ott, Centerfield -- Willie
Mays.
Bonds’ association with performance enhancing drugs has crippled
his Hall of Fame candidacy but he remains the Home Run king
and one of the most complete players in Major League history.
The only player to record a 40-40 season (40 home runs, 40
stolen bases). Mays is considered by many to be the best
player in Major League Baseball history. The Hall of Famer’s
career overlapped the New York and San Francisco eras. Having
Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonds in the same starting outfield would
look appealing on the surface but it's hard to ignore the fact that
Ott spent all 22 seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Giants.
Ott was the first player in National League history to reach 500
career home runs.
Bench
Orlando Cepeda, Bill Terry, Bobby Thompson, Buck Ewing,
Frankie Frisch, Bobby Bonds.
Cepeda, who was nicknamed “Baby Bull,” spent eight seasons of
his Hall of Fame career with the Giants, earning six All-Star bids.
Cepeda would bring power and versatility to this team. Thompson is
known best for his “shot heard round the world,” which was a three-
run homer to beat the Dodgers for the National League pennant.
There is much more to him, however. He was also a three-time All-
Star in his eight seasons as a Giant.
Ewing deserves a spot on this team because he is widely
considered the best catcher of the 19th century. Frisch went
straight from Fordham University to the Major Leagues and became
a Hall of Famer. Like his son, Bobby Bonds had a rare combination
of power and speed. He is one of two players to record five 30-30
seasons. Terry helped the Giants deliver their 1933 World Series title
as a player/manager and is the last National League play to bat over
.400 in a season on the way to his Hall of Fame career.
Manager
John McGraw
While Bruce Bochy is the best manager in the San Francisco era,
you simply cannot go against McGraw when it comes to combined
history. Other than Connie Mack, no manager has accrued more
victories than McGraw. He was an adept strategist and was good
at acquiring and developing players to fit his philosophy that
emphasized strong pitching, defense and aggressive base-running.
Team
1905
Recency bias might suggest that you take one of the 2010s teams
but you simply cannot deny a team that won 105 games during the
regular season and defeated the Philadelphia Athletics 4-1 in the
World Series. In that series, the team recorded three shutouts in a
matter of six days. The Giants of this ilk also had three Hall of
Famers (Christy Matthewson, Roger Bresnahan and Joe McGinnity)
along with a Hall of Fame manager.
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