Only the Cincinnati Reds have a longer history in professional baseball than the Giants. In the 19th century, the Giants called New York their home. In the 1880s they fielded one of the greatest teams of the era. In the first three decades of the 20th century, the franchise won several National League pennants, and enjoyed four separate dynastic periods.
Today, the Giants are on the left coast, where they continue a rivalry with the Dodgers, who also once called New York their home.
In this article we select an all-time team for one of the oldest and most successful franchises in Major League Baseball. This team consists of 28 players, 16 position players, and 12 pitchers.
CATCHER: Buster Posey, Chief Meyers
FIRST BASE: Will Clark, Bill Terry, Johnny Mize
SECOND BASE: Frankie Frisch, Jeff Kent
SHORTSTOP: Travis Jackson, Brandon Crawford
THIRD BASE: Matt Williams, Darrell Evans
LEFT FIELD: Barry Bonds
CENTER FIELD: Willie Mays
RIGHT FIELD: Mel Ott, Bobby Bonds
DESIGNATED HITTER: Willie McCovey
STARTING PITCHERS: Christy Mathewson, Carl Hubbell, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, Madison Bumgarner
RELIEF PITCHERS: Hoyt Wilhelm, Robb Nen, Rod Beck, Sergio Romo, Stu Miller, Craig Lefferts, Gary Lavelle
How about that outfield? Heck, how about that lineup? Here’s our choice for an all-time Giants lineup:
- Frisch, 2B
- Bonds, LF
- Mays, CF
- McCovey, DH
- Ott, RF
- Clark, 1B
- Williams, 3B
- Posey, 3B
- Crawford, SS
Five Hall of Famers are featured on the pitching staff: Mathewson, Hubbell, Marichal, Perry, and Wilhelm out of the pen.
What are your choices for the greatest Giants and all-time team? Tell us in the comments below.
I would’ve chosen Orlando Cepeda over either Will Clark or Johnny Mize. Orlando could also play the OF (as could Willie McCovey). His career BA as a Giant was higher than Mize or Clark, his slugging percentage and OPS+ was higher than Clark. Cepeda and Clark both had over 1000 hits as members of the Giants. Clark had the better glove, so perhaps Cepeda and Clark at first base, with apologies to Mize.
Alternatively, replace Travis Jackson (or Brandon Crawford) and Darrell Evans with Jim Davenport. Jim didn’t hit as well as Darrell, but was a Gold Glove third baseman who could also play SS. This would allow the inclusion of Mize on your roster.
The inclusion of Orlando Cepeda would give the Giants a 5th outfielder and a DH against LH pitching.
As for pitching: if this was a team playing in a regular season, there should be a couple of long relievers who could function as fill in starters should one of the regular starters get injured. Iron Man McGinnity and either Tim Lincecum or Matt Cain would take the place of two of the “short” relievers. If only one long reliever is chosen, I’d pick Javier Lopez over Craig Lefferts or Gary Lavelle as a situational reliever against LH batters.
I’d also pick HOFer Roger Bresnahan over Jack (not “Chief”) Meyers. Both had similar stats, but Bresnahan had a better OBP and OPS+ than Meyers. He also played some CF which would add a little more flexibility in the outfield.
Thanks for your point of view, Pat. I don’t think such a great pitching staff would need more depth.