What is this all about?
Yesterday
Here are the top 5 September 2 moments in San Francisco Giants history.
Walk off 1959 home vs. Cubs, the second San Francisco club has lost back to back walk offs but is still a game up. 3-3 in the bottom of the 9th, Jackie Brandt homers off Don Elston to send everyone home happy in the first San Francisco Giants pennant race. Brandt was part of the big trade in '56 between the New York club and the Cards when the Giants sent Lockman and Dark for Schoendienst. Brandt finished that season in New York, went to Korea, returned for 18 games in '58 and was our starting left fielder this season. After the season we send him to Baltimore for Loes and O'Dell. Brandt hit 112 homers in his career, two were walk offs, this was his only one for the Giants.
Walk off 1962 home vs. Reds, we're 85-50 but still trail the goddamn Dodgers by 3.5 games, this is game 136 so it's getting late. 4-4 in the bottom of the 9th, Felipe Alou hits a 2 run homer, we win 6-4 and stay in this race. Want a great September? We're about to win 7 straight.
1965 at Philadelphia, after losing the front end of a doubleheader we've reached Game 132 and have never been in first place - but are only a game out of first right now, it's 2-2 in the ninth, men on second and third with one out, Jack Baldschun strikes out Matty Alou, but the ball gets away for a wild pitch and Ken Henderson scores the go ahead run. We win it 5-2. What's the hottest Giants September ever? This '65 team is about to win 14 straight.
1986 at New York, we were in first as late as July 20, but it's all over now, we're 9 games back, but we beat Dwight Gooden in this one, we're up 4-3 in the 9th, 1 on, nobody out, Scott Garrelts facing...Kevin Mitchell, Garrelts gets him 1-4-3 and then gets Howard Johnson to fly out to end the game. Mitch would, of course, go on to great success as a Giant, a look at each left fielder in our history is next.
2014 at Colorado, game 139 and we are in the thick of it, 2 out in the West, 1.5 up in the WC, it takes 7 Giants pitchers to get us this one. the big moment is Gregor Blanco's, 7-7 with 2 out in the 7th, Blanco doubles home the go ahead run, we go on and win it 12-7. Blanco was our left fielder in this one - here's every Giant starting left fielder by OPS+ and PA.
58 Sauer 117, 717
59 Brandt 104, 903
60 Cepeda 140, 4531
61-2 Kuenn 101, 2009
63-4 McCovey 149, 8523
65-6 Gabrielson 87, 568
67 - Jesus Alou 84, 2347
68 - Tony Cline 73, 443
69 - Dave Marshall 86, 515
70-2 Ken Henderson 109, 2483 (first San Francisco left fielder to start 3 straight years)
73-6 Matthews 123, 2479
77 Evans 119, 4406
78-80 Whitfield 108, 1688
81- Herndon 93, 2305
82-7 Leonard 111, 3170
88 Aldrete 115, 1111
89-91 Mitchell 151, 2516
92 - James 90, 267
93-04, 06-7 Bonds 199, 8351 (so close to a 200 OPS+)
05 - Feliz 84, 3027
08-9 Lewis 101, 1048
10- Burrell 128, 560
11-Ross 110, 543
12- Cabrera 157, 501 (it was only in 500 plate appearances, but look at that stick)
13-Blanco 98, 2054
14-Morse 123, 522
15-Aoki 103, 392
16 - Pagan 103, 2471
See you tomorrow. Go Giants!
