Supersedes all prior lists.
The number given to each player is an overall impact number - covering regular season, postseason, peak value, career value. It's the almost exactly the same formula I'm currently using for my MLB career rankings. Represents only Giants value. There's a minimum WAR floor, the list is dynamic and contains a rate element, so active players may find their rankings drop (playoff numbers are particularly volatile given the small sample). Bad seasons also count. Everything counts. Through 2024.
99. JAVIER LOPEZ LHP 2010-16
98. JEREMY AFFELDT LHP 2009-15
97. SANTIAGO CASILLA RHP 2010-16
The bottom 3 is a cheat, none have the minimum WAR to qualify, but they are the only players to have been on all 3 SF title teams to not make the list and their postseason work is enough to make it; so they get added here but do not have impact numbers.
96. BOBBY BOLIN RHP 1961-69 20.2
Take a look at his 1968, 10 wins and a 1.99 ERA, second only to Bob Gibson's 1.12.
95. ATLEE HAMMAKER LHP 1982-90 20.3
Led all MLB in ERA, ERA+, FIP in 1983
94. RUSS ORTIZ RHP 1998-2002, 2007 20.7
18-9 in '99, 17-9 in '01.
93. JO JO MOORE LF 1930-41 20.7
Moore was a "Gold Star Giant" - he played his entire big league career with the franchise. There are Gold Star Giants who did not make this list, including Jimmy Davenport. Moore was on 5 consecutive All Star teams; Bill Terry said Moore was the greatest left fielder he ever saw.
92. BILL WALKER LHP 1927-32 20.9
NL ERA leader in both '29 and '31. Had two heart attacks as a child. Carl Hubbell's roommate.
91. FRED TONEY RHP 1918-22 21
1.69 ERA in 1918, 1.84 in 1919; 21-11 in 1920, 18-11 in '21. Toney threw a 17 inning no hitter in the minors. Was convicted of a Mann Act violation.
90. BIG JIM HEARN RHP 1950-56 21.9
11-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 1950, 17-9 in the pennant winning 1951. Won Game 1 of the 3 game playoff against the Dodgers in '51. Went 8 2/3 in the '51 World Series, gave up 1 earned run.
89. MIKE MCCORMICK LHP 1956-62, 67-70 21.9
Led NL in ERA in 1960, won the Cy Young in '67, 22-10, 2.85 ERA. In high school, McCormick threw a perfect game with 26 strikeouts. Broke in at 17.
88. JACK SCOTT RHP 1922-26, 28-29 22.2
Knuckleballer. Led NL in games pitched in 1926, threw a 4 hit complete game shutout to beat the Yankees in game 3 of the '22 World Series.
87. JACK SANFORD RHP 1959-65 22.7
24 wins in 1962, 2nd in the Cy Young. Won 16 straight games. Had a 1.93 in the '62 World Series, winning game 2, losing 5 and 7.
86. ED HALICKI RHP 1974-80 23.1
Outside of the final 35 innings of his career, played only with the Giants. Led the NL in WHIP in '78.
85. SCOTT GARRELTS RHP 1982-91 24.1
A Gold Star Giant, Led the NL in ERA and WHIP in the pennant winning 1989 season after 4 consecutive double digit saves seasons.
84. VIDA BLUE RHP 1978-81, '85-6 24.4
18 wins and a third place Cy Young finish in '78. Started the '78 All Star game, first pitcher ever to start the ASG for both leagues; he got the win in the '81 ASG, becoming the first winning pitcher for both leagues.
83. RUBEN GOMEZ RHP 1953-58 25
Second Puerto Rican pitcher in big league history. Beat Mike Garcia in game 3 of the '54 Series, 7 1/3 innings, 2 earned runs. Dealt away for Jack Sanford.
82. DUMMY TAYLOR RHP 1900-01, 02-08 25.2
34 Cleveland innings from Gold Star status. ERA+ over 100 in all but 1 season with the Giants.
81. JESSE BARNES RHP 1918-23 25.3
Led the NL in wins in 1919 with 25. Was a killer in the Giants back to back titles in '21-'22, 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 26 innings pitched. Won games 3 and 6 against the Yankees in '21, Here's game 6, on the road, Fred Toney gave up 3 in the first, Barnes comes out of the pen, goes 8 2/3, gives up just 2 earned.
80. SID GORDON LF/3B 1941-43, 46-49, '55 25.4
Missed two years for WW2, below OPS+ of 100 just once in Giants career. Hit 30 homers in '48.
79. STU MILLER RHP 1957-62 25.7
Led the NL in ERA in '58, the first San Francisco season. Won 14 games in '61 and then led the NL in saves the next year. Blown off the mound in the 9th inning of the '61 All Star Game (got the win).
78. CLIFF MELTON LHP 1937-44 26.6
Gold Star Giant. Won 20 his rookie year; led the NL in K/9 in 1940. His elbow got him to early retirement.
77. GEORGE VAN HALTREN CF 1894-1903 28.2
Led all MLB in triples in '96; in steals in 1900. Career Giants batting average was .321. Hit .500 in the 1894 Temple Cup when the Giants swept the Orioles. Perhaps the top speed/defense combination in the 19th century.
76. JOHN MONTEFUSCO RHP 1974-80 29
Rookie of the Year in '75, led the NL in shutouts the next season. He was dealt to the Braves in 1980 for Doyle Alexander - Alexander would eventually wind up back in Atlanta from where he was dealt even up in a deadline deal in '87 to the Tigers for a prospect named John Smoltz.
75. HIGH POCKETS KELLY 1B/2B 1915-17, 19-26 29.1
Kelly, coincidentally, was from San Francisco and then spent most of his 16 year career as a New York Giant. Led the NL in RBI in '20, in homers in '21, all the majors in RBI in '24 and finished 3rd in the MVP race the following year.
74. RUBE MARQUARD LHP 1908-15 29.4
20+ game winner each year 1911-13. Led NL in Ks in '11 and wins in '12. Career Giants ERA 2.85. The Giants lost the '12 World Series to the Red Sox, but it wasn't due to Marquard. He won games 3 and 6, had a 0.50 ERA. Marquard was part of 5 pennant winners, 3 Giants, 2 Dodgers - but never won the World Series.
73. ROD BECK RHP 1991-97 30.4
2nd in all time Giants saves as of end of 2023 season with 199; had a 2.97 Giants ERA.
72. CY SEYMOUR LHP/CF 1896-1900, 06-10 30.6
In his first Giants stint, Seymour was largely a pitcher, led the big leagues in Ks in '97 and '98. When he came back he was an outfielder, with a 137 OPS+ as a 36 year old in 1909. On a very short list of all time pitcher/hitter combinations.
71. MARV GRISSOM RHP 1946, '53-58 31.1
Broke in late, at 28. 18 rookie innings for the Giants and then left for 7 years. Made his only All Star team in '54 when he had 17 saves. Giants pitching really dominated Cleveland in that '54 World Series sweep. 6 earned runs the whole series. Grissom was the winner in game one, going the last 2 2/3 in the Giants 10 inning victory.
70. JOUETT MEEKIN RHP 1894-99 31.3
33-9 in 1894.
69. HOOKS WILTSE LHP 1904-14 31.3
A gold star Giant save for the final 59 innings of his career, pitched in the Federal League. Wiltse was 136-85 with a 2.48 ERA as a Giant. 12-0 start to his career. 30 complete games in 1908; he threw a 10 inning no hitter against the Phils on the 4th of July. Wiltse was filling in at first base for a shorthanded Giants club in Game 2 of the 1912 World Series, he threw out the winning run at the plate twice in the bottom of the 9th inning. Giants won the game; lost the series.
68. HARRY DANNING C 1933-42 31.9
A Gold Star Giant, 4 All Star selections, a .285 career batting average as a catcher.
67. FAT FREDDIE FITZSIMMONS RHP 1925-37 31.9
Knuckleballer. Maybe the best fielding pitcher of the era. 20 year big league career - all as a Giant or a Dodger. 9 consecutive seasons with double digit wins. 170 career Giants wins, that's 7th on the all time list, through 2023. One of the more popular Giants of the era with the NY fans.
66. FREDDIE LINDSTROM 3B/CF 1924-32 32.6
6 straight .300+ batting average seasons, in '28 he led the NL in hits, hitting .358 and finishing second in the MVP. Career .318 hitter as a Giant. As of 2023, still the youngest player ever to play in the World Series. Had 4 hits in Game 5 of the '24 World Series against Walter Johnson. Hit .300 in the upper minors when he was 16.
65. JOHN MONTGOMERY WARD RHP/SS/CF 1883-89, 93-4 33.3
Led the NL in steals with 111 in '87, had a 110 career ERA+ in over 300 innings pitched as a Giant. Part of the Giants back to back title wins in '88-9 and then as a player/manager in '94. He'd eventually be part owner of the Braves. Got a law degree from Columbia during his big league career. Head of the players union.
64. BOBBY THOMSON CF 1946-53, 57 33.3
4 time All Star with the Giants, hit the most famous home run in the history of the sport.
63. GARY LAVELLE LHP 1974-85 33.5
Double digits in saves 6 times as a Giant, career Giants ERA 2.82
62. CHRIS SPEIER SS 1971-77, 87-9 33.5
Played with Willie Mays and Will Clark; 3 straight All Star teams made in his ages 22-24 seasons. Played in Giants NLCS losses 16 seasons apart.
61. LARRY JANSEN RHP 1947-54 33.5
Last 34 innings of his career as a Red kept him from Gold Star status, was 21-5 in his rookie season, finishing 2nd in the MLB Rookie of the Year (it was to Jackie Robinson, so I guess that's okay). Led the majors in wins with 23 in '51. Won 8 of 10 starts down the stretch.
60. JEFF TESREAU RHP 1912-18 33.8
Gold Star Giant. Spitballer. Led the NL in ERA his rookie year, won 20+ each of the next two seasons. Career 2.43 ERA. Held opponents to a .224 career batting average. Dispute with John McGraw led to an early retirement.
59. MONTE IRVIN 1B/RF 1949-55 34
Spent his first ten big league years in the Negro Leagues, a Giant at 30. Third in NL MVP in '51 with 121 RBI and a 147 OPS+ Hit .458 in the '51 World Series and stole home in Game 1.
58. PABLO SANDOVAL 3B 2008-14, 17-20 34.1
Hit .345 his rookie year, .330 in 2009. Slugged .552 in 2011. 2012 World Series MVP hitting 3 homers in game 1, 2 off Justin Verlander. Hit .500 for the full series, a Giants sweep. Hit .400 in the 2014 NLCS and .429 in the 2014 World Series. Part of all 3 San Francisco World Champions.
57. TOM HALLER C 1961-67 34.8
2 Giants All Star appearances, slugged .515 in 1962. Starting quarterback at Illinois.
56. RED AMES RHP 1903-13 35.3
Wild with a big curveball. Broke in at 20, threw complete game shutouts in his first two big league starts; led the NL in K/9 from '05-07. 205 innings pitched in 1911 and didn't allow a home run. 8 double digit winning seasons as a Giant.
55. JIM RAY HART 3B/LF 1963-73 35.3
2nd in Rookie of the Year as a 22 year old (Dick Allen won) Slugged .510 with 33 homers in his only All Star season ('66). Got hit by Bob Gibson in his second big league game, broke his shoulder blade. Killed a pedestrian in an auto accident in '68.
54. DARRELL EVANS 3B/1B 1976-83 35.3
Acquired from the Braves in mid '76 at age 29 in a multi-player deal with Willie Montanez the top player headed back. Hit 142 homers in 8 Giants seasons. Made the All Star team in '83, his final SF season. Homered off Tom Seaver in his first Giants home game. Who was the Giants captain following Willie McCovey's retirement? Darrell Evans.
53. JIM BARR RHP 1971-78, 82-3 35.4
Double digit wins in 5 straight Giants seasons. Barr took the ball in the 70s - 5 straight years with over 230 innings pitched. Led the NL in BB/9 in '74.
52. CHIEF MEYERS C 1909-15 36.4
2 top 5 MVP finishes, led the NL with a .441 OBP in 1912. Meyers was a career .301 hitter with the Giants.
51. KEVIN MITCHELL LF/3B 1987-91 36.5
Mid-season '87 acquistion from the Padres as the clubs swapped third basemen as the centerpiece of a broader deal. Mitch was the NL MVP in the Giants pennant winning 1989 season, led the majors with 47 homers, 125 RBI, .635 slugging, 1.023 OPS, 192 OPS+, 392 total bases, 32 intentional walks. Mitchell's career Giants OPS+ was 151, 7th in Giants history as of 2023 (McCovey is 8th).
50. HANK THOMPSON 3B 1949-56 37.1
The Giants first Black player. Also the St Louis Browns first Black player. Shot a man named Jim Crow in a bar in '48, it was found to be self defense.
49. DAVE BANCROFT SS 1920-23, 30 37.5
There's a minimum 5 Giants seasons to be eligible for the list, Bancroft's fifth season was the last ten games of his career when he was 39. Bancroft arrived from the Phillies in '20 for Art Fletcher, still to come on the list. Bancroft's best years with the bat were as a Giant, highest OPS+, Bancroft was a .310 career hitter in New York. Bancroft led MLB in defensive WAR (b-ref) 3 straight years as a Giant. Brancroft's Giants won back to back World Series in '21-'22 and another pennant in '23.
48. SAL MAGLIE RHP 1945, 50-55 38.7
Maglie only pitched in 13 big league games before the age of 33. When he was 33, he was 18-4 with a 2.71 ERA. The following year, in the Giants pennant winning '51 season, Maglie went 23-6 with a big league leading 2.71 ERA. He finished 4th in the MVP race. In 7 Giants seasons Maglie was 95-42 with 77 complete games, 20 shutouts and he tacked on 8 saves.
47. SERGIO ROMO RHP 2008-16 39.5
In Romo's 9 Giants seasons he had a 2.58 ERA. He made the 2013 All Star team, he had 38 saves that season. Romo was a member of all 3 San Francisco World Series Champions; pitching a total of 6 innings in those 3 World Series and not giving up a run. Romo saved 3 games in the '12 Series sweep of the Tigers.
46. BRANDON BELT 1B 2011-22 39.5
Belt had a 123 OPS+ in a dozen San Francisco seasons, he walked 104 times in his All Star 2016 season. Belt had a 1.015 OPS in the Covid shortened 2020 season. Homered in the 18th inning of game 2 of the 2014 NLDS, otherwise that game might still be going on.
45. ALVIN DARK SS 1950-56 40.2
3 Time All Star with the Giants and the manager of the '62 pennant winners. First manager of both the NL and AL All Stars. Played football, basketball, baseball at LSU (he was drafted by the Eagles). Dark was made the Giants captain in his first season with the club, coming over with Eddie Stanky in a deal with the Braves. Dark led MLB with 41 doubles in the pennant winning 1951. In '53-54 Dark had back to back 20+ home run seasons. In the two Giants World Series in which he appeared, '51 and '54, Dark hit .417 and .412.
44. HAL SCHUMACHER RHP 1931-42, 46 40.3
Gold Star Giant. In 1933, 22 year old Schumacher was 19-12 with a 2.16 ERA, third best in the NL. He made the All Star team in the first year that game was played. Won Game 2 of the '33 World Series, the Giants beat the Senators to take that one. The next year, Schumacher went 23-10, threw 297 innings and hit 6 homers. Schumacher threw a 10 inning complete game win in game 5 of the '36 World Series against the Yankees (the Giants did not win that Series, they also lost the WS to the Yankees the following season).
43. BRANDON CRAWFORD SS 2011-23 41.2
If Crawford's big league career is over following the 2023 season, he retired a Gold Star Giant. Named to 3 All Star teams, led MLB in triples in '16, finished 4th in the NL MVP race at the age of 34 in 2021 with 24 homers and a 141 OPS+. Crawford led all of MLB in defensive WAR (b-ref) in 2016 and finishes his Giants career (probably) with 14.3 dWAR and 4 Gold Gloves.
42. ROSS YOUNGS RF 1917-26 41.4
Gold Star Giant, career 130 OPS+. Died from a kidney disease in 1927 at the age of 30. Youngs doubled/tripled in the 7th inning of Game 3 of the '21 World Series against the Yankees, the first player to have two hits in the same World Series inning. The Giants won that series, Youngs had a .438 OBP. Youngs hit .322 in '22 and then hit .375 in the Giants World Series Sweep of the Yankees (the Giants won the pennant 4 straight seasons in the early 20s). Youngs hit .323 the next year and .356 in 1924.
41. ORLANDO CEPEDA 1B/LF 1958-66 41.5
Rookie of the Year as a 20 year old in '58, the first San Francisco season. Led the NL in homers and RBI in '61, 2nd in the MVP. 6 consecutive All Star teams as a Giant. Homered against the Dodgers in his first big league game. 35 homers/114 RBI in the pennant winning '62 season. Career Giants 140 OPS+.
40. JACK CLARK RF 1975-84 41.6
Broke in at the age of 19. 5th in the NL MVP in 1978 when he was 22; had 163 career Giants homers.
39. LOGAN WEBB RHP 2019- 42.6
The only current Giant on this list through 2023; Webb led MLB in innings pitched in 2023 and finished in the top 3 in the Cy Young race. Webb led the NL in K/BB in '23. In '21-23 Webb has 3 consecutive seasons with a 130+ ERA+. Webb's got 14 2/3 career playoff innings pitched, his ERA is 0.61. This rank is obviously fluid. Lot of Giants career likely left to advance or retreat.
38. TIM LINCECUM RHP 2007-15 43.7
Back to back Cy Youngs in '08-'09, led NL in Ks 3 straight years. 4 All Star teams and 3 World Championships. Came up in the '07 season when Russ Ortiz went on the disabled list. Game 1 - 2010 NLDS, Lincecum threw a 2 hit shutout to beat the Braves, striking out 14. Game 1 NLCS, Lincecum beats Roy Halladay and the Phils. Won 2 games in the 2010 World Series including the clincher in Game 5. Linecum had a 2.74 ERA in 2011. Lincecum primarily was used out of the pen in the 2012 postseason, he had a 0.69 ERA in 13 IP and San Francisco won its second ever World Series. In 2013, Lincecum threw a 148 pitch no hitter against San Diego. The following year - Lincecum no hit the Padres again.
37. JASON SCHMIDT RHP 2001-06 43.9
Came over from the Pirates in the middle of the '01 season for Armando Rios and Ryan Vogelsong. Won Game 2 of the 2002 NLCS and Game 1 of the 2002 World Series. Top 5 Cy Young finishes in '03 and '04 and an All Star game start. In '03 Schmidt was 17-5 with a league best 2.34 ERA and shutout the Marlins in Game 1 of the NLDS. Schmidt averaged 115 pitches per start in '03. In June '06 Schmidt struck out 16 Marlins tying the franchise record.
36. TIM KEEFE RHP 1885-89, 91 44.7
174 wins in 6 Giants seasons, 2.54 ERA, 252 complete games, officer in the initial players union. Possibly the model for the pitcher character in Casey at the Bat. 32-13 in his first Giants season, 42 wins in his second, 62 complete games, 535 IP. 35 wins in both '87 and '88; 335 Ks that season and a 19 game winning streak. Keefe won 4 games in the '88 title series to beat the Browns and then 28 more wins in 1889 and the Giants beat Brooklyn to go back to back.
35. IRON MAN JOE MCGINNITY RHP 1902-08 44.8
151-88 as a Giant, 2.38 ERA. 186 complete games. Jailed after a fight with the Pirates in '06. Didn't throw a big league pitch until he was 28 and not one for the Giants until he was 31. McGinnity/Mathewson each won 30+ games in '03-04, the only teammates ever to accomplish that feat. McGinnity led the NL with over 400 innings pitched in both seasons (McGinnity also led MLB with 5 saves in '04). The Giants won the pennant in '04 and then defeated the A's to win the World Series in '05.
34. JEFF KENT 2B 1997-2002 45
29 years of age when he was acquired from the Indians for Matt Williams prior to the '97 season, Kent had 29 homers, 121 RBI and a top 10 MVP finish in '97, the Giants making the postseason for the first time in 8 years. Kent hit 31 homers the next year with a 142 OPS+. Made his first All Star team in '99. In 2000 - Kent was the NL MVP, a 1.021 OPS, a 162 OPS+, Kent was the first second baseman to be named MVP in 16 years and the Giants again won the NL West. San Francisco won the pennant in 2002, Kent's final year as a Giant, he had a 147 OPS+ and finished 6th in the MVP race. Kent had 100+ RBI in each of his 6 Giants seasons.
33. JOHNNY ANTONELLI LHP 1954-60 46.5
Acquired from the Braves with Bobby Thomson headed the other way. Finished 3rd in the MVP race in his first Giants season, 21-7, MLB leading 2.30 ERA, 6 shutouts, which also led MLB. Won game 2 of the World Series, closed out game 4 as the Giants swept Cleveland. 10+ innings pitched in the '54 World Series with a 0.84 ERA. Two years later, another 20 win season with a sub 3 ERA. All Star appearances in '57-58-59.
32. GEORGE BURNS LF 1911-21 47.1
5'7 160 pounds. In his 11 years with the Giants, Burns led the league in runs scored 5 times, walks 4 times, steals twice. In 1914 Burns finished 4th in the MVP race. From 1915-17 Burns played in 459 straight games. The Giants won four pennants when Burns was on the club, he hit .333 during the '21 World Series, the Giants beat the Yanks that year.
31. DICK BARTELL SS 1935-38, 41-43, 46 47.3
Bartell came over from the Phils when he was 27, already a Dodger antagonist; the Giants won 3 pennants when he was on the club, losing the WS each time, in '36 the Giants lost to the Yankees, Bartell had a .381 batting average. Bartell has the highest defensive WAR (b-ref) in MLB in both '36 and '37.
30. ROBBY THOMPSON 2B 1986-96 47.4
Gold Star Giant. Thompson got the second base job in his rookie season at the age of 24 and kept it througb most of his 11 year career. 2nd in the Rookie of the Year (Todd Worrell won, Kevin Mitchell was 3rd, Will Clark 5th). Led the league in triples in the pennant winning '89 season. Thompson slugged .611 in the NLCS win over the Cubs, the Giants first pennant since '62. Thompson's best 3 years with the bat were '91-93, with OPS+ of 128, 116, 136; Thompson hit .312 in '93 and won the Gold Glove.
29. ROBB NEN RHP 1998-2002 47.5
Nen was the Giants closer for the final 5 seasons of his career, making 4 All Star teams, finishing 4th in the Cy Young in 2000 (he had a 1.50 ERA and 63 saves) leading the league in saves in 2001 (71) he retired with 206 Giants saves and a 2.43 Giants ERA. Nen's Giants playoff performance: 4 series, 10+ innings pitched - 1 earned run, 7 saves. In the 2002 World Series Nen had two saves and didn't give up an earned run.
28. MATT CAIN RHP 2005-17 47.9
Gold Star Giant. 20 years old when he broke in in 2005 (had a 2.33 ERA in 46 innings as a 20 year old) 5th in the Rookie of the Year in 2006, led the NL in complete games in 2009 and made his first All Star team. Top 8 Cy Young finishes in both '11 and '12. Threw the 22nd perfect game in MLB history in '12. Here's Cain's playoff record: 6 series, 4 wins, 2.10 ERA, 51 innings pitched. Cain was 1-0 in 14 World Series innings pitched with a 1.84 ERA. Cain was the winning pitcher in game 7 of the 2012 NLCS.
27. ART DEVLIN 3B 1904-11 48.6
Hit an inside the park grand slam in his rookie year.
26. JOHNNY MIZE 1B 1942, 46-49 48.6
Mize had already had back to back 2nd place MVP finishes and led the league in OPS+ twice as a Cardinal when he was acquired by the Giants before rhe '42 season as a 29 year old. He finished 5th in the MVP race and led the NL in slugging and RBI. Mize missed the next 3 seasons for WW2, returning to the Giants in '46 as a 33 year old. He made the All Star team in each season as a Giant. finishing 3rd in the MVP in '47, leading all MLB in runs, homers, RBI (he was the first player in history to hit over 50 homers while striking out less than 50 times). Mize led MLB in homers again in '48 and was sold to the Yankees near the end of the '49 season. In 5 Giants seasons, Mize had 157 homers and had a 155 OPS+ (he'd then win the next 5 World Series with the Yankees).
25. ART FLETCHER SS 1909-20 48.9
Fletcher led the league in getting hit by pitches 5 times in his 12 Giants seasons. Part of 4 Giants pennants (lost the WS each time). 25 career defensive WAR as a Giant, perhaps the greatest Giant glove of all time, led MLB in defensive WAR (b-ref) '18-'20. Dealt to the Phillies for Dave Bancroft.
24. GAYLORD PERRY RHP 1962-71 49.3
Came up during the Giants pennant winning '62 campaign. Winning pitcher in the '66 All Star Game, Sub 3.00 ERA each year '66-69. No hit the Cardinals in '68 (the Giants got no hit the next day). 2nd in the Cy Young in 1970, to Bob Gibson league leading 23 wins (Jim Perry won 24 for the Twins). MLB leading 5 shutouts. Dealt to Cleveland for Sudden Sam McDowell. 2.96 ERA in 10 Giants seasons.
23. MATT WILLIAMS 3B 1987-96 49.7
247 career Giants homers. Hit .300 with 2 homers in the '89 NLCS at 23. 6th in the NL MVP the following year, 122 RBI which led the league. Won the first of 3 Giants Gold Gloves the next year. 6th in the MVP in '93, 2nd in '92 when he hit 43 homers in a strike shortened 112 games. 1.046 OPS in 1995, dealt after the '96 season for Jeff Kent.
22. ROGER BRESNAHAN C/CF 1902-08 50
We cross the 50 impact number with Bresnahan. Best known catcher of the era. Giants career .403 OBP. Hit .313 in the '05 World Series, the Giants beating the A's. First catcher to wear shin guards, helped modernize the catchers mask. Dealt to St Louis to be named player/manager.
21. LARRY DOYLE 2B 1907-16, 18-20 50
Captain for 5 years. Led MLB in triples in '11 with 25, finished third in the MVP and won it the next season. Led the NL with a .320 batting average and led all the bigs in doubles in 1915. Hit .304 in the 1911 World Series, part of the Giants back-to back- to back pennant winners (did not win the World Series). Dealt to the Cubs for Heinie Zimmerman, worked for the Giants for nearly 20 years post retirement.
20. BOBBY BONDS RF 1968-75 52.2
Broke in at 22, hit a grand slam in his first game, first time that happened in the 20th century. In '69 he hit 32 homers, scored 120 runs, stole 45 bases and caught only 4 times. The following year Bonds hit .302, it would be the only season in his career he'd top .300. Bonds was 4th in the MVP in '71, slugging .512, leading the Gaints to their only playoff appearance between '62 and '87. Two years later Bonds was 3rd in the MVP leading all MLB in runs scored and total bases. He was MVP of the All Star Game. Bonds hit 39 homers and slugged .530. The next season, Bonds won his third Gold Glove. In the offseason, he was dealt to the Yankees for Bobby Murcer.
19. MIKE TIERNAN RF 1887-1899 52.9
Gold Star Giant. Came up at age 20, the Giants won back to back titles in '88-89, Tiernan hit .342 in the '88 postseason, led the NL in runs in '89 and hit .335. In 89 career playoff plate apperances Tiernan had a .416 OBP. Tiernan led the league in homers and OPS in both '90 and '91. Tiernan's career Giants batting average was .313.
18. TRAVIS JACKSON SS 1922-36 54.2
Gold Star Giant. 4 top 10 MVP finishes. 4 pennants and a World Championship in '33. Broke in at 18. Hit over .300 in 1924 as the 20 year old starting shortstop replacing Dave Bancroft. Career 22.9 defensive WAR (b-ref) leading MLB in '28,'29,'31. Career .291 batting average. Starting NL shortstop for the second All Star game in '34.
17. MICKEY WELCH RHP 1883-92 54.6
5'8 160 pounds. Welch won 238 games with the Giants with a 2.69 ERA and back to back titles in '88-89. In 1885 Welch was 44-11 with a 1.66 ERA.
16. WILL CLARK 1B 1986-93 55.3
Fifth in Rookie of the Year as a 22 year old, had a 152 OPS+ the following season, the Giants won the NL West for the first time in 16 years and Clark was 5th in the MVP. Clark hit .360 in the NLCS loss to the Cards. Clark finished 5th in the MVP again in '88 with a 160 OPS+ and he led the NL in RBI with 109, the most for any Giant since 1970. The Giants won their first pennant in over a quarter century in '89, Clark was 2nd in the MVP to his teammate Kevin Mitchell and led the league in runs scored. Clark was the MVP of the 1989 NLCS, he hit .650 with a 1.882 OPS and homering twice off Greg Maddux in game 1. Clark's career Giants OPS+ was 145.
15. FRANKIE FRISCH 2B 1919-26 55.7
23 years old in his third season, 1921 when he hit .341 with 49 steals. The Giants won the World Series that year (he hit .300 in the Series) and the following season (he hit .471 in the Series) following that up with 2 more pennants (Frisch hit .400 in the '23 Series, .333 in the '24 Series). Frisch was 3rd in the NL MVP in '24, 9th in '25. Frisch was dealt to St Louis after the '26 season for Rogers Hornsby. Frisch's career Giants batting average was .321.
14. BUCK EWING C 1883-89, 91-92 66.4
Connie Mack called him the greatest catcher of all time. Helped pioneer use of the padded glove. Believed to have originated the pregame meeting between pitcher and catcher. Broke the NL home run record in 1883 with 10 and led the league in triples the next year. The Giants won titles in '88-89, Ewing hit .346 in the '88 championship series. Ewing had a career 146 OPS+ with the Giants (and a 3.16 ERA in 37 innings pitched). Ewing was dealt to Cleveland for George Davis and would briefly return as manager at the turn of the century.
13. GEORGE DAVIS 3B/SS 1893-1901, '03 67.6
Acquired at 22 from the Indians for Buck Ewing. Davis hit .355 in his first Giants campaign, slugged .554 and set the big league record with a 33 game hitting streak. Slugged over .500 in 4 of his first 5 Giants seasons Davis hit .353 in '97, with a big league leading 135 RBI and 65 steals. Davis hit over .300 in his first 9 Giants seasons. Davis had multiple stints as player/manager, once replacing Ewing, the man for whom he was traded. Davis has a career Giants batting average of .332.
12. AMOS RUSIE RHP 1890-95, 97-8 68
Led the league in Ks and K/9 5 of 6 seasons, in hits/9 4 of 5 seasons, in ERA 2 of 3 years. Rusie won 234 games in his 8 Giants seasons. Rusie had 50+ complete games in 4 straight seasons and won 30+ in 4 straight years. Rusie's strikeout exploits made him renown in New York City in the 1890s. Blew out his shoulder in '98, he missed the next two seasons and prior to the 1901 year was dealt to the Reds for a young Christy Mathewson.
11. MADISON BUMGARNER LHP 2009-19 70.9
Bumgarner had more playoff value for the Giants than any player in its history.
The regular season value is good - he came up at 19, had 4 top 9 Cy Young finishes, 4 All Star appearances, over 4 Giants career WAR with just the bat. But he's ranked this high for the postseason, a 2.11 ERA in over 102 innings pitched. In 2010, Bumgarner was 2-0 in the postseason, he won the series clincher against the Braves in the NLDS. and shut the Rangers out on the road in game 4 of the World Series, 8 innings pitched, giving up just 3 hits. In 2012, Bumgarner pitched another shutout in the World Series, defeating the Tigers in game 2, 7 innings pitched, just 2 hits allowed. In 2014, Bumgarner won the Wild Card game with a complete game 4 hit shutout of the Pirates. Bumgarner was MVP of the NLCS, he shut out the Cardinals in game 1, going 7 2/3 and giving up 4 hits. He came back in the clinching game 5, going 8 and getting a no decision. Bumgarner followed up with a World Series MVP. He won game 1 over the Royals, going 7, giving up 3 hits and a run. In game 5, with the series tied at 2, he shut the Royals out. Complete game, 4 hitter. And then in game 7, came out of the pen in the 5th to protect a 3-2 lead, allowing only 2 baserunners in 5 innings to get the save and clinch the Giants third title in 5 years.
Bumgarner in the World Series: 36 innings, 4-0 with that save and a....0.25 ERA.
This is gonna be a tough top ten to crack.
10. BILL TERRY 1B 1923-36 73.9
Gold Star Giant. .341 lifetime hitter. A half dozen top 7 MVP finishes. 3 pennants and a World Championship. .295 hitter in the World Series. Hit .401 in 1930. The last time .400 was reached in the NL. Replaced John McGraw as manager, won the '33 World Series as player/manager.
9. WILLIE MCCOVEY 1B 1959-73, 77-80 74
19 Giants seasons. 469 home runs. A 150 OPS+
Came up at 21, in the middle of the 1959 season, had a 188 OPS+ and was named Rookie of the Year. In his big league debut, McCovey went 4-4 with two triples. Had a 22 game hitting streak. Slugged .590 in the pennant winning 1962 season. Led the league in homers in '63 with 44, Hit 39 homers in '65, 36 in '66 with a 164 OPS+. Here was the top of the NL batting order in the '66 All Star Game 1. Mays 2. Clemente 3. Aaron 4. McCovey. 31 more homers in '67, a third place MVP finish in 1968, he led the league in homers, RBI and slugging, led all MLB in OPS, OPS+. McCovey was 31 in 1969 when he won the MVP, leading all MLB in OBP, slugging, OPS, OPS+ and again leading the NL in homers and RBI. McCovey set the record for most intentional walks in a season and was the MVP of the All Star Game, hitting 2 homers. McCovey was again the best hitter in baseball the following year, leading MLB in slugging, OPS, OPS+. The Giants won the NL West, McCovey hit .429 with a 1.413 OPS in the Giants NLCS loss to the Pirates. In 1978, after years of injuries and stints in San Diego and Oakland, a 39 year old McCovey was NL Comeback Player of the Year, hitting .280 with 28 homers.
8. JUAN MARICHAL RHP 1960-73 76
238-140, 2.84 ERA, 244 complete games, 52 shutouts in 14 Giants seasons. 3 times led NL in K/9, 4 times in walks/9, twice in wins, twice led all MLB in ERA+ 12 postseason innings pitched and a 1.50 ERA. On June 2, 1963, won the greatest game ever pitched, a 1-0 16 inning complete game over Waren Spahn.
7. BUSTER POSEY C 2009-19, 21 80.9
Gold Star Giant. Became part of ownership group post-career. Cup of coffee as a 22 year old in 2009, Rookie of the Year in 2010 (the 6th Giant to win it) coming up in mid season to become the starting catcher. Hit .375 in the NLDS win over the Braves, had 4 hits in game 4 of the NLCS, the first rookie to have a 4 hit LCS game. In Game 4 of the World Series, Posey/Bumgarner became the first all rookie World Series battery since Berra/Ford in '47. Hit .300 with a homer in the World Series win over Texas, the first Giants World Series since the move west. NL MVP in 2012, leading all MLB in batting average and OPS+. First catcher to lead the NL in hitting since World War 2. Hit .433 against lefties. Posey hit a grand slam in the decisive game 5 of the NLDS against the Reds. Homered off Max Scherzer in Game 4 of the World Series as the Giants swept the Tigers. NL Comeback Player of the Year. Finished 6th in the MVP in 2014, hit .389 in the NLDS series win over the Nationals. The Giants won their 3rd title in five years, defeating the Royals in 7 games. Hit .318 in 2015, won the Gold Glove in 2016, hit .320 in 2017 and made his 6th All Star team in 2018. After missing the 2020 season due to the Covid pandemic, Posey returned for a final season in 2021 and had a 140 OPS+. Hit .304, the highest batting average ever for a catcher in his last season.
6. ROGER CONNOR 1B 1883-89, '91, '93-94 87.3
161 career Giants OPS+. .402 OBP. 2nd in batting average in his first Giants season, .357 and led baseball in hitting in 1885, .371 with a .435 OBP. Had a 200 OPS+. Struck out 8 times in 506 plate appearances. Hit .355 in '86 and led the league in triples. Stole 43 bases in 1887. The Giants won back to back titles in '88-89, Connor's postseason slash: .328/.400/.517. Connor slugged .528 in 1889.
5. CARL HUBBELL LHP 1928-43 88
Gold Star Giant Screwball. 2 time MVP. 9 Time All Star. 234-154 2.98 Led the league in wins 3 times, ERA and ERA+ 3 times, WHIP 6 times, K/BB 5 times. No hit the Pirates in '29. Struck out 5 consecutive future Hall of Famers in the '34 All Star Game (Ruth went down on 3 pitches, then Gehrig on 4). Was a killer in the postseason. In 3 World Series had a 1.79 ERA in 50 innings. The Giants won one of those series, 1933, Hubbell won Game 1, complete game 5 hitter, none earned, three days later he won game 4, pitching all 11 innings and not giving up an earned run. On July 2 in '33, Hubbell went 18 scoreless against the Cards, giving up 6 hits, no walks, 12 strikeouts.
Occasionally there will be an online "who is your Giants Mt.Rushmore" prompt. There's not a debate about this. There is a right answer.
4. CHRISTY MATHEWSON RHP 1900-16 120.2
Pitched all but the very last game of his career as a Giant (he won that game). 372-188, 2.12 is his Giants record. Led league in wins 4 times, in ERA five times, in shutouts 4 times, in 1908 he led the league in both wins and saves, led the league in strikeouts 5 times, in ERA+ 6 times, in FIP 8 times, in walks/9 7 times, in K/9 nine times. The Giants won 4 pennants during Mathewson's time, 1 World Series. Here was Christy Mathewson's World Series ERA in more than 101 innings pitched:
0.97
Mathewson > Marichal + Lincecum. He was the greatest sports hero of his time.
Played baseball, basketball, football at Bucknell. He was also class president.
Broke in with the Giants at 19 (the Reds were able to snatch him away in the offseason, then dealt him back to the Giants for Amos Rusie). No hit the Cardinals as a 20 year old in 1901. Struck out 267 in 1903, that was the NL record for more than 60 years. Had a 1.28 ERA in 1905 and then went 3-0 in the World Series, 3 complete game shutouts as the Giants beat the A's. Mathewson nearly died from diptheria in 1906 (he only won 22 games with a 2.97 ERA that season). In 1908, Mathewson was 37-11 with a 1.43 ERA and led the league in 14 categories. The next year - Mathewson was 25-6 with a 1.14 ERA. He was dealt to the Reds to become the manager in 1916; in 1918 the Army sent him to France where he was exposed to mustard gas and he was dead in 1925.
3. MEL OTT RF 1926-47 132.2
The Greatest Gold Star Giant. More than double Buster Posey's plate appearances. 22 seasons. 12 All Star teams, three pennants, a World Championship. Slugged .525 in 16 World Series games. Here was Ott's 1933 World Series, the Giants defeating the Senators: .389/.500/.722. Mel Ott hit 511 home runs leading the league a half dozen times. Led the league in OBP four times. In OPS+ five times. Broke in at 17 - when Mel Ott was 17 years old he had 60 at bats..and hit .383.
A 17 year old Mel Ott hit .383. In the big leagues. In New York City in the Roaring 20s.
In '29 as a 20 year old Ott 42 homers and had 151 RBI, he also threw out 26 runners as a right fielder. In '30 he led the league in OBP, in '31 in walks, in '32 in homers and with a 174 OPS+. The Giants won the World Series in 1933, Ott had a 1.222 OPS for the series. Ott led the league in homers and OPS+ in '34, the Giants won the pennant in '36 and '37, Ott leading the league in OPS+ in '36 and '38. In '42, Ott, now in his 17th big league season, became player/manager and led the league in homers and OPS+. In '44, a 35 year old Ott was 2nd in homers and slugging and the following year, Ott had a 151 OPS+ Mel Ott is one of the greatest players of all time and spent his entire career as a Giant.
2. BARRY BONDS LF 1993-2007 152
This list was nearly the New York/San Francisco/Tampa Bay Giants. At the end of the '92 season the Giants were gone, tentatively sold to a Tampa ownership group which was to make Tommy LaSorda the manager. However, the sale was blocked (in no small part by former Giant, NL President Bill White) a replacement ownership group headed by Peter Magowan was found and the best player in baseball, a 28 year old two time MVP whose father was a Giant great and whose godfather was the greatest Giant who ever lived, was signed.
And for the next 15 years, Barry Lamar Bonds destroyed baseballs. As a Giant:
586 home runs. 1440 RBI. 263 stolen bases. .312/.477/.666 a 199 OPS+.
5 MVPs. 5 Gold Gloves. A dozen All Star selections. 6 times Barry Bonds had the highest OBP in all MLB, including his final season at the age of 42. 5 times led MLB in slugging. 6 times in OPS+ and 6 times in OPS. 9 times the MLB leader in intentional walks.
The Giants won the pennant in 2002. In the World Series: .471/.700/1.294 and 4 homers. Bonds was walked 13 times, a record.
The Giants won 103 in Bonds's first season, he had a 206 OPS+ and won the MVP.
4th in the MVP in '94. Led the NL in OPS in '95. Hit 40 homers and had 40 steals in '96, finishing 5th in the MVP. 5th again in '97. In 1998, Bonds was intentionally walked with the bases loaded, the first time that happened in over a half century. Bonds hit 49 homers in 2000, had a 188 OPS+ and finished 2nd in the MVP (to Kent) In 2001, Bonds set the single season home run record with 73, he had a 259 OPS+ and won the MVP. 46 homers in 2002, a 268 OPS+ which broke the single season record (Babe Ruth) he hit .370, another MVP and the Giants won their first pennant since '89. Bonds broke the single season intentional walks record (McCovey). 45 homers in 2003, a 231 OPS+ and an MVP. 45 homers in 2004, a 263 OPS+, perhaps his most startling individual record - 120 intentional walks which nearly doubled the all time record, and another MVP.
In 2006, at the age of 41, Bonds led MLB with a .454 OBP. And in his final season, 2007, a 42 year old Bonds led all of MLB with a .480 OBP. On August 4th, he tied Hank Aaron's home run record and on August 7th, he hit 756 off of Mike Bacsik of the Nationals. Barry Bonds retired with 762 home runs. The greatest player in National League history.
1. WILLIE MAYS CF 1951-72 170.1
The Greatest Giant of all time is Willie Mays. I am 53 years old at the time of this writing; Willie Mays will remain the greatest Giant for the remainder of my life.
The Giants were in 5th place in late May 1951 when Mays was called up (he was hitting .477 in the minors). Mays hit 20 home runs, won Rookie of the Year and the Giants won the pennant. He then missed nearly 2 full seasons with military service. In 1953, without Mays, the Giants finished 35 games out of first place.
In 1954, with Mays, the Giants won the World Series, they wouldn't win another for over 55 years.
Mays was the MVP in '54, hitting .345, slugging .667 with a 175 OPS+. Mays hit 51 homers in '55, slugged .659, had an MLB best 1.059 OPS and finished 4th in the MVP. In '56, Mays had 40 steals which led all of baseball. The Giants final season in New York was '57, he led MLB in triples and steals, he led the NL in OPS+ and won the Gold Glove, he was 4th in the MVP.
In the first San Francisco season, 1958, Mays again led MLB in steals, again led the NL in OPS+ and was 2nd in the MVP. Mays led MLB for the 4th straight year in steals in '59, had a 156 OPS+ and a 6th place MVP finish. 3rd in the MVP in '60. 6th in '61 and he hit 4 homers in one game against Milwaukee. The Giants won the pennant again in '62, Mays led MLB with 49 homers and had a 165 OPS+ (between '54 and '66, Mays lowest OPS+ was 146). Mays had 141 RBI in '62 and was 2nd in the MVP. 38 more homers and 5th in the MVP in '63 (and was MVP of the All Star Game, he'd do that again in '68) in '64 Mays was just 6th in the NL MVP despite leading the league in homers, on base and slugging. Mays became the Giants captain in '64 and then in 1965 Mays had another monster season, at the age of 34 -- 52 homers, led all MLB in OBP, SLG, OPS+, a Gold Glove and his second MVP. Mays became the 5th player in history to hit 500 homers.
3rd in the MVP in '66 - whenever a baseball player holds on a little too long, the image of an aging Willie Mays is often held up as cautionary tale. Mays last full Giants season was 1971, he was 40. he led the NL in OBP at .425 and had a 158 OPS+ (Mays had a .400 OBP as a Met the following season).
646 homers. .304/.385/.564. 157 OPS+. 3187 hits. 2011 runs scored. 336 stolen bases. Played in 24 All Star games (two per season for awhile) and had a .307 batting average.
All Time 26 Man Roster
C Posey
C/3B Ewing
1B Connor (SH)
1B/LF McCovey (LH)
1B Terry (LH)
2B/3B Frisch (SH)
2B Doyle (LH)
SS/3B Jackson
SS/3B Davis (SH)
3B Williams
LF Bonds (LH)
CF Mays
RF Ott (LH)
OF Tiernan (LH)
SP Mathewson
SP Hubbell (L)
SP Marichal
SP Bumgarner (L)
SP Rusie
CL Nen
RP Welch
RP Perry
RP Cain
RP Antonelli (L)
RP Keefe
RP McGinnity
