When Buster Posey exhibits up for a ballgame, there isn't a clubhouse, no coaching room and no pungent scent of garlic fries.
The seven-time All-Star and three-time World Collection champion continues to be lugging catcher’s gear round, however today, he’s utilizing a wheelbarrow to shuttle tools to the dugout as a substitute of tossing it in an outsized duffle bag that drapes over his shoulder.
“It’s actually full circle for me to see why I fell in love with the sport to start with,” Posey, an assistant youth coach, informed KNBR Thursday. “It’s so pure at that age.”
Posey, who retired in November following a storied Giants profession, is spending his closing months within the Bay Space teaching his 10-year-old twins. Lee performs baseball, Addi performs softball and these days, there’s a “Buster Hug” after each sport.
Posey, his spouse, Kristen, and their 4 kids together with adopted twins, Ada and Livvi, will quickly transfer again dwelling to Georgia, the place the Giants first scouted Posey as a pitcher and shortstop at Lee County Excessive. Earlier than the Posey household departs, the Giants are holding “Buster Posey Day” on Saturday at Oracle Park, the place followers can have the possibility to say farewell and honor a participant who made an indelible impression on the franchise.
“In some ways, Buster is the Willie Mays of this era,” Giants CEO Larry Baer stated this week.
In 2010, as a rookie catcher and cleanup hitter, Posey led the Giants to their first title for the reason that staff moved west from New York in 1958. Two years after he pounded on the rostrum following a Market Avenue parade and begged his teammates to convey dwelling one other, Posey gained the MVP and the Giants did it once more. In October, 2014, the bullpen gate in Kansas Metropolis swung open, Madison Bumgarner walked by means of it and 5 innings later, the Giants have been champions for a 3rd time in 5 seasons.
The franchise of Mays, McCovey and Bonds got here oh-so-close earlier than Posey, however nonetheless couldn’t have imagined the unprecedented heights it could soar to after deciding on him with the No. 5 general decide within the 2008 MLB Draft.
“To know the persona he's, the kind of work ethic he had and for him to have the kind of yr he did, we have been involved he might not be there (at No. 5),” former newbie scouting director John Barr stated. “However when Peter Magowan requested me, and Invoice Neukom requested me if I believed he was going to be there, I stated he’s going to be there as a result of it’s meant to be.”
On Saturday, at 3:15 p.m., the Giants will maintain a pregame ceremony honoring Posey.
“Buster is just not searching for kudos,” Baer stated. “However the followers wished to have the ability to say goodbye, and clearly the loss within the playoffs to the Dodgers (final October) was their final on-field reminiscence of him.”
Sure, after profitable a Silver Slugger, main the Giants to a franchise-record 107 wins and handing over his finest season for the reason that staff gained its final title, Posey started informing high-ranking members of the group in late October of his plans to spend extra time together with his household.
“I see ‘Buster Posey’ flash on the telephone,” Baer recalled. “So I used to be really considering this was going to have one thing to do with him, given the yr he had final yr, perhaps increasing past the choice yr. Then when Buster bought into it and began talking in a heartfelt manner, it was pure Buster.”
Posey turned down a $22 million staff possibility for 2022 and the possibility so as to add to his Corridor of Fame candidacy and can as a substitute proceed with the group in a brand new, still-to-be-determined function. Posey intends to remain intently linked to the Giants, which Baer referred to as a “dream” for a franchise that desires to proceed the affiliation “for many years to come back.”
The Giants are preserving the main points of Saturday’s ceremony a secret from Posey, but it surely’s solely the primary of many celebrations that may honor a participant who modified the trajectory of the franchise. Sooner or later, there shall be World Collection reunions and virtually assuredly a jersey retirement day and a statue unveiling.
However for now, the Giants wished to present Posey and followers the possibility to work together with each other whereas the reminiscences of his taking part in days are nonetheless recent.
When Saturday’s ceremony begins, Posey’s mother and father, kids, siblings, nieces and nephews will all be in attendance. So will a few of his most revered rivals, because the festivities happen earlier than a matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals, who convey future Corridor of Fame catcher Yadier Molina and longtime NL West foes Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado to city.
For Posey, virtually all the time essentially the most stoic determine on the sector, preserving his feelings in examine would possibly lastly show to be a problem. In any case, he’s taking his cues from a distinct sort of participant today.
“With 10 years olds, feelings are working excessive,” Posey informed KNBR. “And typically you by no means know, perhaps they didn’t get the correct snack earlier than apply.”