SAN FRANCISCO — Felipe Alou, the previous Giants supervisor, had a saying: When the person is healthier than the participant, you’ve actually acquired one thing.
“As nice a participant, he’s a good higher man,” stated former GM Brian Sabean, relaying Alou’s knowledge in a latest interview with the Bay Space Information Group. Earlier than studying additional, you already know who he's speaking about.
You already know as a result of Saturday was the day the Giants celebrated that man, Buster Posey, in an hourlong pregame ceremony. However you'll additionally know from numerous conversations with former teammates, coaches and opponents.
In any case, few different gamers might have generated the lovefest that befell Saturday at Oracle Park.
Buster Posey, the participant, received a rookie of the 12 months. An MVP. He paraded down Market Road 3 times. He might be at some point be immortalized in bronze.
Buster Posey, the person, endeared himself to thousands and thousands of Giants followers. He wore a stoic face, till it was time for a Buster hug. He stepped away in 2020 to lift new child twins throughout a pandemic, then made it a full-time determination after final season. He'll reside on perpetually within the reminiscences of those that crossed paths with him.
For Sabean, the architect of the Giants’ trio of World Sequence championships who drafted Posey, much more than most.
“It’s a feather within the group’s cap that he retired as a Large,” stated Sabean, who together with Tim Lincecum have been most likely the 2 most notable absences from the festivities honoring Posey’s profession on Saturday.
Returning to the shores of McCovey Cove, Posey gave followers the possibility at a farewell that hadn’t, till now, been out there after the announcement following final season that despatched shockwaves by way of the Bay Space. For all these causes — the three World Sequence championships, the clutch hits, the no-hitter celebrations but in addition the human behind them — Saturday was an emotional day for all concerned.
“I did fairly good,” Posey stated afterward. “I didn’t cry.”
Sandwiching a speech between two standing ovations, with a dozen relations to his proper and a who’s who of former teammates to his left, Posey recounted his expertise from the Giants’ three World Sequence runs, thanking the followers for his or her assist.
“It was essential for me to have the ability to say thanks to the fanbase,” Posey stated. “Simply grateful and humbled to have a day like this. I’ve cherished the sport my complete life, so simply actually grateful to have been honored on this means with teammates and coaches and followers and household and buddies. It was very particular.”
The ultimate two pitches Posey will catch in Oracle Park got here from his two eldest kids, Lee and Addison, whom he now coaches on youth softball and baseball groups. Each kids threw ceremonial first pitches, adopted by former nearer Brian Wilson ending the festivities with one, last Buster Hug.
“He’s pretty much as good of an individual as you would ever be round in a clubhouse and in life,” stated Giants pitcher Alex Wooden, the previous Dodger who confronted Posey 27 occasions as an opponent, then joined forces for his last season. “To see him day in and time out do what he did final 12 months, simply as a baseball fan, was friggin’ superior. … I really feel actually lucky to have gotten to spend final 12 months with him.”
“Simply nice values to his core,” stated outfielder Austin Slater, who's now the longest-tenured Large apart from Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt. “Like a superb pal, somebody that you would have actually critical conversations about life with (or ) dive deep into baseball.”
Amongst these readily available have been the Molina brothers, Yadier on the town with the Cardinals and older brother Bengie as Posey’s former teammate and the catcher he supplanted behind the plate. Bengie delivered probably the most memorable speech of the day, getting Posey to signal his jersey and supply a Buster Hug.
“What can I say about Buster? He acquired me a hoop!” Bengie stated to a spherical of applause and laughter.
Yadi, one of many few gamers who can credibly declare to be a peer of Posey’s, acknowledged him as he walked to the Cardinals bullpen throughout the ceremony and watched on from the outfield grass. Many of the remaining Cardinals gathered on the highest step of the first-base dugout.
That Posey’s ceremony occurred in entrance of the crew he helped defeat for Nationwide League pennants in 2012 and 2014, “makes it particular for me,” he stated.
The gang responded with oohs and ahhs.
“I promise I wasn’t taking a shot,” Posey clarified.
The youthful Molina brother was in his seventh season when Posey received rookie of the 12 months in 2010. He’ll be a part of Posey in retirement after this season. In between, they twice waged battles within the NLCS and 6 occasions shared an All-Star area collectively, together with as lately as final season, when Posey was 34 and Molina 4 years his senior.
“I loved each second, each battle,” Molina stated. “We’ve acquired mutual respect. Once you see a participant like that, you’re simply making an attempt to study. That’s what I did with him and that’s what he did with me.”
In a way, the Giants have been celebrating the tip of an period on Saturday.
The clear bookends to the Posey period are his Rookie of the Yr-winning 2010 on his solution to the primary of three World Sequence titles and his retirement on the finish of their magical 107-win marketing campaign final season.
Nevertheless, Posey ensured he would have an imprint on the following technology of Giants baseball. Supervisor Gabe Kapler’s first interplay with him got here as a part of a one-hour interview throughout his hiring course of. Posey was the one participant concerned.
“I feel it’s as essential as any dialog I’ve had as a Large,” Kapler stated.
Crawford, who arrived in 2011, was witness to nearly all of Posey’s profession. Crawford’s breakout final season was as a lot a shock as Posey’s. Posey determined to journey off into the sundown, whereas Crawford inked a brand new two-year deal. However Posey’s ceremony Saturday had Crawford occupied with his future.
“One thing like this makes me take into consideration what might occur in a pair years,” stated Crawford, 35. “He deserves a day like this, with how essential he’s been to the franchise for therefore lengthy and not likely telling anyone beforehand and retiring throughout the offseason, he by no means actually acquired to get acknowledged by the followers and by his friends.”
In a pleasant little bit of symmetry, Posey’s day got here 24 hours after the Giants celebrated Willie Mays’ 91st birthday.
Mays and Posey have been generation-defining elements of franchise historical past, however additionally they each embodied the traits off the sector that elevated them from legend to statesman.
Mays. McCovey. Marichal. Cepeda. Bonds. Posey.
“We're type of star-centric. Inside that, he’s amongst these names of stars,” Sabean stated. “Good issues occur to good folks, however Buster’s a unique breed … It’s justified he’s within the Corridor of Fame.”
Employees author Kerry Crowley contributed to this story.
Buster Posey Day in pictures
