San Francisco Giants:All-Time Roster After Moving West-The Lineup
The Bench: Orlando Cepeda, Will Clark, Robby Thompson, Kevin Mitchell, Tom Haller, Jack Clark
Cepeda is the only member of the Hall of Fame that is not in the starting lineup. His natural position of first base was filled by one of the greats of the game (McCovey), and was the reason why he was eventually traded to the St. Louis Cardinals (and went on to have a great career there as well.) He won the Rookie of the Year award and made six All-Star games with the team. His .308 average and 226 home runs made the Baby Bull a fan-favorite and he continues to be a part of the Giants organization today.
Will Clark played eight years with the Giants. He hit .299, drove in 709 runs and hit 176 round-trippers. Along with his five All-Star appearances, and Gold Glove award as a great defensive first baseman, Clark transcended his statistics with his passionate style of play. Coming off of several losing seasons, his clutch hitting helped bring success back to the franchise when they needed it most. Some would argue that without “The Thrill” the support from fans would have been so low that the team would have been allowed to move to Florida. In some ways, Will Clark is one of the most important players in the history of the franchise. And despite a self-imposed rule to only retire players’ numbers that are in the Hall of Fame, his number should be an exception. The name Clark above the number 22 will always be burned into the memory bank for Giants fans.
Thompson was a 2-time All-Star with the Giants in his eleven years with the club. His glove at second base was fantastic, and winning a Gold Glove during the same era as Ryne Sandberg was no small feat. He drove in 458 runs and played his entire Major League career with the Giants.
Mitchell caught lightening in a bottle when he partnered up with Clark in 1987. He was a 2-time All-Star who hit .278 and hit 143 home runs, while driving in 411. The “Pacific Sock Exchange” as his duo with Clark would be known as, was feared by many opposing pitchers and his MVP season of 1989 helped propel the team to their first National League championship in 27 years. Played both third base and left field for the giants.
Haller was a San Francisco Giant for seven seasons and made the All-Star team twice. His ability to handle the pitching staffs that featured Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, Mike McCormick, and Jack Sanford helped propel the team to the 1962 World Series. He hit 107 home runs and drove in 320 runs in his tenure with the team.
Jack Clark played in two All-Star games in his ten seasons with the Giants, slugging 163 home runs and hitting .277. His 595 RBI’s and ability to turn singles into doubles (197) was what set him apart during that era. Playing in a time when he didn’t have a lot of help, he still was able to put up good numbers and played a good right field.