San Francisco Giants: The Best Giants to Wear Number 2

Keeping up with the Holiday’s we are going to do a San Francisco Giants themed “Twelve Days of Christmas.” This series will include everything from wishes, to reflections, historical remembrances. Enjoy!

Keeping up with our trend of the “Twelve Days of Christmas”, on day two, I wanted to revisit the best guys who have worn the number two for the  San Francisco Giants. Of course, most recent memory is Denard Span. Will he make the list? We’ll see!

We’ll be going with overall numbers while wearing the number two for the Giants ONLY. No other teams/numbers worn will be taken into account in this ranking. WAR will be the determining factor.

LET’S GET STARTED!

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4. Dick Dietz, 11.6 WAR, 1966-1971, C/1B

Dietz was a catcher and first baseman for the San Francisco Giants in the late sixties into the early seventies. He wore number two in his entire time with the Giants. His best season was his second to last, where he earned his one, and only all-star appearance. Dietz had a slash-line of .300/.426/.515/.941 in his 1970 season, with 22hrs and 109 RBI.

3. Randy Winn, 13.4 WAR, 2005-2009, OF

Winn was definitely one of my favorite Giants when I first started watching baseball religiously (yes, I’m that young). Winn’s work ethic on those relatively terrible Giants squads between 2003 and 2010 was awesome. He actually hit a lead off home-run in my first Giants game ever attended in person. Winn will always be one of my favorite Giants for that reason. That’s not the whole reason why he’s on the list. He enjoyed one of his best seasons in his whole career in 2008. With 25 SBs that year, on top of a .300+ avg out of the leadoff position, Randy Winn gave his final big effort in his career. Sadly, the Giants were atrocious that year, and wasted a good season from Winn.

2. Brett Butler, 13.6 WAR, 1988-1990, 0F

While he went to the Dodgers, immediately after posting his great leadoff seasons with the Giants, Butler can be forgived. He had the shortest time as a Giant of any on this list, and yet had the second highest WAR. He stole a total of 125 bases in his three years with the Giants, while getting on base at a .381 clip. Butler was an integral part of the Giants’ World Series run in 1989. As far as overall careers go, it would be a valid argument to say Brett Butler is the best player to EVER wear number two for the Giants. However, Brett Butler became a dodger, so no. We aren’t going that route. This article was to rank the best guys to wear number two, strictly taking into account their time in that number with the Giants. While Butler, Dietz, and Winn were good, none were better than the number one.

1. Dick Bartell, 19.1 WAR,  1935-1938, 2B/SS/3B

Bartell was absolutely fantastic in his time with the Giants. For comparison, Butler would’ve had to have an All-Star level season, with the Giants in 1991, to surpass Dick Bartell’s WAR over four years. Bartell spent a significant part of his career with the Giants. In eight total season with the New York Giants, he amassed a 27.1 WAR. Bartell actually served two years in the military at the end of his career. Bartell was a significant part of the New York Giants success in the 30s and 40s. A true giant.

Next: An Organization to Take Pride In

Stay tuned as we continue our “12 Days of Christmas” editorials!