San Francisco Giants Madness: 13-16 Seeds Announced
14 Seeds:
Bill Mueller played his first five seasons with the Giants as well as 8 games in 2002. In just 605 games as a Giant, Mueller left his mark as one of the best defensive third baseman in team history. He never hit for power, but the .288 hitter was as reliable a number two hitter as any in recent history. His discipline at the plate was something to behold as well. Mueller never swung at a 3-0 pitch in his career. Third base is traditionally a power position, and that tradition may have led to Mueller’s short stint as a Giant. His defense at the hot corner was sorely missed after the 2000 season.
Ray Durham may have been the antithesis of Mueller. While Mueller was known for his defense and high batting average, Durham was known for his power at second base. In 2006, Durham would hit 26 home runs and drive in 93 runs while maintaining a slashline of .293/.360/.538 for an OPS of .898. Over six seasons with the Giants, he had a .797 OPS overall. The 101 point dropoff overall versus his best season as a Giant makes him an interesting case for this bracket as some fans love him for his best years, while others became frustrated with his down years. He also played in an era where the Giants didn’t have the on field success they had before and after Durham’s tenure.
1993 will always be remembered for winning 103 games and not making the playoffs. The 1993 Giants may have been as responsible as any team for why Major League Baseball has a Wild Card. Bill Swift was one of the main reasons the 1993 team was so good, going 21-8 over 34 starts and 232.2 innings pitched. His 2.82 ERA and 1.074 WHIP helped him finish second in the Cy Young voting to Hall of Famer Greg Maddux. Swift would only pitch three seasons for the Giants before joining the Colorado Rockies in 1995. However, those seasons left a mark on the franchise that should still be remembered today.
Scott Garrelts pitched his entire 10 year career with the Giants. He finished his career in 1991 with a 69-53 record that included 352 games and 89 starts. A strong relief pitcher and starter, his overall career ERA of 3.29 in over 950 innings pitched is one of the best in Giants history. Only 5 pitchers since 1958 have had a better overall ERA with as many innings pitched as Garrelts. Hall of Famers Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry, as well as Gary Lavelle, Bobby Bolin and Madison Bumgarner.
He was also one of the most versatile pitchers in Giants history. In 1987, when the Giants went all the way to the National League Championship Series, Garrelts appeared in 64 games as a reliever. Two years later in 1989, Garrelts became exclusively a starter and finished 14-5. He pitched 193.1 innings and recorded and ERA of 2.08 for the team that won the National League pennant and appeared in their first World Series since 1962.