Which Giants player is next to have his number retired?

The Homegrown Giants

Buster Posey‘s No. 28 will undoubtedly be hung between Juan Marichal‘s No. 27 and Orlando Cepeda‘s No. 30 at some point in the future. His quiet leadership in the clubhouse, management of games from behind the plate as the team’s catcher, and his stellar clutch hitting with the franchise has earned him a chapter in the Giants history books.

But he was just one half of the Giants’ battery that fueled the team’s success through the 2010s. The other half was the pitching of Madison Bumgarner (No. 40), Tim Lincecum (No. 55), and Matt Cain (No. 18).

It is difficult to imagine a world where you honor one or some of the group, but not all of them together. Those four defined the franchise’s legacy and mentality as an organization through their dynastic run of the 2010’s.

The quartet won three World Series rings together. Buster Posey caught games that were career-defining moments for the trio of pitchers. Lincecum and Bumgarner came in from the bullpen in relief to assist in securing World Series championships. Bumgarner even gave up his final start of the 2018 season to allow Matt Cain to have one final outing in San Francisco.

It is impossible write the history of any one of these individuals without including the others. As such, it only feels right that the four of them should be honored in the same ways in the future.

But even if you look at them as individuals, each of the “homegrown Giants” still has incredible career highlights.

Buster Posey: World Series champion (three times), Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Gold Glove winner, Silver Slugger (four times) and All-Star (six times)

Madison Bumgarner: World Series champion (three times), World Series Most Valuable Player, National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player, Silver Slugger (two times) and All-Star (four times)

Tim Lincecum: World Series champion (three times), Cy Young Award (two times, back-to-back), All-Star (four times), no-hitter (two times)

Matt Cain: World Series champion (three times), perfect game (only one in Giants franchise history)

Each deserves to have their number retired and hung at Oracle Park based on their individual merits. Each should and likely will have a day to address the crowd at Oracle Park when their number is revealed in the left field corner amongst the other Giants legends.

But how about one extra day to celebrate their accomplishments together, too?