SF Giants: Halloween Candy-Player Association Game

The Pitchers

Johnny Cueto – Sour Patch Kids: I am not sure if any candy can be properly matched with Cueto’s personality. You need something that is loud but does not disappoint. Sour Patch Kids are unlike the chocolatey candies you expect on Halloween. Despite being different and flashy, it is still a delicious treat.

Logan Webb – Starburst: Starbursts come in many flavors, and that is sometimes what you get with Webb. Sometimes you get a delicious, lemon-flavored piece. At other times, you get a cherry taste that the best mouthwash cannot fix.

Tyler Beede – Reese’s Pieces: Reese’s Pieces are the cool candy. They look like M&M’s, but taste like Reese’s Cups. It’s a delicious combination. I feel like Beede is the cool and hip guy on the team. After all, he moonlights as rapper “Young Beedah.”

Sean Hjelle – Twizzlers: Unless I am mistaken, which I probably am, Twizzlers are the tallest candy available. With his 6-foot-11 frame, Hjelle will eventually become the Giants tallest pitcher in history when he appears on the Oracle Park mound.

Reyes Moronta – Toblerone: I don’t know why, but this just fits.

Tyler Rogers – Hot Tamales: Let’s get weird. Hot Tamales are cinnamon-flavored with an odd, oblong shape and texture. They go against the grain as Halloween candy much like Rogers goes against the grain with his submarine-style delivery from the right side.

Wandy Peralta – Mr. Goodbar: For years, Peralta struggled to pitch at the Great American Ballpark during his tenure with the Cincinnati Reds. The Giants scooped up the southpaw off of waivers believing that he was a good pitcher in need of a change of scenery. With a 3.29 ERA in 2020, they may be right. Mr. Goodbar just makes sense.

Shaun Anderson – Butterfingers: I tried to not associate this candy with someone based on their fielding ability. That would have been too easy. With that in mind, Butterfingers are a competitive candy. They are not as good as Reese’s Cups or Snickers, but you have got to appreciate the mentality. Few pitchers in the Giants system have the mound presence of Anderson as he is about as competitive as they come.

Sam Selman – Swedish Fish: What is in Swedish Fish anyway? They are red and have a gooey texture in the shape of a fish. They are weird. However, if you get this while trick-or-treating, you will likely be disappointed. That is the case for opposing hitters when they see Selman’s filthy slider. They are sitting on a fastball; (chocolate candy) and get a slider (Swedish Fish) instead. Hard to be satisfied in these circumstances from the hitter’s standpoint.

Caleb Baragar – Tootsie Pops: Okay, Tootsie Pops are not a bad candy. It gets a bad reputation, but it exceeds expectations. Baragar made the team out of camp and proved to be a reliable arm out of the bullpen.

Jarlin Garcia – Candy Corn: Candy Corn is not everyone’s cup of tea. Similarly, Garcia was not viewed favorably by the Marlins, so they placed him on waivers. The Giants swooped him out, and he became a solid contributor down the stretch.

That is all we have this year. Leave a comment below if there is a better match than what we listed above.