Favorite SF Giants by number, No. 1

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There are a lot of ways to highlight and identify your favorite SF Giants players. We have recently begun running a poll on Twitter to choose your favorite Giants player by jersey number. This will be the first series that looks at who the winners are thus far.

Favorite SF Giants by number, No. 1 - 10

One note to mention is that there may be some recency bias present as some voters did not see some players perform before a certain era. That said, it is a fun exercise to sit back and reflect on some great players to don the Orange and Black uniform.

No. 1 Bengie Molina

Bengie Molina ran against several popular Giants to wear No. 1 including Mike Aldrete, Kenny Lofton, and Mauricio Dubón. He won with 39.3 percent of the vote, beating out Lofton who came in second place at 32.7 percent.

The longtime backstop appeared in parts of four seasons with the Giants beginning in 2007. He hit in the middle of the lineup during some lean seasons but he put up respectable numbers including a 95-RBI season in 2008. More importantly, he helped mentor a young batch of pitchers that included Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Brian Wilson, and Sergio Romo. He was traded to the Texas Rangers midway through the 2010 season as the keys to the team were passed on to Buster Posey.

No. 2 Randy Winn

Randy Winn ran against several Giants players to wear No. 2 including Dick Dietz, Brett Butler, and Darren Lewis. He won with 43.8 percent of the vote. He was traded at the 2005 deadline by the Seattle Mariners to the Giants in exchange for a young Jesse Foppert and Yorvit Torrealba.

The veteran outfielder immediately caught fire, slashing .359/.391/.680 with 14 home runs and 26 RBI in 231 plate appearances following the trade. The Giants re-signed him to a three-year, $23.25 million pact where he continued to put up respectable numbers from both sides of the plate. I will add that I really enjoy his understated analysis and commentary during the radio broadcasts in recent seasons.

No. 3 Bill Terry

This survey extends beyond just the San Francisco era and includes the New York Giants as well. Terry ran against Mike Sadek, Johnny Mize, and Jo-Jo Moore. He received 45.7 percent of the vote. No Giants player has worn No. 3 recently as the organization retired it back in 1984.

The left-handed-hitting first baseman played all 14 seasons with the New York Giants beginning in 1923. This included three All-Star appearances, one batting title, and a World Series ring in 1933. He won the batting title in 1930 where he posted a .401 batting average. In total, he slashed .341/.393/.506 with 154 home runs and 1,078 RBI. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1954.

Brad Fullmer slides / Brian Bahr/GettyImages

Favorite SF Giants by number, No. 1 - 10

No. 4 Mel Ott

Mel Ott ran unopposed as he was only one of two Giants players to wear No. 4. The other was Bill Terry, but he switched to No. 3 after 1932. It is hard to compete against anyone who is one of the greatest power hitters of all time.

He blasted 511 home runs in 22 seasons with the New York Giants. Surprisingly, he never took home an MVP award despite being one of the very best of his generation. However, he was selected to the All Star team 12 times and he did earn a World Series title in 1933 while being elected to the Hall of Fame in 1951.

No. 5 Mike Yastrzemski

It is no surprise that Mike Yastrzemski has quickly become a fan favorite. He was acquired in a minor move at the end of spring training in 2019 and has blossomed into a productive player for the Giants. He earned 52.1 percent of the vote while running against Tom Haller, Juan Uribe, and Ray Durham.

In parts of three seasons, the left-handed bat has slashed .255/.336/.500 (122 OPS+) with 56 home runs and 161 RBI. Prior to his arrival, the Giants had struggled to get players to eclipse the 20-home run threshold and he has done it in two of his first three seasons in San Francisco. He also finished in eighth place in the NL MVP voting in 2020.

No. 6 J.T. Snow

I thought that this was going to be a closer race as J.T. Snow ran against Robby Thompson, Ed Bailey, and Steven Duggar. In particular, Thompson spent his entire 11-year career with the Giants and was a favorite during his tenure. However, Snow won the race with 62.6 percent of the vote.

Snow spent 10 seasons with San Francisco after coming over from the California Angels in 1996 in exchange for Allen Watson and a prospect. This proved to be a shrewd move by the front office as Snow became a staple in the Giants lineup. He posted an .898 OPS in 1997 while earning down-ballot MVP votes. He won six Gold Gloves at first base in his career including four with the Giants. He finished his career by signing a one-day contract with the Giants in 2008 where he got a chance to do a pre-game infield and walk off of the field one last time to an ovation.

MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game / Tom Cooper/GettyImages

Favorite SF Giants by number, No. 1 - 10

No. 7 Kevin Mitchell

Kevin Mitchell ran against Marvin Benard, Donovan Solano, and Gregor Blanco and won with 44.9 percent of the vote. Blanco, who became a popular Giants player, finished in second place with 37.4 percent of the vote. interestingly, both players made unforgettable plays with the glove. Mitchell made an improbable barehanded catch in 1989, whereas Blanco made an incredible diving play to preserve Matt Cain's perfect game in 2012.

Mitchell was an offensive force with the Giants. He slashed .278/.356/.536 (151 OPS+) with 143 home runs and 411 RBI in parts of five seasons with San Francisco. This included a 1989 campaign in which he led the NL in home runs (47), RBI (125), and OPS (1.023) while taking home the NL MVP award.

No. 8 Hunter Pence

This was the first landslide win of the survey. Hunter Pence ran against Joe Morgan, Kurt Manwaring, and Joel Youngblood. He won with 91.5 percent of the vote. This should come as no surprise given the role Pence played during the 2012 and 2014 championship runs.

The Giants acquired the power-hitting outfielder at the 2012 trade deadline from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Nate Schierhtoltz and a pair of prospects. In parts of eight seasons with the Giants, Pence produced a .750 OPS with 95 home runs and 412 RBI. He is remembered for his energetic style of play and the motivational speech he gave to his teammates before Game 3 of the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds. The Giants came back from an 0-2 deficit to take the series that eventually led to a championship parade.

No. 9 Brandon Belt

This was another close race as Brandon Belt ran against Wes Westrum, Marquis Grissom, and Matt Williams. Belt won with 51.3 percent of the vote, whereas Williams finished in second place with 43.8 percent.

Belt might be a polarizing figure in some segments of the fanbase, but there is no denying that he has exceeded any and all expectations of a fifth-round pick. He has put up strong numbers throughout his career but this has come with long slumps as well. Nevertheless, it is looking like he has a lot of good baseball in front of him as he has found a new gear over the last couple of seasons. Since the start of 2020, the left-handed bat has been one of the best hitters in baseball, posting a 165 OPS+ during that stretch.

No. 10 Evan Longoria

This was another close race. Evan Longoria ran against Buddy Kerr, Johnnie LeMaster, and Royce Clayton. Longoria won with 41.1 percent of the vote, beating out Royce Clayton by a margin of 3.6 percent.

After a long and distinguished career with the Tampa Bay Rays, the veteran third baseman came over to the Giants prior to the 2018 season in exchange for Denard Span, Christian Arroyo, and a pair of prospects. The 36-year-old had a rough first season with San Francisco where he posted a 91 OPS+ while struggling to hit at Oracle Park. Since then, Longoria has offered good power and a solid glove at third base.

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