SF Giants: Buster Posey set to announce retirement

The day that most of us were not ready for has come. According to Andrew Baggarly of The Atheltic, longtime SF Giants catcher Buster Posey is set to announce his retirement on Thursday.

SF Giants: Buster Posey set to announce retirement

Words cannot accurately capture what Posey has meant to the Giants organization since he was drafted with the fifth overall pick out of Florida State University in 2008. It did not take long for Posey to make an impact.

He enjoyed a brief cup of coffee with the Giants only one year after being drafted and became an everyday player by the middle of 2010. The rest is history.

Posey went on to win his first World Series as well as the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2010. As a rookie, he stabilized the Giants' offense, slashing .305/.357/.505 with 18 home runs, 67 RBI, and 58 runs scored in 443 plate appearances.

As soon as you saw Posey swing the bat, you knew he would be a special player. The longtime backstop led the Giants to a World Series title in 2012 while taking home the NL MVP award. He registered a .336/.408/.549 line (171 OPS+) with 24 home runs, 103 RBI, and 78 runs scored in 610 plate appearances.

Along with the help of a handful of longtime Giants including Madison Bumgarner and Brandon Crawford, Posey brought home yet another World Series title in 2014. It would be their third title in five years. That level of success had never been seen before in organizational history, which is especially impressive given that the Giants franchise originated in 1883.

The 34-year-old continued to add to his impressive résumé even in his later years. Few players have accomplished as much on the baseball field as Posey has since he debuted back in 2009. His career accolades include seven All-Star selections, four Silver Slugger awards, and one Gold Glove award. This is on top of the World Series rings, Rookie of the Year honors, and MVP award.

Posey's bat was consistently impressive at a position that takes a toll on the body. That said, his work behind the plate should not be overlooked. He was an excellent receiver, game caller, and flashed a strong arm that limited the running game.

The pitching staff had trust in him and it is easy to see why. Posey caught two no-hitters and one perfect game. Rarely, did those pitchers shake him off.

After 12 seasons, Posey has decided to hang up his spikes. His next stop will likely be a trip to the Hall of Fame on Cooperstown, New York. Longevity may not be in his favor, but few have experienced such a level of success on the baseball field.

It is a bittersweet moment for Giants fans in that he is choosing to leave while still at the top of his game but it creates a massive void that will not be easily replaced. I think we could all use a Buster hug today.