San Francisco Giants All-Stars: Building the Best Giants All-Time Lineup

It was always smart to be careful when kayaking in McCovey Cove. You never knew when Bonds – or any of today’s Giants sluggers – would make a splash.

The San Francisco Giants help usher in a new era of West Coast baseball. Babe Ruth’s all-time HR record was eclipsed here, and the hits (is it an even year yet?) keep on landing out in the Bay.

Manager: Bruce Bochy

Bochy took over the Giants in 2007, and while they initially posted a pair of losing seasons, the franchise won the 2010 World Series, which was its first championship since 1954. And two years later, the Giants won the 2012 World Series. Two years later? They did it once again, winning the 2014 World Series. Under Bochy, the Giants won three championships (2010, 2012 and 2014), made the playoffs four times and went a combined 1,052-1,054 from 2007-19. Bochy’s 1,052 managerial wins rank second in Giants history. 

Starting pitcher: Juan Marichal

Marichal was a force to be reckoned with on the rubber for San Francisco, with whom he spent the first 14 seasons of his career (1960-73). The right-hander was one of the most dominant pitchers of his era, throwing deep into games, limiting damage and seldom putting runners on the basepaths. He led the NL in wins, complete games, innings pitched and ERA+ twice apiece, while also leading the NL with a 2.10 ERA in 1969 and a 10.3 WAR in 1965. Marichal, a nine-time All-Star, is second in Giants history with 2,281 strikeouts and 52 shutouts, tied for third with 238 wins, is fourth among pitchers with a 62.4 WAR, fifth with 3,443.2 innings pitched and sixth w(ith 244 complete games. He posted a career 2.84 ERA with the Giants.

Reliever/closer: Robb Nen

Nen joined the Giants for the 1998 season, and the franchise got the best version of the reliever. Across his five seasons with the Giants (1998-2002), the right-hander posted a combined 2.43 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 169 ERA+, while averaging 41 saves and 91 strikeouts in 76.0 innings per season. Furthermore, Nen posted a combined 0.79 postseason ERA and seven saves in 11.1 innings pitched for the Giants. Nen, who was a three-time All-Star with the Giants and led the NL with 45 saves in 2001, is first in franchise history with 206 saves.

Posey has a reputable case for being the best all-around catcher of his generation. A five-time Silver Slugger and seven-time All-Star, Posey was a stabilizing presence behind the plate and had a compact swing that helped him consistently get on base and generate power. Posey, who won the 2012 NL batting title, was part of three San Francisco championship teams (2010, 2012 and 2014) and a career .302 hitter. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Giants (2009-19 and 2021), with whom Posey is sixth in franchise history with 293 doubles and seventh with a 45.0 WAR. At present, Posey is San Francisco’s president of baseball operations.

1B: Willie McCovey

McCovey spent the first 15 seasons (1959-73) and the last four seasons of his career (1977-80) with the Giants, with whom he was a legendary figure. The first baseman raked. He was one of the most intimidating hitters of his generation, winning the 1969 NL MVP Award, while leading the NL in both home runs and slugging percentage three times apiece and RBIs twice. McCovey, a six-time All-Star, is fourth in Giants history with 1,974 hits, 469 home runs, 1,388 RBIs, 3,779 total bases and a 59.4 WAR, sixth with 1,113 runs scored and eighth with a .524 slugging percentage. And, of course, there’s “McCovey Cove” over the right field wall at Oracle Park, the Giants’ home stadium, in honor of the superstar left-handed hitter.

2B: Jeff Kent

Kent was a stud at every stop, but the infielder’s most consistent, high-level success came in a Giants uniform. Playing in San Francisco from 1997-2002, Kent was in the upper echelon of elite hitters, highlighted by him winning the 2000 NL MVP Award and averaging 29 home runs and 115 RBIs per season across his six years in the Bay Area. Kent, who was on the Giants’ 2002 team that reached the World Series, drove in 100-plus runs in all six seasons with the Giants and was both a Silver Slugger and All-Star in three of them. Kent is tied for fifth in Giants history with a .535 slugging percentage and is tied for 10th in Giants history with 175 home runs.

3B: Matt Williams

Williams mashed at every stop, but, like Kent, had his best combined MLB stint with the Giants, with whom he spent the first 10 seasons of his career (1987-96). The third baseman was a rock at the hot corner and swung a vibrant bat, generating a lot of power from the right side. Williams led the NL with 43 home runs in 1994 and 122 RBIs in 1990. Finishing as the runner-up for the 1994 NL MVP Award, Williams was a three-time Gold Glover, three-time Silver Slugger and four-time All-Star with the Giants and is fifth in franchise history with 247 home runs.

Pound-for-pound, Crawford is as good as any shortstop in recent memory. Crawford was phenomenal at the middle-infield position for the Giants, with whom he played the first 13 seasons of his career (2011-23), making countless highlight-reel plays and posting a combined 58 DRS at shortstop. Crawford, who also led the NL with 11 triples in 2016, started for each of San Francisco’s 2012 and 2014 championship teams and is fourth in Giants history with a 14.5 defensive WAR and eighth with 290 doubles. He earned four Gold Gloves and three All-Star nods.

OF: Barry Bonds

Not to take away from anybody’s power, but nobody in MLB history intimidated the opposition and possessed otherworldly power like Barry Bonds. Landing in San Francisco for the 1993 season, Bonds went from a great player to the most dangerous man on the planet with a bat in his hands. The superstar outfielder most notably hit an MLB single-season record 73 home runs in 2001 and became the all-time MLB home runs leader in 2007, with his 762 career long balls remaining the all-time record. The following year, Bonds totaled eight home runs and 16 RBIs and posted a .356/.581/.978 slash line in a 2002 postseason that saw the Giants reach the World Series. Bonds, who won four consecutive NL MVP awards from 2001-04 and five total in San Francisco, is first in Giants history with a .477 on-base percentage, a .666 slugging percentage, an 1.143 OPS and 1,947 walks, second with both 586 home runs and a 112.5 WAR, third with 1,440 RBIs, 1,555 runs scored and 4,172 total bases, fifth with 1,951 hits, tied for ninth with 263 stolen bases and is 10th with a .312 batting average.

OF: Willie Mays

Mays made the most famous catch in MLB history over his left shoulder in the 1954 World Series, a series which the Giants won, and was pound-for-pound as good as any player in the sport. Spending the bulk of his career with the Giants franchise (1951-52 and 1954-72), Mays was sensational in center field and an impact hitter from the right side. He drove in 100-plus runs in 10 seasons, led the NL in home runs four times and blasted 40-plus long balls in six seasons. Mays, a two-time NL MVP Award winner, 12-time Gold Glover and 24-time All-Star, is first in Giants history with 3,187 hits, 646 home runs, 2,011 runs scored, 5,907 total bases and a 154.7 WAR, second with both 1,859 RBIs and a .564 slugging percentage and third with 336 stolen bases.

OF: Mel Ott

One Ott to remember what Mel did for the Giants from 1926-47, most notably helping them win the 1933 World Series. In said series, Ott totaled two home runs and four RBIs, while posting a .389/.500/.722 slash line. Ott was a stud. He both got on base and hit for power at a high level and, while a primary right fielder, Ott also extensively played center field and third base. He led the NL in both home runs and walks six times apiece, on-base percentage four times and WAR three times. Ott, an 11-time All-Star who spent his entire career with the Giants, is first in franchise history with 1,860 RBIs, second with 2,876 hits, 1,859 runs scored, 5,041 total bases and a .414 on-base percentage, third with both 511 home runs and an 111.0 WAR and seventh with a .533 slugging percentage.

DH: Orlando Cepeda

Cepeda was a star from the jump. Winning the 1958 NL Rookie of the Year Award, Cepeda proceeded to rip off six consecutive All-Star seasons for the Giants, with whom he spent the first eight-plus seasons of his career (1958-66), while leading the NL with both 46 home runs and 142 RBIs in 1961 and 38 doubles in his 1958 rookie campaign. The primary first baseman, who also played left field, was one of the best corner infielders of his time. Cepeda, who had a combined .308 batting average with the Giants, is tied for fifth in franchise history with a .535 slugging percentage, is sixth with 226 home runs and 10th with both 767 RBIs and 2,234 total bases.

Honorable Mentions:

• John McGraw (manager)
• Gaylord Perry (starting pitcher)
• Tim Lincecum (starting pitcher)
• Matt Cain (starting pitcher)
• Barry Zito (starting pitcher)
• Christy Matthewson (starting pitcher)
• Madison Bumgarner (starting pitcher)
• Carl Hubbell (starting pitcher)
• Gary Lavelle (reliever/closer)
• Sergio Romo (reliever/closer)
• Rod Beck (reliever/closer)
• Santiago Casilla (reliever/closer)
• Rich Aurilia (SS)
• Travis Jackson (SS)
• Bill Terry (DH)
• George Davis (DH)
• Ross Youngs (DH)
• Will Clark (DH)

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