San Francisco Giants Stats

San Francisco Giants History 

The Giants are one of the most historic MLB teams in professional sports. 

They were founded in 1883 in New York under the nickname of the Gothams. Additionally, they played their home games at one of the most historic stadiums of all time. The team called the Polo Grounds I home from 1883-1888. 

With three different stadiums at the Polo Grounds, the Giants would end up calling each one home at some point during their existence. They played at the Polo Grounds II from 1889-1890 and the Polo Grounds III from 1891-1957. 

As for the Gothams, they switched their name to the Giants in 1885. They would go on to clinch their first NL Pennant in 1888. However, it was not until 1905 that the Giants won their first-ever World Series. 

The Giants won three pennants in a row from 1911 to 1913 but were unable to capture a World Series during that time frame. They won four more pennants in a row from 1921 to 1924 and earned their second World Series Title in 1921 and another in 1922. 

They won another World Series in 1933 and then earned their last championship in New York in 1954. The 1954 World Series was especially memorable since it included “the catch”. Superstar outfielder Willie Mays made one of the greatest over-the-shoulder catches of all time which ultimately led to the Giants victory in Game 1.

New York went on to sweep the Cleveland Indians to win the series. 

The Giants left New York at the conclusion of the 1957 campaign, and have played in San Francisco since 1958. 

The Giants did not win another World Series until 2010. But they went on to win three World Series titles in six years, winning in 2010, 2012, and 2014. 

2022 Key Stats

The San Francisco Giants were expected to finish in third place at best in the National League West in 2021. But a combination of strong pitching and an impressive offense led the Giants to not only a division crown but also the best record in all of baseball with 107 victories. 

But the Giants ended up losing to the Dodgers in five games in the NLDS. Nonetheless, San Francisco did a wonderful job of upsetting the majority of expectations for their regular season. 

The underlying reason for their success was their 3.24 team ERA which was good for second in the MLB. However, a number of pitchers from the 2021 team entered free agency in the offseason, including all-star Kevin Gausman. 

Gausman ended up signing a five-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays leaving the Giants without their ace. 

But the Giants were able to re-sign two crucial arms in Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood. They also still have 2021 postseason breakout star Logan Webb in the rotation. 

Kris Bryant and Brandon Belt were the main two offensive stars who entered free agency. But Belt accepted the Giants qualifying offer of $18.4 million dollars so he will stay in San Francisco for at least one more year. 

Bryant is likely going to be headed to another team once the MLB lockout ends. Sources around the game have said that Bryant did not play up to the Giants’ expectations after they acquired him in July of 2021. But it is still possible that the two sides agree on a contract. 

The Giants will look to repeat their 2021 success this season. They very well could be active in the free-agent market following the conclusion of the lockout. 

San Francisco Giants World Series Victories

The San Francisco Giants have won eight World Series championships. 

Their most recent titles came in 2010, 2012, and 2014.

For the most part, their World Series victories have come in bunches. 

In the early 1900s, the Giants won three World Series championships which came in 1905, 1921, and 1922. Then they had some singular victories in 1933 and 1954. But the three wins in the early 2010s were all part of a San Francisco dynasty. 

The Giants are truly one of the best franchises at building a winner for the long term. They know how to build for the present and the future which tends to lead to multiple opportunities for success. 

They will look to add a ninth franchise World Series win in 2022. 

Important Team Events

The mere fact that they played at the Polo Grounds is enough to speak to the impressive history of the team. The Polo Grounds was one of the most interesting fields in baseball history due to its wacky dimensions. 

The Willie Mays catch in 1954 and eventual World Series win was a final great memory for fans of the Giants in New York before the team packed up and headed to California. 

The move to Oracle Park in 2000 gave the San Francisco Giants a brand new stadium which many regards as one the best current stadiums in the game. 

Barry Bonds passed Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record with his 756th home run in 2007. Although Bonds certainly has faced allegations of steroid usage, this was a historic moment for the Giants organization. 

The Best Giants Players

Willie Mays is generally considered one of the greatest players of all time, so it comes as no surprise that he is mentioned here. 

Mays was the heart and soul for the Giants from the 1950s through the early 1970s. The slugging outfielder was terrific in all areas of the game, whether it was power, speed, or fielding. Mays finished his Giants career with a .304/.384/.563 slash line to go along with 646 home runs, 3,187 hits, and 336 stolen bases. 

Barry Bonds hit 762 home runs in his career. 586 of those homers came in a Giant’s uniform. But he was more than just a bomber. 

Bonds posted a slash line of .312/.477/.666 and a ridiculous OPS of 1.143 in San Francisco. Bond’s home run record is still fully intact as we prepare to enter the 2022 season. 

Christy Matthewson was the first memorable legend in the Giants organization. He spent 1900-1916 donning the New York Giants uniform and finished his time in New York with a 2.12 ERA and 372 career wins, 432 complete games, 79 shutouts, and over 2,400 strikeouts. 

Top Coaches 

Jim Mutrie led the Giants from 1885 to 1891. He ended his career with a .605 winning percentage with two postseason appearances. 

John McGraw managed an incredible 30 years for the Giants. He spent 1902-1932 calling the shots for the New York Giants. 

He finished his time with the team with a .591 winning percentage, ten NL Pennants, and three World Series Titles. 

Bruce Bochy was the head coach of the team from 2007 to 2019. Bochy retired with a .500 winning percentage to go along with three World Series championships.