San Francisco Giants Mailbag: Pressure, Posey, Power
Mar 9, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28) at bat against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training baseball game at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
@MaggiePilloton OK, who is the most important Giants player not named Madison Bumgarner?
— Cimology123 (@Cimology321) March 9, 2015
Baseball is truly a team sport that in no way can be won by an individual. That makes it hard to pick the most important player on the Giants. Obviously, Bumgarner’s miraculous performances in the postseason, specifically the World Series, led the Giants to another World Series title. He was the star of the postseason, but there are several other players that also contributed in significant moments during the playoffs such as Travis Ishikawa, Pablo Sandoval, Pence, Michael Morse, etc.
Bumgarner is the ace of the pitching staff and is definitely one of the most important players on this team, but the Giants do truly play like a team and win like a team. This is again why it’s hard to pick the most important player.
Besides Bumgarner, I’d have to say Buster Posey is the most important player on the Giants. This might be an obvious answer to some, but arguments could’ve been made for other players such as Pence, Brandon Belt, or Angel Pagan.
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Posey is important to the Giants in all aspects of the game. Offensively, he’s the Giants’ most all-around hitter. He can hit for average, he has power, he can get on base, he can hit to all parts of the field, and he can come through in the clutch. He’s incredibly talented, and as the third (sometimes fourth) hitter, he’s incredibly vital to the success of the Giants’ offense.
Defensively, he is the extension of the coach when he’s on the field. He manages the pitching staff, has to know the strengths and weaknesses of the opposing offense, he controls an opponent’s run game, and as a catcher, he really acts as a coach out on the field for the pitchers, as he knows his pitchers and the situation of a particular game well.
He also is a leader in the clubhouse, an experienced veteran that the younger players can go to for advice or questions, and he’s been on the roster for all three of the Giants’ recent World Series titles, which not many other players can say. In fact, he’s the only position player that has played on all three World Series teams.
The Giants are a well-rounded team, and each player contributes on a regular basis to the team’s success. However, besides Bumgarner, Posey is the most important player on the Giants, because he’s the Giants’ leader on offense, defense, and in the clubhouse.
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