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ORLANDO, Fla. – In the Giants’ West Coast history, only five players who spent a significant chunk of their careers in San Francisco made the Hall of Fame, and they’re all honored outside Oracle Park with statues:
Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda, and Gaylord Perry.
Now there’s a sixth:
Jeff Kent.
The day after he heard he was elected to the Hall of Fame, the former second baseman still couldn’t digest it all and was full of emotion. Especially when informed he’ll be No. 6 on an extremely prestigious list.
“There’s no way in the world you can write my name down and pin it next to those types of names,” he said at the winter meetings in Orlando. “It doesn’t calculate for me. I’m a guy who wants to calculate things. Twenty-four hours have passed, and there’s no way.”
Actually, yes way.
3 days ago
6 days ago
Tuesday, Nov. 25
The Giants have some exciting game-planning on their horizon. How will they celebrate Kent? By erecting another statue? By retiring his No. 21? By hosting Jeff Kent Day at the ballpark, inviting his family and friends, and giving him ceremonial first-pitch details? By giving away bobbleheads?
“Everything’s on the table,” said Giants CEO Larry Baer, not prepared to share details because there are no details yet to share. “We’re going to talk about it and figure out how and when. Stay tuned because it’s coming.”
There are issues to consider. No. 1, there’s not much real estate at the ballpark property for many more statues, and considering Bruce Bochy, Dusty Baker, and Buster Posey likely are heading to the Hall of Fame – all are eligible for the class of 2027, which should be a doozy – the Giants could come close to running out of space.
The Wall of Fame honors many former Giants and is especially dear to the hearts of those who’ll never make the Hall of Fame. Anyone who was a Giant for at least nine years or played five years while making an All-Star team is eligible.
It’s the invention of the late Peter Magowan, the front man of the ownership group that bought the team from Bob Lurie and ushered in the new park. But for the likes of Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum and other players who likely won’t get inducted but played huge roles in the championship era, that’s probably not enough.
Then there’s Barry Bonds. Baer said in June the Giants would erect a statue for the homers king, but there were no specific plans at the time. The Giants already retired Bonds’ number (25) and employ him as a special adviser who shows up at many home games and works with hitters in the batting cage.
Like Kent, Bonds was on the Contemporary Era Baseball Committee ballot but, because of his link to performance-enhancing drugs, didn’t come close to getting elected and, therefore, is ineligible to be on the next era committee ballot in three years. He’s eligible next in 2031.
Rather than erecting several more large statues around the property, the Giants could follow the Cardinals’ model at Busch Stadium and put up smaller statues, which allows them to honor more team legends in a smaller space.
For now, according to Baer, the Giants are pausing on the statue front and analyzing all potential options.
“It’s all definitely on our radar,” he said.
Meantime, the big focus moving forward is Kent, who’ll be inducted into the Cooperstown shrine on July 26.
“It’s great for Jeff. I don’t know if a lot of people saw this coming,” Baer said. “That was a transformational era, beginning in 1997 when Jeff arrived. Everything turned around, and it led to the championships. Jeff was a big part of that.”
As for Bonds’ Hall of Fame bid getting denied again, Baer said, “We’re disappointed. Barry is a big part of our history along with his father (Bobby) and godfather (Willie Mays), and we feel he’s worthy and deserving.”
Then-Giants general manager Brian Sabean was heavily criticized for trading popular third baseman Matt Williams to Cleveland for Kent and other players. The criticism got so bad that Sabean was quoted as saying, “I am not an idiot.” Indeed, the trade turned out splendidly for the Giants.
Kent credits his time in San Francisco and improving his hitting under the tutelage of Baker as a big reason he’s heading to the Hall of Fame.
“No, I would not be here,” he said. “That was the turning point in my career. … Sabean took a chance, and I can proclaim he wasn’t an idiot.”