1997–99: rebuilding History of the San Francisco Giants

1 1997–99: rebuilding

1.1 1997
1.2 1998
1.3 1999: final season @ candlestick park

1997–99: rebuilding
1997

after 3 consecutive losing seasons, giants named brian sabean new general manager 1997, replacing bob quinn. (sabean may have been acting gm before announcement, rumored have engineered deal southpaw starter kirk rueter montreal expos.) tenure began great controversy. in first official trade gm, shocked giant fans trading matt williams cleveland newspapers referred bunch of spare parts , negative reaction great enough him explain publicly, didn t point being idiot... m sitting here telling there plan.

sabean proven right: indians acquired williams — slugging second baseman jeff kent, shortstop josé vizcaíno , bullpen setup man julián tavárez, along joe roa – , $1 million in cash enabled them sign center fielder , leadoff hitter darryl hamilton — , subsequent trade anaheim clutch-hitting, slick-fielding first baseman j. t. snow – turned out major contributors, leading giants first nl west division title of decade in 1997. snow, kent , bonds each had on 100 rbi, , pitcher shawn estes 19 wins (against 5 losses) led team. rod beck had usual fine season 37 saves. 1997 saw introduction of interleague play major league baseball, division-winning giants going 10–6 against 4 american league west teams: seattle mariners, texas rangers, anaheim angels , oakland s. wild-card florida marlins ended giants season 3–0 sweep in first round of playoffs (the first 2 being one-run walkoff wins in florida) on way first marlin world championship in fifth year.

1998

in 1998, giants fueled seasons sluggers jeff kent , barry bonds, both 30+ hr , 100+ rbi, , starters kirk rueter (16–9 w-l record, 4.36 era), mark gardner (13–6, 4.33) , newly acquired orel hershiser (11–10, 4.41). new closer robb nen had 40 saves. hot september stretch tied them nl wild card, lost one-game playoff @ chicago s wrigley field.

1999: final season @ candlestick park

1999 saw giants finish second in nl west 86–76 record. barry bonds s production dropped hit .262, lowest average in decade. did, however, hit 34 home runs though missing more third of season due injury, , other team regulars put supporting numbers including snow, kent, shortstop rich aurilia , outfielder ellis burks, 20+ hr , 80+ rbi. marvin benard had career year in center field 16 home runs, 64 rbis , career- , team-high 27 stolen bases. pitching staff paced russ ortiz (18–9, 3.81) , kirk rueter (15–10, 5.41).

with knowledge days in candlestick park numbered, 1999 season ended series of promotions , tributes. after final game of season, loss dodgers, home plate ceremoniously removed , taken chp helicopter new grounds downtown stadium being built.