You don’t need me to tell you the stats. You know the stats. You’ve heard the stats. You hear the stats every year, and this year is no exception. Next year will almost certainly be no exception.
Since Barry Bonds’ final season in 2007, the Giants have had a different left fielder on Opening Day each year.
Technically, that could change this year. With the team’s intended everyday left fielder Mitch Haniger on the injury list earlier in the year and a right-hander in Gerrit Cole on the mound, Joc Pederson could repeat his placement from last year. But all indications are that Blake Sabol will be the man on the left at Yankee Stadium Thursday morning in what would give the Giants a stunning 17 opening days as a left fielder in 17 years.
2007 to 2023. 17 left fielders. To move backwards 17 different left fielders from 2007, you have to go all the way back to 1963, the first All-Star year in Willie McCovey’s illustrious career, back when he was still a outfielder.
So let’s look at all 17, from Barry Bonds to (probably) Blake Sabol.
2007 – Barry Bonds
Opening Day: 1-3, 1 walk in a 7-0 loss to the Padres
Rest of season: 126 games, .276/.480/.565, 169 OPS+, 28 home runs, 3.4 WAR, All-Star
Future with the Giants: Unfortunately, that was it. Despite being one of the top hitters in the majors during his season at age 42, it was Bonds’ 14th and final start on opening day with the Giants. If they had kept him he would have looked a lot better than the players they used at left flank in future seasons.
2008 – David Roberts
Opening Day: 3-1 in a 5-0 loss to the Dodgers
Rest of season: 52 games, .224/.341/.280, 65 OPS+, 0 home runs, -0.2 WAR
Future with the Giants: As with Bonds, this was not only Roberts’ last season with San Francisco, but the last season of his career. Now he’s managing the Dodgers, so… /sticks his tongue out.
2009 – Fred Lewis
Opening Day: 1-4, 1 walk in a 10-6 win over the Brewers
Rest of season: 122 games, .258/.348/.390, 94 OPS+, 4 home runs, 1.3 WAR
Future with the Giants: As with so many names on this list, it was Lewis with the Giants last year after being selected in the second round in 2002 and rising through the organization. His career would last three more years, with three more teams.
2010 – Mark DeRosa
Opening Day: 1-3, 1 home run, 1 walk, 1 RBI in a 5-2 win over the Astros
Rest of season: 26 games, .194/.279/.258, 48 OPS+, 1 homer, -.7 WAR, 1 ring
Future with the Giants: DeRosa spent another season with the Giants, ending a two-year free-agent contract marred by injuries. His opening-day home run was his only thing during his tenure with the Giants.
2011—Pat Burrell
Opening Day: 1-4, 1 home run, 1 RBI in a 2-1 loss to the Dodgers
Rest of season: 92 games, .230/.352/.404, 115 OPS+, 7 home runs, 1.0 WAR
Future with the Giants: Like Bonds, Burrell had a good offensive season but never played another baseball game, either for the Giants or for any MLB team.
2012 – Aubrey Huff
Opening Day: 1-4 in a 5-4 loss to the Diamondbacks
Rest of season: 52 games, .192/.326/.282, 77 OPS+, 1 home run, .2 WAR, 1 ring
Future with the Giants: Banned from attending the reunion for being a donkey. Also, he never played baseball again.
2013 — Andres Torres
Opening Day: 3-0 in a 4-0 loss to the Dodgers
Rest of season: 105 games, .250/.302/.342, 84 OPS+, 2 home runs, -0.3 WAR
Future with the Giants: Would you believe me if I told you that Torres will not play for the Giants or any other team after this season?
2014 – Michael Morse
Opening Day: 1-3, 1 walk in a 9-8 win over the Diamondbacks
Rest of season: 131 games, .279/.336/.475, 130 OPS+, 16 homers, .9 WAR, 1 ring
Future with the Giants: Morse would leave San Francisco after his lone season, but he would return in 2017. He played 40 games that year before suffering a concussion during the brawl that ensued after Hunter Strickland baselessly attempted to harm Bryce Harper. And that was unfortunately the end of his career.
2015 — Nori Aoki
Opening Day: 2-5 in a 5-4 win over the Diamondbacks
Rest of season: 93 games, .287/.353/.380, 103 OPS+, 5 home runs, 1.0 WAR
Future with the Giants: This was Aoki’s first and last season in San Francisco. He would play two more years, capping a six-year career in which he played for seven different teams.
2016 — Angel Pagan
Opening day: 1-4, 1 double, 1 walk in a 12-3 win over the Brewers
Rest of season: 129 games, .277/.331/.418, 102 OPS+, 12 home runs, 1.8 WAR
Future with the Giants: That was right when people started talking about the Giants’ bizarre left-field streak, and Pagán prevented there from being a chance to end it because he never played an MLB game again .
2017 – Jarrett Parker
Opening Day: 2-0 in a 5-6 loss to the Diamondbacks
Rest of season: 51 games, .247/.294/.416, 85 OPS+, 4 home runs, .5 WAR
Future with the Giants: Parker’s third year with the Giants – who drafted him in the second round of the 2010 MLB draft – was his last as he proved unable to remain in the MLB draft. He played five games for the Angels in 2019 but has not played professionally at any level since.
2018 — Hunter Pence
Opening Day: 2-4, 1 double in a 1-0 win over the Dodgers
Rest of season: 97 games, .226/.258/.332, 64 OPS+, 4 home runs, -1.0 WAR
Future with the Giants: This was the last of seven straight seasons with the Giants for Pence. It looked like his career might be over, but he reignited it the next year with an all-star campaign for Rangers. That got him a back contract with the Giants, but he struggled in the pandemic season, was drafted and promptly retired.
2019 — Connor Joe
Opening day: 0-1, 1 walk in a 0-2 loss to the Padres
Rest of season: 8 games, .067/.125/.067, -46 OPS+, 0 home runs, -0.1 WAR
Future with the Giants: Joe was a Rule 5 pick (like Sabol!) who barely made it through the first week of the season (hopefully not like Sabol!). Now he’s a good player for the Rockies.
2020 – Alex Dickerson
Opening Day: 2-4 in an 8-1 loss to the Dodgers
Remainder of (abridged) season: 52 games, .298/.371/.576, 156 OPS+, 10 home runs, .8 WAR
Future with the Giants: Dickerson’s magical breakout year during the pandemic-shortened season was short-lived. He reverted to Earth in 2021, which was his final year with the Giants.
2021—Austin Slater
Opening Day: 1-3, 1 homer, 1 walk, 1 RBI in an 8-7 loss to the Mariners
Rest of season: 129 games, .241/.320/.423, 101 OPS+, 12 homers, 1.4 WAR
Future with the Giants: Slater starts the season on the injured list, but if he’s healthy he expects to start in midfield every time the Giants meet a left-hander.
2022 – Joc Pederson
Opening day: 0-1, 1 walk in a 6-5 win over the Marlins
Rest of season: 134 games, .274/.353/.521, 144 OPS+, 23 homers, 1.3 WAR, All-Star
Future with the Giants: San Francisco made the qualifying offer to Pederson, so he’s returning this year hoping to keep him out of left field. A noble quest.
2023 – Blake Sabol maybe?
Opening Day: If history is any indicator, it’s likely going 1-for-something.
Rest of the Season: If history is any indicator, he probably didn’t have a good season, but he has a 12.5% chance of making an All-Star this year and an 18.8% chance of winning a championship win.
Future with the Giants: If history is any indicator, he likely won’t be playing professional baseball after this year.
I’m sorry I don’t make the rules.
