1958 San Francisco Giants season
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco Giants
season involved the 80-74 team finishing in third place in the National League
standings, twelve games behind the NL Champion Milwaukee Braves
in their inaugural season in The Golden Gate City
.
All-Star Game
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
season involved the 80-74 team finishing in third place in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
standings, twelve games behind the NL Champion Milwaukee Braves
1958 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season was a season in American baseball. The Braves finished first in the National League with a 92-62 record and returned to the World Series for the second consecutive year, losing to the New York Yankees in seven games.-Offseason:...
in their inaugural season in The Golden Gate City
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
.
Offseason
- December 2, 1957: Tony TaylorTony TaylorAntonio Nemesio Taylor is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball. From 1958 through , Taylor played for the Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers...
was drafted from the Giants by the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in the 1957 rule 5 draftRule 5 draftThe Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. - December 2, 1957: 1957 minor league draft
- Lee TateLee TateLee Willie Tate is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He played parts of two seasons, and , for the St. Louis Cardinals.-External links:...
was drafted from the Giants by the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. - Ramón CondeRamón CondeRamón Luis Conde Román is a former professional baseball player. He played 14 games in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox in 1962, primarily as a third baseman. He came to the plate 19 times without a hit, although he did manage three walks.Conde had an extensive minor league baseball...
was drafted from the Giants by the Kansas City AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
- Lee Tate
- December 10, 1957: Freddy RodríguezFreddy Rodríguez (baseball)Fernando Pedro Rodríguez Borrego is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies . Listed at 6'0...
was traded by the Giants to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Tom PoholskyTom PoholskyThomas George Poholsky was an American professional baseball player, and a pitcher in Major League Baseball from –. A right-hander, he stood tall and weighed ....
. - March 24, 1958: Foster CastlemanFoster CastlemanFoster Ephraim Castleman is a former professional baseball player. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1954 to 1958, for the New York Giants and Baltimore Orioles, mostly as a third baseman or shortstop....
was purchased from the Giants by the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for $30,000. - Prior to 1958 season:
- Dick LeMayDick LeMayRichard Paul LeMay is a retired American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, LeMay appeared in parts of three Major League Baseball seasons , but had a long career in minor league baseball....
was signed as an amateur free agent by the Giants. - Eddie FisherEddie Fisher (baseball)Eddie Gene Fisher was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles , Cleveland Indians , California Angels and St...
was signed by the San Francisco Giants as an amateur free agent.
- Dick LeMay
Opening Day starters
- Orlando CepedaOrlando CepedaOrlando Manuel Cepeda Pennes is a former Puerto Rican Major League Baseball first baseman.Cepeda was born to a poor family. His father, Pedro Cepeda, was a baseball player in Puerto Rico, which influenced his interest in the sport from a young age. His first contact with professional baseball was...
- Jim DavenportJim DavenportJames Houston Davenport is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played his entire career with the San Francisco Giants . The right-handed batter and thrower attended The University of Southern Mississippi.He played in one World Series in 1962, as the Giants lost to the New York Yankees...
- Rubén Gómez
- Jim King
- Willie KirklandWillie KirklandWillie Charles Kirkland is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants , Cleveland Indians , Baltimore Orioles and Washington Senators...
- Willie MaysWillie MaysWillie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
- Danny O'ConnellDanny O'ConnellDaniel Francis O'Connell was an American infielder in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Milwaukee Braves , New York/San Francisco Giants andWashington Senators...
- Daryl SpencerDaryl SpencerDaryl Dean Spencer , is a former professional baseball player. He was a utility infielder, playing shortstop, second base, and third base in the major leagues from 1952-1963. He played for the New York Giants, San Francisco Giants, St...
- Valmy ThomasValmy ThomasValmy Thomas was a Major League Baseball catcher. In his five-year career, he played for five different home cities: the New York Giants , the San Francisco Giants , the Philadelphia Phillies , the Baltimore Orioles , and the Cleveland Indians...
Notable transactions
- April 2, 1958: Ray KattRay KattRaymond Frederick Katt was an American catcher and coach in Major League Baseball during the 1950s, and later the longtime and highly successful head baseball coach of Texas Lutheran University. A lifelong resident of New Braunfels, Texas, Katt stood 6'2" tall, weighed 200 pounds , and threw and...
was traded by the Giants to the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
for Jim King. - April 3, 1958: Bobby ThomsonBobby ThomsonRobert Brown "Bobby" Thomson was a Scottish-born American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "The Staten Island Scot", he was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants , Milwaukee Braves , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles .His season-ending three-run...
was traded by the Giants to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Bob SpeakeBob SpeakeRobert Charles Speake , nicknamed "Spook," is a retired American professional baseball player. He was an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball in the 1950s....
and cash. - May 17, 1958: Nick TestaNick TestaNicholas Testa is a former professional baseball catcher and coach. He played briefly in both Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball....
was released by the Giants. - June 3, 1958: Gaylord PerryGaylord PerryGaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
was signed as an amateur free agent by the Giants. - July 15, 1958: Jim King was acquired from the Giants by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- August 25, 1958: Jesús AlouJesús AlouJesús María Rojas Alou is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. During a 17-year baseball career, he played for the San Francisco Giants , Houston Astros , Oakland Athletics , and New York Mets...
was signed as an amateur free agent by the Giants.
Roster
| 1958 San Francisco Giants | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers | Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders | Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 148 | 603 | 188 | .312 | 25 | 96 | |
| 3B | 134 | 434 | 111 | .256 | 12 | 41 | |
| CF | 152 | 600 | 208 | .347 | 29 | 96 | |
| RF | 122 | 418 | 108 | .258 | 14 | 56 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | 71 | 15 | .211 | 3 | 10 | |
| 34 | 56 | 12 | .214 | 2 | 8 | |
| 39 | 50 | 10 | .200 | 1 | 4 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | ---- | 0 | 0 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 241.2 | 16 | 13 | 3.28 | 143 | |
| 42 | 207.2 | 10 | 12 | 4.38 | 112 | |
| 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3.00 | 3 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | 150.2 | 8 | 11 | 4.72 | 93 | |
| 6 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 2.81 | 6 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6.75 | 7 | |
| 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.63 | 4 | |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.75 | 4 | |
Awards and honors
- Orlando CepedaOrlando CepedaOrlando Manuel Cepeda Pennes is a former Puerto Rican Major League Baseball first baseman.Cepeda was born to a poor family. His father, Pedro Cepeda, was a baseball player in Puerto Rico, which influenced his interest in the sport from a young age. His first contact with professional baseball was...
- National League Rookie of the Year
All-Star Game
1958 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1958 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 25th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 8, 1958, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland the home of...