Top 5 Leaders in Home Runs for the New York/San Francisco Giants

Who is the most underrated franchise in baseball history? The Giants certainly come to mind. Originated in 1883, the Giants started off in New York and then moved to San Francisco in 1958. This franchise has won 8 world championships (5th all time) and 23 pennants (3rd all time). Remember this team won three World Series titles in a five-year span (2010, 2012, & 2014). With team accolades like that, you know they have had some iconic players. That is particularly true in the power department. Four studs who played the majority of their careers with the Giants slugged over 500 homers. Now let’s feel the breeze and look at the all-time leaders in home runs for the Giants franchise.

Matt Williams

Positions: Third Baseman and Shortstop

Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

6-2, 205lb (188cm, 92kg)

Born: November 28, 1965 (Age: 58-196d) in Bishop, CA us

Draft: Drafted by the New York Mets in the 27th round of the 1983 MLB June Amateur Draft from Carson HS (Carson City, NV) and the San Francisco Giants in the 1st round (3rd) of the 1986 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Paradise, NV).

High School: Carson HS (Carson City, NV)

School: University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Paradise, NV)

Debut: April 11, 1987 (Age 21-134d, 15,300th in major league history)
   vs. LAD 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: May 31, 2003 (Age 37-184d)
   vs. SDP 1 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1987 season

Agents: Jeff Moorad

National Team: us USA (College)

Full Name: Matthew Derrick Williams

Nicknames: Carson Crusher, Matt the Bat or Big Marine

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Relatives: Grandson of Bert Griffith

• 5x All-Star
• 2001 World Series
• 4x Gold Glove
• 4x Silver Slugger
• Mgr of the year

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

46.6

AB

7000

H

1878

HR

378

BA

.268

R

997

RBI

1218

SB

53

OBP

.317

SLG

.489

OPS

.805

OPS+

113

Would you believe that Matt Williams is 7th all time in home runs by a third baseman? His 247 blasts by the bay are 5th on the Giants all-time home-run list. From 1989-1996, Williams averaged almost 29 bombs per season. In the strike-shortened 1994 season, he led the National League with 43 homers in only 112 games. Besides that, the man at the hot corner in Candlestick had seasons of 33, 34, and 38 dingers. You have to keep in mind that the windy conditions in San Francisco usually didn’t help balls leave the park. When you analyze Matt the Bat’s lifetime numbers, they compare very favorably to some great third basemen. 378 career home runs combined with four top six or better MVP finishes, four Gold Gloves, and five All-Star nods are nothing to sneeze about. Matt was able to crown his career with a World Championship as an Arizona Diamondback in 2001. After his playing days were done, he even added a Manager of the Year Award. Matt Williams is one of the underrated third baseman in MLB history, and he ranks high on the Giants career home-run list.

Willie McCovey

Positions: First Baseman and Leftfielder

Bats: Left  •  Throws: Left

6-4, 198lb (193cm, 89kg)

Born: January 10, 1938 in Mobile, AL us

Died: October 31, 2018 (Aged 80-294d) in Palo Alto, CA

Buried: Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, CA

High School: Central HS (Mobile, AL)

Debut: July 30, 1959 (Age 21-201d, 11,659th in major league history)
   vs. PHI 4 AB, 4 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: July 6, 1980 (Age 42-178d)
   vs. LAD 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1986. (Voted by BBWAA on 346/425 ballots)
   View Willie McCovey’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1959 season

Full Name: Willie Lee McCovey

Nicknames: Stretch, Mac or Big Mac

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• Hall of Fame
• MVP
• Rookie of the Year
• 6x All-Star
• AS MVP
• ML PoY

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

64.4

AB

8197

H

2211

HR

521

BA

.270

R

1229

RBI

1555

SB

26

OBP

.374

SLG

.515

OPS

.889

OPS+

147

The two-way power punch of Mays and McCovey was fearsome to the National League for a long time. Willie McCovey, the lefty slugging first baseman, is 4th all time in home runs (469) for the Giants franchise. At age 21, McCovey was the NL Rookie of the Year with 13 homers, 38 RBIs, a .354 batting average, and 1.085 OPS in only 52 games. That was the start of something special by the bay. McCovey hit 30 round-trippers or more seven times in San Fran; that includes three NL home-run crowns (44 in ‘63, 36 in ‘68, and 45 in ‘69). In 1969, this Willie was the NL MVP and led the league in some major categories: 45 homers, 126 RBIs, a .453 OBP, a .656 slugging %, and a 1.108 OPS. Actually, for a three-year period (1968-1970), Mac led the league in slugging % and OPS. After a brief tenure with the Padres and A’s, #44 returned to the Giants to finish his career. In 1978, he hit his 500th career homer in a Giants uniform, and he ended his career with 521 (tied for 20th all time). Willie McCovey is enshrined in the Hall of Fame, and he was one of the most productive power hitters in Giants history.

Mel Ott

Positions: Rightfielder and Third Baseman

Bats: Left  •  Throws: Right

5-9, 170lb (175cm, 77kg)

Born: March 2, 1909 in Gretna, LA us

Died: November 21, 1958 (Aged 49-264d) in New Orleans, LA

Buried: Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, LA

High School: Gretna HS (Gretna, LA)

Debut: April 27, 1926 (Age 17-056d, 6,396th in major league history)
   vs. PHI 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: July 11, 1947 (Age 38-131d)
   vs. STL 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1951. (Voted by BBWAA on 197/226 ballots)
   View Mel Ott’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1927 season

Full Name: Melvin Thomas Ott

Nicknames: Master Melvin

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View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

• Hall of Fame
• 12x All-Star
• 1933 World Series

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

110.9

AB

9456

H

2876

HR

511

BA

.304

R

1859

RBI

1860

SB

89

OBP

.414

SLG

.533

OPS

.947

OPS+

155

To find the player who is 3rd on the Giants all-time home-run list, we must travel back to the days of the New York Giants. Mel Ott hit all 511 home runs in his career as a New York Giant (tied for 25th all time). This most-of-the-time outfielder debuted in 1926 at the age of 17. Ott led the National League in home runs six times. From 1928 to 1945, this 5’9 and 170-pound bomber never had less than 18 big flies in a season. He hit 30 or more eight times in his career. In 1929, he hit 42 homers, knocked in 151, and hit .328. Mel led the Giants to a World Series title in 1933 and two other NL pennants (‘36 & ‘37); he belted four long balls in those World Series appearances. His 1,860 career RBIs lead the franchise and are 14th in MLB history. When this man retired in 1947, he was 3rd on the all-time home-run list, behind only Babe Ruth (714) and Jimmie Foxx (534). Mel Ott was one of the greatest power hitters in baseball’s first 75 years, and his numbers still rank him high on the Giants all-time homer list.

Barry Bonds

Position: Leftfielder

Bats: Left  •  Throws: Left

6-1, 185lb (185cm, 83kg)

Born: July 24, 1964 (Age: 59-323d) in Riverside, CA us

Draft: Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 2nd round of the 1982 MLB June Amateur Draft from Junipero Serra HS (San Mateo, CA) and the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1st round (6th) of the 1985 MLB June Amateur Draft from Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ).

High School: Junipero Serra HS (San Mateo, CA)

School: Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)

Debut: May 30, 1986 (Age 21-310d, 15,165th in major league history)
   vs. LAD 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 26, 2007 (Age 43-064d)
   vs. SDP 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1986 season

Agents: Jeff Borris • Previously: Dennis Gilbert, Rod Wright, Scott Boras

Full Name: Barry Lamar Bonds

Twitter: @BarryBonds

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Relatives: Cousin of Reggie Jackson; Son of Bobby Bonds

• 7x MVP
• 14x All-Star
• HR Derby Champ
• 8x Gold Glove
• 12x Silver Slugger
• 2x Batting Title
• 3x ML PoY

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

162.8

AB

9847

H

2935

HR

762

BA

.298

R

2227

RBI

1996

SB

514

OBP

.444

SLG

.607

OPS

1.051

OPS+

182

You know your franchise has had some serious big boppers when the all-time home-run king is 2nd on the team’s career list. Barry Bonds hit 586 blasts as a San Francisco Giant, and that puts him behind only his godfather in franchise history. We all know that Bonds holds the all-time home-run record (762) and the single-season record (73). Tons of that damage was done by the bay. From 1993 to 2004, Barry’s lowest homer total in a season was 33. He hit 40 or more blasts eight times in his epic career, and he also collected seven NL MVP Awards. Obviously, this potent lefty outfielder has some prodigious power numbers, but some of his less highlighted yet most impressive stats are his walk totals and his on-base percentage. Bonds is the MLB all-time leader in walks (2,558), and he led the league 12 times in that category. In 2004 he got on base at a single-season record clip of .609, and his career total is 7th all time (.444). It’s also important to note that Bonds hit over .300 11 times in his career; that includes two NL batting titles (.370 in ‘02 and .362 in ‘04). Unshockingly, he is the Giants all-time leader in on-base % (.477), slugging % (.666), and OPS (1.143). If not for the last guy on this list, #25 would lead this team in a few more all-time categories. Barry Bonds is one of the most famous players in MLB history, and his prolific accomplishments make him a legend in San Francisco.

Willie Mays

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

5-10, 170lb (178cm, 77kg)

Born: May 6, 1931 (Age: 93-036d) in Westfield, AL us

High School: Fairfield Industrial HS (Fairfield, AL)

Debut: 1948 (10,376th in major league history)

AL/NL Debut: May 25, 1951 (Age 20-019d)
   vs. PHI 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 9, 1973 (Age 42-126d)
   vs. MON 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1979. (Voted by BBWAA on 409/432 ballots)
   View Willie Mays’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1951 season

Full Name: Willie Howard Mays

Nicknames: Say Hey Kid

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• Hall of Fame
• 2x MVP
• Rookie of the Year
• 24x All-Star
• 1954 World Series
• 12x Gold Glove
• Batting Title
• 2x AS MVP
• ML PoY

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

156.2

AB

10924

H

3293

HR

660

BA

.301

R

2068

RBI

1909

SB

339

OBP

.384

SLG

.557

OPS

.940

OPS+

155

The man who is the Giants all-time home-run king also gets mentioned in the best player of all time conversation: Willie Mays. The Say Hey Kid hit 646 dingers for both the New York and San Francisco Giants. Willie’s famous catch in the 1954 World Series is one of MLB’s iconic moments. That year he led the New York Giants to the title as he was the National League’s MVP with huge numbers: 41 homers, 110 RBIs, 13 triples, a .345 batting average, and a .667 slugging %. From then on, he was one of the top players in the game for the next 15 years. This 12-time Gold Glove center fielder led the NL in homers four times (51 in ‘55, 49 in ‘62, 47 in ‘64, and 52 in ‘65). Between 1954 and 1966, this baseball icon had 12 top six or better finishes in the MVP voting. In his second MVP season of 1965, Mays went for 52 bombs, 112 steaks, a .317 batting average, a 1.043 OPS, and 360 total bases. Outside of his pristine power stats, this Hall of Famer led the league in steals four times, triples three times, runs two times, and walks once. In Giants history, this man is their leader in WAR (154.6) (3rd in MLB history at 156.2), homers (646) (6th in MLB history with 660), hits (3,187) (13th in MLB history with 3,293), and runs (2,011) (7th in MLB history with 2,068). Some fans may forget that Willie finished his career with the New York Mets, so that explains the variations in those numbers. Willie Mays is a no-doubt-about-it legend in baseball history, and that just about makes him the best player ever for the Giants.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024 at 5:44 pm and is filed under Greatest of All Time Lists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.