Top 10 Photos Of 2018

The 2018 baseball season was a good one for me as I crossed off two new parks on my list (bringing me up to 16 different yards) by traveling to Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Progressive Field did not make the Top 10 but PNC Park did as I happened to be there for Andrew McCutchen’s homecoming. I also happened to be at the yard when the Giants hit their longest home run in the statcast era, so you’ll see that too. 2018 wasn’t a great year for the Giants (73-89), but it was for interesting photos (162-0). Let’s dive in.

10.

May 13, 2018 Mother’s Day in Pittsburgh. A baby giraffe goofs around on the infield disrupting Kelby Tomlinson’s (#ForeverGiant) warm ups. Belt played left field in this one as the Giants won behind a strong start from Derek Holland who went 6.1 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 7 SO, 0 ER. Hundley was 1-4 but that one hit was a three run homer off Rich Rodriguez in the 6th. I had to leave before the Giants scored in this game to catch a plane back to the Bay Area but not before catching Belt and Kelby here.

9.

May 13, 2018 Yes, another one from Mother’s Day in Pittsburgh. Here, Andrew McCutchen gets a standing ovation from the home crowd before his first at bat. Notice catcher Cervelli giving him some room and time to soak it up. Cutch played the first 9 years of his career in Pittsburgh before being signed by the Giants that year. The Friday night game of this series was his first game back which I missed, but I was there for Saturday and Sunday’s games and he got a big hand every at bat. Absolutely beloved in Pittsburgh.

8.

July 6, 2018 This may appear to be an ordinary groundout, but, looking closer at this image one might see there is more to it. Future Hall of Famer Buster Posey is in the box and future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina is in the crouch. Two Hall of Fame talents in the same shot! But wait! Who’s that just to the right of Cutch on deck? Why if it isn’t Pudge Rodriguez with a front row seat to watch his son (D Rod) pitch. So three Hall of Fame catching talents in the same photo! The Giants would win this game 3-2 by taking the lead in the 7th on a Cutch RBI single to score Hunter Pence.

7.

Saturday, June 23 It was a career day for Brandon Crawford in late June against San Diego. Seen here, B Craw dives headfirst into third base as his 4th inning triple scores Cutch from first and ties the game at 1. Craw would later hit a two run double and finish the day 3-3, 3B, 2B, Walk, 3 RBI, Run in a Giants 5-3 victory.

6.

June 4, 2018 It was a good old fashioned beat down on the shores of McCovey Cove as the Giants knocked around Zack Godley (3.1 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO). In this image, a stunned Goldy watches as Andrew McCutchen rounds the bases after leading off the 4th inning with his 5th HR of the year. In fact, the Giants would go back to back here as Craw hit one out in the next at bat. The Giants would go on to score 7 in the inning on a crazy series of plays: HR, HR, groundout, single, walk, walk, double, hit by pitch, wild pitch, double, strikeout, walk, popfly. It took 55 pitches to get the Giants out that inning. Fun times.

5.

April 27, 2018 Cory Gearrin warms up in the bullpen as he prepares to face the Dodgers in the 6th. I was actually the 3rd baseline balldude this night and this photo was taken by my girlfriend. Gearrin would come in and face 6 guys in a scoreless half inning. The Giants would go on to win 6-4 after scoring 4 in the bottom of the 7th to take the lead.

4.

September 29, 2018 The Giants and Dodgers battle in a late September game that involved 38 different players on the field, 14 of those pitchers. See here, Abiatal Avelino scores on a Pence double in the 5th inning off Kershaw as catcher Yasmani Grandal drops the ball. It wasn’t a stellar start from Kershaw as he went 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 4 SO. The Giants would tie this game at 5 later this inning on a sac fly by Panik to score Pence. This game was blown late as LA scored 4 in the 9th and blew it open. Giants lost 10-6.

3.

April 23, 2018 Mac Williamson connects in a late April game against Bryce Harper and the Nationals. Since the start of 2015 statcast has been tracking home run distances, and, as far as I know, the above home run is the Giants’ longest opposite field home run in statcast history at 462 feet. This ball landed way up in the center field bleachers for a mammoth two run shot off Shawn Kelly in the 6th. This was the first pitch from Kelly, and as it turns out, the only pitch from Kelly that night. Christ Stratton would get the win going 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO.

2.

September 29, 2018 Back to this game against LA, let’s enjoy Max Muncy getting hosed at the plate as Hundley slaps the tag on him. In the top of the 3rd Muncy hit a 1 out triple and 2 pitches later Machado chopped one to Crawford who came home with the throw. At the moment it was huge as it kept the game close at 2-0 LA.

1.

April 8, 2018 It was early in the year and the Giants had actually won more games than LA at this point. In the above image, new Giant Evan Longoria slides into 2nd base with a double in the bottom of the 2nd. Not the greatest moment of 2018, but a great shot. Longo would have 2 doubles in this game but the rest of the Giants would only tally 6 hits in a 2-1 loss. The Giants tied this game in the 8th on a Buster Posey RBI single to score Pence. However, Pierce Johnson would give up an RBI double to Kyle Farmer in the 10th and that was the ballgame. But this shot of Longo sliding as the umpire maneuvers to make the call while Barnes awaits the throw is pretty great.