We talked about the draft class of 2008 and the jewel of that group: the one and only Buster Posey. He's a guy that doesn't need a last name. "Buster" is enough. He came to the Giants fully formed: ready to play, ready to win, ready to have microphone in his face. I'm still in awe of his sangfroid during the 2010 stretch run and post-season. He was so collected and self-contained and always managed to find the right words and the perfect tone in those endless stupid TV interviews. I imagine he'll be a Senator one day, an unfortunate waste of his talent, but a perfect capstone to his All-American Boy career. It doesn't take much of a stretch to say that he was the difference-maker. The 2009 team and the 2011 team did not get to have their full allotment of Posey and both teams fell short of the NL West title. Once he was ensconced as the everyday catcher the 2010 team was complete and they ran the table and grabbed the ring. If there was ever a player that should be called Team Captain and have a goddamn 'C' stitched on his uniform, it's Gerald Demp. I can't wait to see him back on the field every day next season. The baseball brass really ought to change that stupid rule about home-plate collisions. Hell, they did for second baseman! But I don't expect that to happen. Can't let people think the game is for sissies, can we?
Buster will be 25 in March. Four players were selected ahead of him in the June draft: Tim Beckham, Pedro Alvarez, Eric Hosmer, and Brian Matusz. Hosmer is only 21 and was drafted out of high school. Jonathan Sanchez will be his teammate this season. Beckham, also 21 and a HS pick, has not seen ML time. Alvarez is from Vanderbilt, Matusz from the University of San Diego, and Buster from Florida State.
Hope you are all enjoying the Twelve Days of Christmas. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
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