2006 Topps San Francisco Giants Chad Santos card (By Topps Chewing Gum Company)

CHAD SANTOS – 1B – 2006 – # 14

He Was a Giant?

By Tony the Tiger Hayes

No one no one can accuse Santos of not taking advantage of an opportunity.

In three games with the Giants in 2006, the burly Hawaiian played against three different teams, faced three different pitchers and ripped three different hits.

Actually, it was two different types of hits. Santos slashed two singles… and slugged a HOME RUN for pete’s sake in a thimble full of action.

After that, Santos never played for the Giants or for any other big league team.

Why Was He A Giant?

After eight years of spectacular play from First Base Gold Glove God J.T. Snow, the Giants went in a different direction at the position in 2006.

That direction was South.

Seemingly, Snow dumped a load of quick sand around first base before he was jettisoned out of town.

Every player the Giants gave a legitimate shot to replace the multiple Gold Glover sank ignominiously.

That list included the moribund Lance Niekro, retread Mark Sweeney and the deflating Shea Hillenbrand.

Santos meanwhile did his best to pummel opposing pitchers fruit juicy red during the snippet of a chance he was given.

Before & After

Originally, a late round draft pick by the Royals out of his Honolulu high school in 1999, Santos produced decent power numbers as he advanced though the Kansas City farm system – but never got a call-up to the parent club. Signed by San Francisco as a minor league free agent in ‘06, Santos got his only shot at big league play when opening day first base starter Neikro and the others floundered.

He Never Had a Bobblehead Day. But…

Santos entered his first big league game as a defensive replacement in a home game vs. the Phillies (7/16/06). In his first MLB at-bat he ripped a single to center field to lead off the sixth inning off of veteran lefty Rheal Cormier.

After collecting another hit the next day in a start vs. the visiting Brewers, Santos sat for a couple of days.

Chad was back in the lineup vs. Chan Ho Park and the visiting Padres (7/20/06). In the second inning With a runner on and two out, Santos walloped a towering drive to straight away left field and over the outfield barrier for a two-run roundtripper. The Giant went on to a 9-3 victory before a packed house of more than 42,000 fans.

Giants Footprint

Granted, Santos’ Giants experience was a sliver of a sample size but projected over a full major league, Santos would have batted a lusty .429, with 54 HR and 108 RBI.

Giants fans and Santos will be forever left wondering “what if”… talk about leaving a Chad hanging.