San Francisco Giants crew setting up for the Orlando Cepeda tribute at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Sep 15, 2024 (photo by Michael Roberson/ The African American Athlete)

By Michael Roberson

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif — The San Francisco Giants (72-78) held a pregame ceremony for former Giant and Hall of Famer the Late Orlando “Baby Bull” Cepeda, before losing to the San Diego Padres (85-65), 4-3 inside the friendly confines of Oracle Park.

Cepeda, who spent his first nine seasons with the Giants, died June 28 of this year at the age of 86. The organization posthumously gave him his flowers in a celebration of his life at Oracle Park, simultaneously while the rest of Major League Baseball celebrated Roberto Clemente in the other ballparks.

Orlando”s career numbers are impressive across the board, but even more so as a Giants’ first baseman. As a major leaguer, Cepeda hit .297, had 2,351 hits, belted 379 home runs, and knocked in 1,365 runs. As a Giant, (1958 – 1966) he batted .308, hit 226 homers, and produced 767 RBIs.

Also during his time in the city by the Bay, Cepeda earned the 1958 National League Rookie of the Year award. In addition to that prestigious honor, Orlando was a 10-time All-Star, representing the Giants.

During the 1966 season, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he garnered the National League Most Valuable Player award in 1967, in addition to winning the World Series that same year.

Next he went south to the Peach State and played for the Atlanta Braves (1969 -1972). Midway through the 1972 season, he was back in the Bay Area, after being traded to the Oakland A’s. Unfortunately his reunion on the West Coast was pretty unceremonious.

He was injured right away and considered retirement. Eventually the cantankerous owner Charlie Finley released him of his contract while he was rehabbing in Puerto Rico. Ironically, Oakland went on to win the first of their threepeat of World Series victories (1972 – 1974), while Cepeda was not credited for the team’s championship.

In 1973, with the American League adopting the Designated Hitter position, it revitalized the Caribbean Legend into continuing to play baseball. The Boston Red Sox signed him to the first ever DH contract that allowed him to strictly hit and not have to worry about playing on the field defensively.

Cepeda parlayed that opportunity into being awarded the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, on the merits of batting .289, hitting 20 home runs, and tallying 86 RBI’s. He also had the distinction of hitting at least 20 homers on four different teams (Giants, Cardinals, Braves & Red Sox).

In 1974, Orlando played briefly in Mexico, then he was offered a contract by the Kansas City Royals. The season resulted in stats that were lower than his prime campaigns, and eventually became his final season in the Big Leagues. Cepeda hit .215, hit only one home run, and knocked in 18 runners.

He played in his native Puerto Rico the next season, but ended up retiring because he felt his body was not up to continuing playing baseball. He faced trials and tribulations for a while after baseball, but things did eventually get better.

In 1987, he returned to the fold of the San Francisco Giants family, serving several posts and capacities over the years. His number 30 is retired and on the outfield wall next to Wille Mays’.

With all the ceremonial respect being paid to Cepeda, the game started 30 minutes (1:35) later than the usual start time for Sunday Afternoon. The visiting Southern California “Fathers” were on a mission (journey), not the building they founded, but winning the game.

San Diego scored first, on a sacrifice fly by Manny Machado, scoring Luis Arraez in the top of the sixth inning. Donovan Walton tied the game with a solo homer in the bottom of the same inning,

In the top of the 8th, Fernando Tatis Jr. came into the game as a pinch hitter and promptly belted a solo bomb, propelling the Padres back on top, 2-1. The Giants used the drama of the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game at 2 and force extra innings. Heliot Ramos also hit a solo home run to tie the score.

During the bonus inning (10), Padres’ David Peralta hit an RBI single (Crownenworth), then he later scored on Donovan Solano’s groundout. San Diego was up 4-2 after 9 1/2 innings.

The Giants tried to use the spirit of Orlando Cepeda and comeback and win in the bottom of the tenth, but that did not exactly happen. Michael Conforto stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter, and hit a deep fly ball out, which resulted in an additional run, but not enough for the win. San Diego escaped with a 4-3 victory, and series sweep.

Rest in Peace Orlando Cepeda.