Former San Francisco Giant pitcher Keith Comstock circa 1987 photo is the focus of Tony the Tiger’s feature “He was a Giant?” (photo from wikipedia)
HE WAS A GIANT?
Keith Comstock – LHP – 1987 – # 36
By Tony the Tiger Hayes
Long before he became a professional ball player, San Francisco native Keith Comstock saw Candlestick Park like other kids viewed Disneyland.
Think riding the Matterhorn roller coaster in actual Swiss Alps temperatures with Jimmy Davenport behind the controls.
Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Gaylord Perry and Juan Marichal were Comstock’s favorite characters. When Mike McCormick became the Giants’ first Cy Young Award winner in 1967 – fellow left-header Comstock was on the edge of his seat taking studious notes.
But when the Giants finances took a stunning turn for the worse beginning in 1972, and the club began shedding it’s aging stars en masse, Comstock and countless other Orange & Blackers began turning their attention elsewhere.
For several seasons the ‘Stick resembled a toxic waste site with only a few brave soles – drawn in part by the cheap beer – willing to endure the concrete bowl’s artic wind chill and suspect baseball.
“I had grown up as a Giants fan but I had a bad taste about the team. When I was a kid they traded away all the people I loved,” Comstock told reporters in 1987. “They got rid of their whole starting lineup.”
Years later, that sour Orange & Black taste remained with Comstock – especially when the Giants ignored him in the 1976 draft, despite a standout career at nearby San Carlos High School and Redwood City’s Canada College.
So when the well-traveled Comstock found himself between affiliated teams in late 1986, it didn’t even dawn on the southpaw to contact the Giants regarding employment.
Comstock had arranged a showcase game with a local semi-pro team to be played in Golden Gate Park. He invited scouts from the Royals, Cubs, Expos, A’s and even the Dodgers to come check him out. But not the Giants.
It wasn’t until Comstock received a teeth cleaning and a fresh hair cut – not at the same time, mind you – that the Peninsula resident decided to reach out to the Giants.
Fast forward six months later and Comstock would become the sixth City native to cross the DMZ zone that separated Candlestick’s general admission squats and outfield cyclone fencing and play for the Giants.
Though a Giant only briefly, Comstock still played a role in the Giants 1987 Western Division title – even though his contributions had as much to do with his departure as it did his pitching.
Why Was He a Giant?
After debuting in the bigs with the Twins in 1984, Comstock took his talents to Japan, pitching for the Yomiuri Giants. But when he was cut after the 1986 season, the 31-year-old journeyman found himself back home on the Peninsula contemplating his pitching future.
Though the Giants were the team closest to his home, he only sent his resume to San Francisco after a trip to the dentist and a visit with “Jerry” – his trusted barber.
Each urged him to call the Giants.
“They both had me in a chair with sharp metal objects, so I figured I better take them up,” Comstock quipped.
Comstock took the mound for the Palo Alto Oaks at GGP’s Big Rec ball field bordering Lincoln Way on a sunny mid-fall afternoon in November of ‘86. Mixed in with half-interested ancillary scouts was the Giants Big Cheese – club president Al Rosen. Rosen rode his 10-speed bike to the park.
Comstock pitched lights-out that day. Afterward, a trim, tanned and track suited Rosen approached the sweaty and disheveled Comstock and offered him a Triple-AAA contract with an invite to the Giants 1987 big league spring training.
Comstock pitched well that following spring, but he was the final player cut.
As the team prepared to begin the ‘87 min regular season at Candlestick Park, a downcast Comstock – considered giving up baseball.
But he soon realized that he wasn’t ready to quit on his dream. Plus, the only other job Comstock could get immediately was also at the ‘Stick – as a beer vendor.
He changed his mind and reported to Triple-AAA Phoenix.
“It was like looking at a painting on a wall. I needed to step back a little to see it more clearly,” he said.
Comstock bared down and pitch well in the desert outpost. He was recalled to the big team in late May.
In his first game with the Giants, Comstock struck out the first batter he faced – slugger Andres Galarraga – on a called third strike. He allowed one unearned run in 0.2 innings of work in a 10-4 home loss to Montreal (5/29/87).
Before & After
A quotable free spirit, Comstock’s career is notable for the sheer number of stops he made in his career. In 15 professional seasons Comstock drifted through nearly two dozen clubs. Each departure from a club seemingly attached to a whacky sub-plot.
When he was traded by Oakland to Detroit in 1982, the A’s reportedly asked for a measly $100 and a bag of baseballs in return.
Comstock claims to be the only baseball player released from teams from five different countries: the United States, Canada, Venezuela, Mexico and Japan.
“My careers has been like a connect the dots picture,” he once said.
But Comstock was able to survive in part because of his healthy form of self-effacing humor.
Plus, the fact that left-handed pitching is always in demand.
Comstock’s stint with the Giants lasted about a month. In his final Orange & Black outing, the southpaw pitched 1.1 frames of shutout ball in a 4th of July 5-3 loss at Chicago. After that defeat, the Giants were in third place, 5.5 games behind the Reds.
The next day Rosen swung the biggest trade of his general managing career – sending Comstock, 1986 All-Star 3B Chris Brown, LHP Mark Davis, and RHP Mark Grant to the last place Padres in exchange for 3B Kevin Mitchell and LHPs Dave Dravecky and Craig Lefferts. The trade paid immediate and long term dividends for San Francisco.
Mitchell developed into one of the game’s most ferocious hitters, winning 1989 MVP honors. Lefferts was a uber reliable reliever. Dravecky was an astonishingly good starter the rest of 1987 and later became an global inspiration when he overcame a cancerous tumor in his pitching arm to win again for the Giants.
Comstock was watching from the Padres bullpen later that ‘87 season when the Giants clinched their first division title in 17 seasons.
Comstock enjoyed his most success with Seattle in 1989-90. In ‘90 he was the Mariners top left-handed reliever – going an impressive 7-4, 2.89 record in a career-high 60 games. But a rough training camp the following spring sent Comstock back to the minors for good.
When his pitching days ended, Comstock rejoined the Giants as a minor league coach, manager and pitching coordinator. He continues to work with minor league pitchers to this day for the Texas Rangers.
He Never Had a Bobblehead Day. But…
Comstock notched the first two of his 10 big league wins with the Orange & Black.
Comstock entered a game at Houston in the 10th inning with the score knotted 3-3 (6/6/87). Comstock would pitch three shutout innings to earn a 4-3 victory. He struck out Denny Walling and Jose Cruz in succession to close out the Astrodome triumph for his first MLB win.
Comstock could hardly control his emotions upon fanning Cruz to secure the win.
“(Giants catcher Bob Melvin) said I had Ray Guy hang time when I almost jumped out of my uniform,” Comstock crowed.
At the time, Giants manager Roger Craig called the inspirational victory: “The biggest win of the year.”
Four days later Comstock earned win No. 2, this time at Cincinnati in a 4-3 victory (6/10/87).
In all, Comstock made 15 relief outings for his home town club, posting a 2-0, 3.05 ledger.
Giant Footprint
For all his comings and goings, accomplishments and stumbles, Comstock’s most lasting impression in the game may very well come via a minor league baseball card.
Issued in 1989, the card is now a verified collectible. And a pricey one at that too.
Mind you, this is no ordinary bubblegum card
Comstock, then a member of the Las Vegas Stars, is photographed surrendering a hit… surrendering a hit to his groin.
Bored with typical baseball card poses, Comstock somehow convinced the card photographer to try something different.
Comstock’s version of “different” was to super glue a baseball to his uniform pants in a place where you never want to get hit with a hardball.
The pose was augmented with Comstock squinting and pretending to be withering in excruciating pain.
Comstock is still extremely proud of the card issued by ProCards more than 30 years ago.
“You could have told me that I was a Cy Young Award winner and I don’t think I would have felt as much pride as I did with that baseball card,” Comstock, tongue firmly in cheek, told an interviewer. “There have been a lot of Cy Young Award winners. But there’s only one card like that.”
Understandably, card collectors adore Comstock’s artistic contribution to the cardboard hobby.
A recent check of EBay shows the limited printed card priced at more than $50.
