San Francisco Giants Jung Hoo Lee excited after hitting a home run off New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rondon. Lee is one of the many great international pitchers in Major League Baseball (AP file photo)
By Tony the Tiger Hayes
San Francisco – Jung Hoo Lee may have struck out with the bases loaded to end the bottom of the 7th inning in Monday night’s 1-0 loss to the visiting Padres, but
there’s no question the addition of the dynamic South Korean center fielder has created a ripple of good vibes throughout Giants land.
After missing the majority of his U.S. rookie season to injury in 2024, The former KBO All-Star has been particularly impressive this season as San Francisco’s leading batter and catalyst for numerous early season victories in media hot spots.
In Lee’s first ever appearance at Yankee Stadium the Korean matinee idol stung a trio of home runs, igniting a mini-media frenzy.
Back home in the City by the Bay, Lee, with his winning personality and ever present smile, has become the most popular Orange & Black starting player.
The creation of the “Jung Hoo Crew”rooting section has been a popular addition to the Oracle Park experience, giving local baseball fans and a growing number of Lee fans traveling from South Korean a chance to gather in force.
The quirky thing is… though Lee is fully Korean, grew up in South Korea and lives in South Korea in the off season. He was actually born in Nagoya, Japan.
At the time of his birth on 8/20/98 Jung Hoo’s father – Lee Jeong-beom – a great ballplayer in his own right was playing for the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese major leagues.
In 1964 LHP Masanori Murakami of Japan became the first Japanese native to play major league baseball when he debuted with the Orange & Black.
Of course international talent is nothing new to the Giants franchise. In 1956 when the club was still based in New York City, the Giants introduced the first ever native of the Dominican Republic, infielder Ossie Virgil, to play in the Major Leagues.
The Giants tradition of scouting and signing players out of Latin America countries was especially continued after the club relocated to San Francisco in 1958, with an abundance of signings coming out of in particular the D.R. and Puerto Rico.
Ranging from Aruba to Saudi Arabia – players, coaches and managers born in 21 different foreign countries have represented the San Francisco Giants.
Now, natives from the countries of the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela could compile virtual All-Star teams for the Giants, but we’ve decided to take one representative – and one only – from each of the 21 countries to make up a club – complete with starting rotation, bullpen and bench players to compile a roster.
We think you’ll find the results intriguing.
Starting Pitcher – Dominican Republic
Juan Marichal 1960-73.
So many fabulous San Francisco Giants hail from the small island nation of the Dominican Republic, including the famous Alou brothers and current starting shortstop Willy Adames. But not only is Marichal the greatest player from the D.R. in Giants history, he’s unquestionably the most dominant pitcher in Giants west coast history.
The Laguna Verde native broke in with the Orange & Black in 1960 with a dazzling complete game one-hitter vs. visiting Philadelphia and never looked back. The “Dominican Dandy” tormented opposing batters in his 14 seasons with San Francisco. Marichal’s 191 victories were the most by any pitcher in the 1960s, as the stylish, high-kicking righty was a 20-game winner six times that decade. He impressively struck out more than 200 batters and posted an ERA under 2.50 in each of those half-dozen campaign. Marichal established a franchise record with 26 victories in 1968.
In 1983 Juan was voted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. His iconic no. 27 was retired by San Francisco that decade. And when Pac Bell Park was christened in 2000, an extraordinary bronze statue depicting Marichal’s trademark pitching delivery was unveiled.
Notable Fellow Countrymen: Felipe, Mateo, Jesus Alou. Moises Alou, Juan and Jose Uribe.
Catcher – Mexico
Alex Trevino – 1985
The Giants have fielded a number of top Mexican-American ballplayers, including three-time World Series champion reliever Sergio Romo and the slugging infielder Darrell Evans. But the number of native born Mexicans to suit up for the Bay-based Orange & Black has been surprisingly slim.
A personal favorite is RHP Migel Puente, who briefly appeared in the big leagues with San Francisco in 1970. Puente’s entire MLB career consisted of just six games, but one of those contests was a dominant complete game pitching performance in a 7-1 road win over the World Champion New York Mets (5/8/70).
But we selected catcher Alex Trevino of the last place 1985 Giants as our representative from Mexico.
With a pitiful 100 losses, the ‘85 Giants rank as the worst club of the San Francisco era. But Trevino, a journeyman backup to starting receiver Bob Brenly that season had a pretty decent season, batting .250 and socking a career high six home runs, in 57 games.
The following season the Monterrey, Mexico native was traded to the Dodgers for the fantastic Puerto Rican OF Candy Maldonado in one of the best Giants trades of the past 40 years.
In a side note, Trevino is widely credited as the first Latino ballplayer to request a tilde be added to his name of the back of his uniform.
Notable Giants Countrymen: Puente, RHP Miguel Del Toro
First Base -Puerto Rico
Orlando Cepeda – 1958-65
You can’t talk Puerto Rican baseball without the “Baby Bull” Orlando Cepeda in your opening sentence.
Cepeda was the first future Hall of Famer to debut as a San Francisco Giant, batting fifth and playing first base and in the first MLB game ever played in San Francisco (4/15/58).
The colorful slugger made an immediate first impression when he slugged a solo home run in the fifth inning of the 8-0 win over the visiting Dodgers.
Cepeda would go on to win Rookie of the Year honors and remain a ferocious slugger in the heart of the Giants lineup though mid -1965 when he was shockingly traded to St. Louis.
Cepeda would eventually reunite with the Giants organization some 30 years later. When he was voted into the HOF in 1999, Cha Cha” entered the hallowed shrine repping the Orange & Black.
Notable fellow Giants countrymen: IF Jose Pagan, LHP Jonathan Sanchez, OF Angel Pagan
Second Base – Honduras
Mauricio Dubon – 2019-22
Ideally, we would put the colorful longtime Giants infielder and Spanish play-by-play broadcaster Tito Fuentes as our all foreign second sacker. But Tito’s Cuban designation has a more pressing need in the starting rotation.
Like Fuentes, Dubon was a colorful and exciting Giants player, but his erratic play wore down team brass and was bounced from the club after parts of four seasons.
The Honduran hustler quickly became a fan favorite after debuting with San Francisco in mid-2019. After batting .279 with 4 homers in just 28 games. The club aggressively club tabbed Dubon – who spent his teen years in nearby Solano County as a future star. But the 2020 pandemic stalled Dubon’s progress and by mid-2022 after a series of bone-head base running blunders he was gone.
Dubon would go on to thrive in Houston- winning a World Series with the Dusty Baker helmed club in 2023.
Notable fellow Giants countrymen: none.
Shortstop – Columbia
Edgar Renteria – 2009-10
Renteria wasn’t here for a long time, but he was here for a good time.
A World Series title was the furthest thing from the Giants or this former five-time All-Star’s mind when Renteria signed with San Francisco prior to the 2009 season.
Heck, following embarrassing 2008 seasons on both ends, each party was just looking to shed their prime seats on the struggle bus.
But within the breadth of only two campaigns, the union would procreate San Francisco’s first ever World Series Championship with the Columbian shortstop leading the charge.
Rentería began 2010 hot as a firecracker, but the 37 year-old was injured and unavailable for much of the season. But when the shadows grew long across the infield, baseball’s best ever Columbian was ready to pounce. Late in the season, Edgar delivered a speech, explaining his exit from baseball was near and he wanted the Giants to make the playoffs.
Renteria would start 11 postseason games that season – saving his best for last. He started all five World Series games vs. Texas, batting .411, with two home runs and six RBI. Renteria capped the Giants victorious World Series run with a knee buckling three-run seventh inning home run off the Cliff Lee in Game 5 to win the Fall Classic for San Francisco. Renteria was named the World Series MVP.
Notable fellow Giants countrymen: INF Donovon Solano
Third Base -Venezuela
Pablo Sandoval – 2008-2014, 2017-20
The Giants proud relationship with Venezuelan ballplayers dates back to their New York time line – but the Orange & Black connection with the island with the most Ms. Universe winners really took a foothold in the club’s Third & King era.
But the player who connected the most on the field and with fans is undoubtedly Sandoval.
The happy-go- lucky “Kung Fu Panda” broke in with the Giants in 2008, batting a fat . 345 in 41 games. The personable Panda would go onto become an all time McCovey Cove favorite, bopping 135 career round trippers for the Bay City franchise.
Sandoval was a clutch contributor to all three Giants World Series championship clubs in the 2010s, especially in 2012 and ‘14.
After being benched for much of the 2010 postseason in favor of Juan Uribe, Sandoval refused to take a seat in 2012. In Game 1 of the World Series, pudgy Pablo delivered a devastating gut punch to vs. Detroit, crushing three home runs in the 9-3 victory. The zaftig slugger added another long ball later in the series and ended up with an awesome .500 batting average (8-for-16) in the four game sweep, making him the unanimous choice for MVP.
After recording the final out of 2014 World Series clinching victory, the Panda – who started all seven games, batting a lusty .429, took an ill-advised free agent contract with Boston. But after washing out with the Red Sox, the prodigal son returned to McCovey Cove in 2017.
Notable fellow countrymen: OF Gregor Blanco, 1B Andres Galarraga, IF Marco Scutaro.
Left Field – Nicaragua
Marvin Benard, 1995-03
Though hardly a perfect ball player, Benard stories is one of best rags to riches tales in west coast Giants history.
Only one of handful of Nicaragua natives to play big league ball, Benard was a 20th round draft pick of the club who not only over came great odds just to reach the big leagues, but thrived for years at the games highest level.
Benard was an outfield starter in four of his nine big league seasons – all spent with the Giants. In 1999, the Giants final campaign at Candlestick Park, Benard topped the Orange & Black in batting, compiling an excellent .322 average in 121 contests.
In 2000, Benard became the first Giants batter Pacific Bell Ballpark, (flying out to right field) as San Francisco’s first ever lead off hitting in the park’s ribbon cutter (4/11/00).
In his Giants career, Benard was a .271 batter, whacked 54 home runs and drove in 260 runs. An accomplished base stealer, Benard pilfered 105 bags in his San Francisco career, leading the club in base nicks in 1999-00.
Notable fellow Giants countrymen: 1B David Green
Center Field- Japan
Jung Hoo Lee – 2024-current
A .340 hitter in seven seasons with the Kiwoom Heros of the KBO, the Giants signed
On December 14, 2023, Lee signed a six-year, $113 million contract with San Francisco. He is the current starting center fielder for the Giants batting .277, 6, 31.
Notable fellow Giants Japan born: Murakami, OF Nori Aoki.
Right Field – Jamaica
Chili Davis – 1981-87
Despite Jamaica’s infatuation with baseball’s cousin sport of cricket, Davis is one of only a handful of big leaguers – and the only Giant – born on the tropical island.
It was in Los Angeles where Chili moved with his family at the age of 10 where he fell in love with baseball.
Davis brought that passion for the sport with him to Candlestick Park in 1981 when the Giants promoted the heralded switch-hitting rookie to the major league roster.
Though he initially struggled to find his footing at the game’s highest level, Davis bloomed into a two time All-Star with the Orange & Black, including an appearance at the last mid-summer classic held at the ‘Stick in 1984.
A powerful batter with speed, Chili batted .267, boomed 101 home runs and drove in 418 runs in his seven seasons in the City by the Bay before departing via free agency.
In 1987, Chili was a main cog in the Giants first NL West winning club since 1971, crushing 24 home runs, which at that juncture was a career high.
Davis later part of three World Series title teams with Minnesota (1991) and the New York Yankees (1998-99). Chili’s career 350 home runs with five clubs ranks as the seventh most all-time by a switch hitter.
Notable Fellow Giants Countrymen: None (Only notable Giants Killer Devon White.)
Coming in Parts Two. More pitchers, reserves and coaches and managers, including the only Giant actually born in South Korea.
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