Former San Francisco Giant outfielder Gary Matthews broke in with the Giants as a September 1972 call up (1976 Hostess Baseball card photo)
San Francisco Giants September Call-Up Top 10 part 2
By Tony the Tiger Hayes
Since we ran Part One of this series the Giants promoted hot shot No. One Prospect Bryce Eldridge to the Major League roster and while he’s collected just one hit – a booming three-run double, Eldridge promises to be a fantastic Giant going forward – chances are however unless he starts bashing balls this weekend into the Bay he won’t catch up to these Legends of September.
(5 & 4)
Rich Aurilia, IF & Marvin Benard, OF – 1995
Two years removed from the Giants’ electric, but ultimately bittersweet, 103-win 1993 season and two years prior to the Orange & Black’s return to the national stage with a rousing 1997 NL Western Division championship season – 1995 was a mediocre campaign that could have easily been sponsored by lukewarm milk.
But the ‘95 club wasn’t total dreck as 1996 would prove be with it’s conga line of Four-A players.
While the ‘95 Giants didn’t exactly light up the universe – finishing last in the NL West – they did have an entertaining watchability factor most cellar dwellers lack.
Barry Bonds had a robust campaign – .294, 33, 104, 31 stolen bases. Powerful outfielder Glenallen Hill, with his 24 long balls was a nice pickup. And journeyman RHP Mark Leiter had a career season, posting 10 victories and being voted the Willie Mac Award winner for most inspirational Giant.
Additionally, the mid-summer doldrums were spiced up when shockingly, San Francisco swung a mega eight player trade with the Cincinnati Reds that brought freshly minted 49ers Super Bowl XXIX champion Deion Sanders to the Orange & Black.
Though the Giants were far out of contention by September, the final month of the ‘95 season brought a sneak peak into the Giants future with the call-up of a trio of first time big leaguers.
Twenty-two year old LHP Shawn Estes arrived and started the first three games of career in a low pressure setting.
The club also used September of ‘95 to introduce a pair of position players: 24-year-old outfielder Marvin Benard and 24-year-old shortstop Rich Aurilia.
Aurilia was from Brooklyn, New York and Benard from Nicaragua, via, Los Angeles and both tore the cover off the ball that month in what would be the start of long careers as rags to riches Giants stalwarts
A 50th round draft pick out of Lewis & Clark College in 1992, Benard had to overcome great odds – leap-frogging numerous higher draft picks just to get in position to receive a September call-up.
And once he received it, he pounced on the opportunity like a lion devouring an antelope.
After batting .305 for Triple-A Phoenix in ‘95, Benard got the call to report to Candlestick Park.
In his third at-bat, Benard ripped a third inning pinch-hit single off the Cardinals RHP Mark Petkovsek in a 13-4 loss at St. Louis (9/11/95).
Manager Dusty Baker gave Benard a shot to start the final week of the season and the rookie opened eyes in both the Giants front office and opposing dugouts.
In six consecutive starts leading off and playing center field, Benard batted 11-for-27, with a home run and three RBI.
Benard’s two-run long ball off Mike Munoz capped a five-run 9th inning, as the Giants roared to a 10-7 comeback win at Colorado (9/29/95).
Benard finished the month and season batting a very satisfying .384 in 13 games.
Benard parlayed that opportunity to become the Orange & Black’s surprise starting center fielder in 1996 and a roster mainstay for the next six seasons.
Unlike the home grown Benard, Aurilia became a Giant via a trade with Texas in exchange for former Orange & Black 20-game winner RHP John Burkett. But his career arc was similar to Benard’s.
A 24th round draft selection of the Rangers in the same draft class as Benard in 1992, Aurilia found a home quickly in the San Francisco organization, batting over .300 at Triple-A Phoenix in 1995 prior to his September call—up.
Like fellow rookie Benard, Aurilia was given the opportunity to start the final series of the campaign at Colorado and he too bashed Rockies pitching, hammering nine hits in 15 at-bats.
In his first MLB start, Richie went 4-for-5, singling off RHP Bryan Rekar for his first big league hit. He later doubled and socked his first major league home run off LHP Lance Painter in a 12-4 Giants blowout (9/28/95).
Aurillia finished his first month in the majors batting .474 (9-for-19) to start what would be an outstanding Giants career consisting of a dozen seasons repping the Bay City nine.
In 2001, Aurilia led the NL in hits with 206, batting .324, with 37 home runs and 97 RBI.
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Madison Bumgarner – LHP -2009
Before he became a post-season Super Hero and all-time Orange & Black badass – Bumgarner was a top notch Giants September call-up in 2009.
Just 20-years old when MadBum was summoned to join the San Francisco pitching staff for the final weeks of the campaign, the rookie made four appearances, including one start and kept opposing batters swinging and missing, whittling a 1.80 ERA over 10 innings.
In his MLB debut, a start vs. San Diego (9/8/09), the tall southpaw pitched 5.1 innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs, getting a no decision in a 4-3 home loss. Bumgarner did not allow an earned run in three relief appearances the rest of the campaign.
The angular hurler would not make another relief appearance until… Game 7 of the 2014 World Series when MadBum solidified his reputation as baseball’s ultimate warrior, coming out of the bullpen to grind out 5 innings of whitewash relief to close out the Giants third World Championship in five seasons.
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John Montefusco-
RHP – 1974
Even if Montefusco never managed to get an another big leaguer out after his remarkable MLB debut in September of 1974, the brazen Giant would probably still have a spot on this Top 10 lineup.
But not only did the “Count” have a primo game to launch his Giants career – almost single-handedly throttling the dreaded Dodgers on the road – he went on to pitch extremely well the rest of the season.
Overall, Montefusco closed out his first month in the majors with a 3-2, 4.81 record in seven games (five starts).
In his major debut (9/3/74), Montefusco took over in relief in the bottom of the first with the Dodgers leading 3-2 after Giants veteran starter Ron Bryant failed to record an out.
Montefusco would go on pitch the rest of the way, allowing just one run over 9 innings of work AND blasting a two-run home run in his first official at-bat off RHP Charlie Hough as the Orange & Black roared back to win 9-5.
With his first big league win under his belt, the New Jersey native would go on to record two more wins the rest of the month, including a 6-0 shutout win over the star-laden Cincinnati Reds at Candlestick Park (9/22/74).
The next two seasons Montefusco would become one of the best pitchers and box office draws in baseball, winning Rookie of the Year honors in 1975 (15-9, 2.88) and in 1976, winning a career best 16 games, making the All-Star team, leading the senior circuit in shutouts with six and and hurling a no-hitter.
He is a member of the Giants Wall of Fame.
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Gary Matthews – OF
OF – 1972
Unlike most other players listed in this Top 10 review, Matthews is not a member of the Giants Wall of Fame. He only played with the club five seasons, and was not named to the All-Star team during the course of his San Francisco stint.
But in those campaigns Matthews was consistently one of the Giants elite players and no one made quite the first impression as this Southern California native did in September of 1972.
Over the course of 20 ball games, Matthews batted a sizzling.290, conked 4 home runs and drove in 14.
A left fielder by trade, a 17-year-old Matthews was tabbed by the Giants in the first round of the 1968 amateur draft out of San Fernando High School.
A quick study in the minors, the Giants brass let Matthews ripen into a .313 hitter at Triple-A Phoenix in ‘72 before calling him up to the show.
An excellent gap-to-gap batter with fence clearing power, dangerous speed and a dash of style – Gary proved he was more that ready to handle big league pitching that month and never again set foot on a minor league field.
Giants skipper Charlie Fox placed Matthews atop the Giants batting order in a game at San Diego (9/6/72) and turned him loose for the month.
In his second big league at-bat Matthews lined a base hit into center field off the Padres Bill Greif as the Giants routed the Friers 6-0 behind a complete game shutout by Ron Bryant.
Matthews stayed in the batting order the rest of the campaign and produced.
In the matinee of a doubleheader at Atlanta the Giants showcased their powerful bats from new and old Bay City Bashers going deep times.
Golden Oldie Willie McCovey hit a pair of mammoth taters that Saturday night and young pup Matthews also lifted off twice at the Launching Pad, swatting a two-run poke off Ron Reed and a solo blast vs. Larry Jaster in an 8-5 win. (9/16/72).
The Giants penciled Matthews in as the starting left fielder in 1973 and Matthews responded with a stellar full season entree batting .300, 12, 58 to win NL Rookie of the Year honors in flashy fashion.
Matthews continued to play excellent ball for San Francisco trough 1976, but the club was often in financial disarray during that era and nearly moved to Toronto.
When he became eligible for free agency Matthews signed with Atlanta. He was later a key contributor to the Phillies 1983 NL Championship cub and the Cubs 1984 playoff club.
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