The San Francisco Giants struggled in the 1990s; they only made the playoffs in 1997. However, the ’90s also brought the Giants’ Barry Bonds, one of the best players in baseball history, steroids or not. In 1993, the Giants had an outstanding team. It was Bonds’s first year, and San Francisco won 103 games but did not make the playoffs. The Atlanta Braves were in the NL West for reasons i don’t know, and they won 104 games to win the division.

Catcher Kirt Manwaring

Kirt Manwaring came to the Giants in 1987 and played there for ten years, including seven in the 90s. In 1993, Manwaring hit a career-high of .275 to help the Giants win 103 games. Also, in 1993, Manwaring won a Gold Glove, and he is on the San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame.

First Base Will Clark

Will Clark did most of his damage in the 1980s for the Giants, but he was pretty good in the four seasons he played for San Francisco in the 90s. Clark made three All-Star teams and won the Gold Glove in 1991. Clark was one of the best Giants players in team history; he was one of my favorite Giants players when i was a kid.

Second Base Robby Thompson

Robby Thompson was a mainstay at second base for the Giants in the 1980s. He was known for his solid defense, but in 1993, Thompson hit a career-high of .312 and added 19 home runs. Thompson was a good player, but battled many injuries that hurt his career. You cannot tell the story of the 90s Giants without including Thompson.

Third Base Matt Williams

This was a no-brainer; Matt Williams was a beast in the 90s with the Giants. He made four straight All-Star teams from 1994 to 1996. William Sleds the MLB in home runs in 1994 with 43. He also led the majors in RBI in 1994. Williams won four gold gloves in the 90s. The Third baseman was great at the plate and on the field. Unfortunately, Williams was traded after the 1996 season, which angered many Giants fans.

Shortstop Royce Clayton

Royce Clayton made his major league debut with the Giants in 1991. Clayton spent five years with the Giants and batted .249 in San Francisco. In 1993, Clayton also had a career year, hitting .282. However, Clayton was more known for his glove than his bat.

Left Field Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds came to San Francisco in 1993 for a then-record $43.72 million for over six years. In his first season with the Giants, Bonds batted .335 and led the league with 46 home runs and 123 RBI’s while winning his second straight MVP Award.

In 1996, Bonds became the first player in National League history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases. That same season, the left fielder joined the 300-300 club with 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases. Bonds had a fantastic career with the Giants in the 90s; he made many All-Star teams and won five Gold Gloves.

Bonds quickly became my favorite Giants player; he was fun to watch. It’s a shame he is not in the Hall of Fame.

Center Field Darren Lewis

Darren Lewis came to San Francisco in the 1991 season. Lewis established himself as one of the top base stealers in the 90s. He was also known for his outstanding centerfield play. In 1993, Lewis set a major league record by playing 243 consecutive innings without committing an error. It was the longest stretch ever by an outfielder. In 1994, when Lewis won a Gold Glove, he broke the MLB record of 267 consecutive games without an error.

Right Field Willie McGee

I was torn between Willie McGee and Glenallen Hill for right field. I went with McGee; he signed with the Giants in 1990 and returned to his hometown. McGee was a productive player, batting .300 or better, until an ankle injury in 1994. The right fielder was an outstanding hitter and played well for the Giants.

Starting Pitchers

John Burkett

John Burkett spent five seasons with the Giants in the 90s. Burkett went 67-42 in these seasons. He posted a 3.83 ERA. In 1993, Burkett won a career-high 22 games and helped the Giants win 103.

Bill Swift

Bill Swift pitched for the Giants for three seasons, and he was outstanding. Swift compiled a record of 39-19 with a 2.70 ERA. Swift joined Burkett in 1993 as a 20-game winner. The former Giant went 21-8 with a 2.08 ERA. Swift pitched the 1994 season for the Giants before heading to the Colorado Rockies.

Kirk Rueter

Kirk Rueter was traded to the Giants from the Montreal Expos during the 1996 season. In the 90s with the Giants, Rueter posted a 45-27 record. Rueter won a career-high in games in 1998 with 16. While Rueter’s ERA was higher than usual, he did his job by eating up a lot of innings for the Giants. Rueter was not a power pitcher; he wanted to buy you with offspeed pitches and paint the corners.

Mark Gardner

Mark Gardner joined the Giants in the 1996 season and quickly became the staff’s ace. He went 42-33 with the Giants in the late 90s. Like Rueter, Gardner was not a power pitcher but knew how to work the count and get batters out.

Bud Black

Bud Black came to San Francisco late in his career but pitched pretty well. Black went 34-32 in four seasons with the Giants. He posted a 3.95 ERA, Black was a good No.3, and he was left-handed, which helped balance the Giants’ starting rotation.

Closer

Rod Beck

Rod Beck pitched seven seasons in the 90s with the Giants; he was an outstanding closer. Beck made three All-Star teams with the Giants. The Closer saved 199 games with San Francisco and posted a 2.97 ERA. Beck was known for his split-finger fastball, which hitters struggled to hit.