"A special end to a special ceremony" - Retired San Francisco Giants legend catches pitches from his children on Buster Posey Day
To honor Buster Posey's career, legacy, and contributions to the San Francisco Giants, the MLB team announced on their Twitter account earlier this year that the Giants would host Buster Posey Day on May 7. Great players come and go in baseball, but only a few genuinely leave an indelible mark on the game itself and become legends. Buster Posey is one such player who not only led the Giants to three World Series Championships in just 12 years but also was named National League Rookie of the Year in 2010 and NL MVP in 2012. He was selected to the All-Stars seven times and has five Silver Slugger Awards, two batting titles, one Golden Spikes Award, and a Gold Glove Award under his belt.
Former San Francisco Giants player Buster Posey's statistics justify why he deserves every bit of celebration:
At-bat: 4970
Run: 663
Hit: 1500
Home Run: 158
Run Batted In: 729
Stolen Base: 23
Batting Average: .302
On-base Percentage: .372
On-base Plus Slugging: .832
Tip of the 🧢 to this @SFGiants icon on @BusterPosey Day! https://t.co/Oe1BVJUP94
"Tip of the to this @SFGiants icon on @BusterPosey Day!" - @ MLB Network
Former San Francisco Giants infielder Buster Posey announced his retirement from MLB on November 4, 2021, after a 12-year successful career, leaving teammates and fans in shock. In an interview post-retirement, Buster Posey said although it was a challenging decision, he prioritized his family over baseball.
"The reason I'm retiring is I want to be able to do more stuff from February through November with my family," Posey said Thursday. "Physically, it's much harder now. And to be honest, it's harder to enjoy it as much with the physical pain on a daily basis."
May 7: Buster Posey Day
The #SFGiants will honor a franchise legend.
#ThankYouBuster | 🎟 sfgiants.com/thrill https://t.co/0jLdFgfs6z
"May 7: Buster Posey Day. The SF Giants will honor a franchise legend." - @ SFGiants
Buster Posey arrived at Oracle Park looking handsome in navy blue well-fitted pants and a white shirt topped with a blue blazer for the hour-long pregame ceremony.
Welcome home, @BusterPosey 👏 https://t.co/bocVc8XJqr
"Welcome home, Buster Posey." -@ SF Giants
Buster also brought his twins, Lee Dempsey Posey and Addison Lynn Posey, along with him.
Happenings on San Francisco Giants hosted Buster Posey Day
The hour-long event before the game began included speeches, hugs, and ceremonial first pitches. Former San Francisco Giants catcher Big Money (Bengie Molina) embraced Buster with a warm hug. After the ceremonial pitch, Posey was also seen hugging former Giants pitcher Brian Wilson.
Some old friends stopped by to celebrate Buster 🧡 https://t.co/nD8b1pqJiN
"Some old friends stopped by to celebrate Buster" - @ San Francisco Giants
Many of Posey's old teammates returned to Oracle Park for Buster Posey Day. The ex-manager of the San Francisco Giants, Bruce Bochy, received a standing ovation when he came to the podium to pay tribute to the legend, Buster Posey.
Bruce Bochu said, "Buster, I just want to tell you that it was an honor to ride with you, it was an honor to spend time with you, it was an honor to have a front row seat watching one of the best ever do his thing. You made the team better, you made the city better, and you made me better, and I can't thank you enough."
Bruce Bochy shares a few of his favorite Buster playoff moments https://t.co/KTVGgVQpWG
"Bruce Bochy shares a few of his favorite Buster playoff moments" - @ SF Giants on NBCS
The memorable Buster Posey Day ended with momentous ceremonial pitches. Posey caught two ceremonial pitches in Oracle Park, one from each of his twins, Lee and Addison.
A special end to a special ceremony 🥹 https://t.co/LaoLG7wyZD
"A special end to a special ceremony" - @ SF Giants
Buster Posey expressed his gratitude and humility for his time with San Francisco Giants. Posey hit .304 in his final season, with 68 runs, 120 hits, 23 doubles, 18 home runs, 56 RBIs, and 56 walks. While his career came to an untimely end, he left behind a lasting impact. Congratulations, Buster Posey, for being a legendary player and having a stellar MLB career!