Buster Posey announced his retirement on Thur Nov 4, 2021. He played all 12 years of his professional baseball career with the San Francisco Giants from 2009-2021. Posey retired happily. Posey retired on his terms. His awards and accolades below:
*2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 All Star
*2010 Rookie Of The Year
*2012 Batting Title
*2012 NL MVP
*2012, 2014, 2015, 2017 Silver Slugger
*2016 Gold Glove
*2012, 2021 Wilson Defensive Player Of The Year
*2012, 2021 NL Comeback Player Of The Year
*2010, 2012, 2014 World Series Champion
My favorite Posey moments are his 2012 National League Division Series Game 5 grand slam against the Cincinnati Reds, 2012 World Series Game 4 two-run game leading home run, and his 17th regular season home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his 2010 rookie season. I was joyful when the Giants recalled Posey in 2010. He became the starting catcher, battled clean up in the starting lineup, and an instant spark in the clubhouse. A true professional.
Buster Posey wrote a message to the Giants fans. The Giants posed the message on its Twitter page @SFGiants A message from Buster. The message is below:
To the best fans in baseball . . .
You have most likely heard by now that I have decided to step away from the game and officially retire.
As you can imagine, this was not an easy decision. Kristen and I spent a lot of time discussing and weighing what would be best for our family. I ultimately felt that now is the right time to start a new chapter in my life.
Throughout my life, I have been incredibly fortunate to play the greatest game in the world. Not many kids who start playing baseball at the age of five have the opportunity to continue to play the game they love beyond Little League or even high school. I was one of the lucky ones, and I am truly grateful for all that the game has given to me and my family. It has taken me from my hometown in Georgia to Florida State University to ultimately San Francisco, with many stops in between. The people I’ve met, the experiences I’ve shared with my teammates and family are beyond what I expected. Our family has created a lifetime of memories and lifelong friendships.
During the press conference, I had the opportunity to thank the countless number of people who have supported me throughout my career - Kristen, our children Addi, Lee, Ada and Livvi, my parents, grandparents, siblings, teammates, coaches, training and clubhouse staff, the Giants ownership group and front office. They were the driving force who helped me and inspired me to make my baseball dream a reality.
And, of course, our great fans. How do you thank a fan base? The Giants fan base is more than just fans. It's a community. That sense of community is something we as players can feel in the ballpark when we take the field each night. I hope you have felt it too.
I hope over the years you've been able to see in our teams the sense of pride we all take in coming together each day working hard and pushing each other toward a common goal. Oddly, some of the best times when you look back are the challenging times. When you're going through them they don't tend to be very fun, but when you get on the other side you realize that you've grown from these experiences. I think that's one of the best things about sports and hopefully something a lot of fans can also identify with.
Over the years, I've heard a lot of stories from different fans about what the Giants mean to them. Or, what baseball means to them. When I think back on those stories, there's usually one common denominator -- family and friends. When I was a child, one of my earliest baseball memories was Sid Bream of the Atlanta Braves sliding into home plate to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game Seven of the NLCS to send the Braves to the World Series. To be able to share in the joy with my grandad that Christmas as he proudly displayed a picture of Sid Bream sliding into home on his t-shirt is a memory that I'll never forget.
I'm sure there are kids out there today -- who might actually be adults now -- and parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who can remember exactly where they were when in 2010 Edgar Renteria hit the game-winning homer in Texas that led the Giants to their first World Series title since moving to San Francisco. Or when Sergio Romo stood on the mound, shook me off from throwing a slider (which still scares me to this day) and snuck a fastball past Miguel Cabrera to clinch the second title in three years. Or when Madison Bumgarner came out of the bullpen in Kansas City in Game Seven and 45,000 people went deathly silent because they knew at that point, the World Series was over. Or you remember where you were when Matt Cain stood on the back of the mound and gazed up at the crowd, taking it all in before he recorded the final out of the first ever perfect game in Giants franchise history.
To me, this is what baseball is all about. It's a lot more than just winning or losing a game – although the wins do feel a lot better. It's about time spent with family on countless nights and days pulling for your team, riding the emotions of the highs and the lows. It's ultimately about the people who have come along with you for the ride and making great memories together.
I am so very humbled to have played a part in some of those memories. Thank you for welcoming me into the Giants community 12 seasons ago and for supporting me every step of the way. I look forward to creating new memories of my own and sharing them with my children as I pull for the Giants for years to come.
With deep admiration and appreciation,
Buster Posey
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