‘I’ll always be a Giant’ – Brandon Crawford honored in pregame ceremony

SAN FRANCISCO — Brandon Crawford grew up in the Bay Area as a San Francisco Giants fan. He wound up playing 13 seasons for the Giants, helping them win two World Series titles.

San Francisco paid tribute Saturday to a man who played more games at shortstop (1,617) than anyone else in franchise history and won four Gold Gloves and made three All-Star teams.

During Brandon Crawford Celebration Day at Oracle Park, Crawford’s family, friends and former teammates joining him on the field before a game against Texas. He gave a speech to the fans who supported him from 2011-23.

“I played in a few big games throughout my career — postseason games, All-Star Games, a couple of World Series — but I can honestly say I’ve never been more nervous than giving this speech right now,” Crawford said.

Moments after Crawford concluded his nearly eight-minute speech, he threw the ceremonial first pitch to Buster Posey, the longtime Giants catcher and current president of baseball operations.

Crawford spent his early life in Menlo Park before his family moved to the East Bay city of Pleasanton, where he attended Foothill High. He played three seasons at UCLA and the Giants selected him on the fourth round of the 2008 amateur draft.

“It’s such a great story, a guy that grew up here, grew up a Giants fan,” said Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, Crawford’s skipper during the catcher’s first nine seasons with the Giants.

In his first major league game, Crawford hit a grand slam off Milwaukee’s Shaun Marcum in a 5-4 win May 27, 2011. Since the Giants began playing in San Francisco in 1958, Crawford ranks in among the team’s top 10 in hits (1,392, fifth), doubles (290, fifth) and triples (44, third).

“His baseball smarts were through the roof,” said Webb, a teammate for five seasons. “I tried to get as much as I could from him, and I think everyone else did as well.”

Crawford ended his career with St. Louis last season. He is spending this year with his wife Jalynne and their five children at their home in Arizona. Crawford said he could return to the game in the future.

“I may be stepping away from the field,” Crawford told the fans at the end of his speech, “but I’ll always be a Giant.”