The '21 Giants is the exclamation point on Buster Posey's HOF worthy career. While not his crowning achievement, and not a strictly personal achievement, he was undoubtedly the leader of that club. He had the ability to significantly help bring out the best in pitchers. His game calling, leadership, pitch framing and defense were extremely valuable. Pitchers just succeeded with Buster catching. He was a huge piece in the winningest season in Giants history. In a shortened career , he was the embodiment of professionalism and excellence. His swan song season was nothing short of amazing. Posey=HOF
I wonder if Posey was the reason Kapler was able to perform at Manager of the Year status. Fans aren’t in the clubhouse, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Posey’s leadership took some of the load off Kapler so that he could be a hands-off manager. It’s all speculation, but Posey clearly was a fundamental piece to the team’s leadership and clubhouse culture
Very well said. Both of you guys are correct. Posey was a true General out there. You could just see how much more comfortable our pitchers were with him behind the plate. Buster definitely belongs in the Hall.
@@AnnPorkinsBuster was in the room when Kap was interviewed for the manager’s job. So his opinion definitely mattered. When he retired, it came crashing down.
No Posey in 2021, no 107 wins. But Posey for HOF might be a stretch since he only played 1371 games, just 1500 hits, 158 home runs, and had an OPS of .832. On the other hand he had 7 all-star appearances, 5 silver sluggers, 3 World championships, and NL MVP in 2012 so maybe.
I love watching Brandon Belt when he is hot. He carried the team on his back for a while many times. He would have hit 30 homers in 21 if he didn't get hit in the hand.
They relied on platooning which is basically luck based. They ended getting lucky and the veterans really stepped up. This was a fluke year and is the worst thing to happen to this franchise since it set us back by extending Farhan and Gabe. Instead of going after the newer shortstops in FA, we decided to run it back. This franchise is sad with no direction. And I’m a giants fan… Huge shoutout to Posey tho, he not only was one of the best players but he basically led the team and kept the clubhouse together.
I can confidently say it was this team in this year that rekindled my love for baseball from sport I liked but had awful personal history with to something I that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Thank you for reminding me of that joyous year, although Brandon Crawford learning to double jump in the Divisional Series is a moment that shouldnt be overshadowed by the blown call
Posey controlled the pitching staff and guys had really good offensive years. I think it's more a testament to Posey than it is as a team even though the team had an above average year offensively
I love how you keep saying that luck was involved, but you said it yourself the giants put quality players in the best position possible for them to win every game. Also #WilmerDidntGo
god as a Padres fan it’s hard to deny how beautiful this season is for the Giants. nothing quite like it and will certainly be admired for decades. special team
Quietest 107-win season I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. And like those 116-win Mariners in Ichiro’s first season, it ended just as everyone suspected it would: w/o even an appearance in the World Series, much less winning it.
As a Giants fan, this season was magical. No matter what despite the heartbreaking NLDS loss to LA. The last two seasons since have been so mid and uninteresting tho. Starting out well but fizzling out come September. With the new players in JHL, Jorge Soler, Matt Chapman along with a new manager in Bob Melvin, I'm once again really excited for Giants baseball. I doubt will touch 107 wins again but a postseason birth would be real nice 🤞
So glad someone’s talking about this. I was baffled at the time and I’m still baffled now. I have never seen a team over-perform more than that. Perhaps the 2013 Boston Red Sox, team built on good vibes and beards, since they went all the way
It needs to be said how extraordinary those home run numbers really are. Oracle park is the worst ballpark to hit home runs in all of the Major leagues. There were only 176 homers hit in the ballpark that season, good for 22nd in baseball. Or a ballpark factor of 85 for home runs. The Giants havent had a 30+ HR season since Bonds because of this. Thats pretty damn crazy if you ask me.
This was the very best year the SF Giants had...after that, it was not the same! I even miss one of my favorite Giants player (wore #33 at the time he was on the team) and loved it when he was hitting HRs against teams, especially against Dodgers. If I have time, I plan to watch the 2021 Giants games as I am a MLB subscriber because it brings back the great memories of what I believe was a great baseball season! Thank you for sharing this video as it gave perspective of how this team won 107 games in 2021! ⚾️☀️🌴🌁🌉🙌😊
Its honestly heart warming to see a Mets fan send a video Cheer Up card to their depressed parent. This is why u should have kids folks. They always pick ur spirits up when u need it most (at least when theyre young, like the toddler Mets) Thanks Jolly ,we love you too 🖤 🧡
As someone who was to young to truly appreciate the Giants 3 Championships from 2010-14, the magic of the 2021 season is something me and all other Giants fans will hold on forever.
Jake McGee was a superstar in 2021 for the Giants. Buster Posey provided great leadership as a future hall of fame catcher. Less than a year later, both were out of baseball.
It’s kind of funny SF won the division with a controversial check swing against the dodgers. Then in the DS the dodgers won with a controversial check swing against SF. And yes I know that’s not the only reason…
this is the biggest outlier season i have ever seen. i remember predicting for them to quickly fall off after may, and they just never did. they kept over performing at every single position
I hear what was spoken in the video, but I refuse to believe Brandon Crawford geniuniely hit for a .895 OPS. There was some cheating lab in San Francisco at play. But wow, what an incredible bullpen. Really shows how important and volatile the position is given lots of the names had their peak year that season and regressed since then.
They did nothing in the several seasons before, and nothing in the couple after that season. Fluke period, this didn't the same Giants team that won 3 in 5 years, not even close. None of those teams even won 100 games the years they won world series. They got it done in playoffs and had a great manager, who got them to play above their talent when it mattered
Wins don't matter just get into the playoffs. When the Giants went on their even year world series run they were averaging around a .500 year season. They got hot in the playoffs that's it. They won't win another championsip for another 100 years because their city is a disaster. Think of Oakland.
As a Dodgers fan I can say that 2021 was maybe the most fun season in recent memory its always better when the Giants are competitive imo although im still always rooting against them
As a Giants fan I’ve come to appreciate the true almost computer like regular season consistency by the dodgers to continue to win and keep that farm top 10 despite trades. I would’ve thought it would push us to grow the farm and simply add good players to supplement. Only 1 team did this correctly and will continue for the foreseeable future and the Giants will keep doing the cheap way lol.
Every time I look at the 21 Giants bbref page I'm just mystified. They led the NL in home runs despite their individual leader only having 29. Truly a case study in how baseball is a team sport & how a deep roster is super important
Fun Fact: the Giants have not had a single player hit 30 or more home runs in a season since Barry Bonds! Giants World Series titles with Barry Bonds: 0 Without Barry Bonds: 3 100% baseball is a team sport.
@@Baseball2287 Because that same guy was so bloated, he could barely jog to a very catchable lazy fly ball that fell in front of him, triggering the Angels’ comeback and winning it all next time out…that’s how.
To put it into perspective 2021 Giants were 1 win behind the 2018 Red Sox, 1975 "Big Red Machine" Reds, and 1970 Dynasty Orioles. They won as many games as the 2019 Astros and more than any Dodgers team until 2022. 107 wins is a truly special, Top 0.1% achievement.
@@Despiser25 that is what makes it crazy...the 114 win yankees won 125 games and the title easily...only 7 behind them is insane considering the talent going into the year
As a diehard giants fan, it really cannot be stated how integral posey’s return was for us that season. Every single guy on the roster that year knew it was poseys last year, and went all in. That aspect coupled with incredible clutch moments by lamonte and yaz nearly every night was electric to watch. Also, respect tyler rogers, dude is an absolute dawg
As a Giants fan watching this season unfold I always had a feeling of too good to be true. I was enjoying the season but always mentally goal posting them 😅
As a Dodgers fan I didn’t like watching their steroid abusing head coach hand out steroids to the players like candy. Thank GOD they brought back steroid testing in 2022 and 2023
This season was so bizarre. Darin Ruf being a feared clean up hitter on a MLB team, Anthony Desclafani leading the top of the rotation with Gausman, every single vet having crazy good years.... Hear me out, the Giants win the 2021 world series if Brandon Belt isn't injured in the playoffs. The NLDS came down to the final innings and could have drastically changed with Belt. Belt was a top 5 hitter in baseball with 29 homeruns (any barry bonds curse enjoyers?) at the time of his injury. Dodger fans like to say Muncy being injured was comparable, but look at their numbers towards the end of 2021... Belt was a difference maker and the best hitter on the team for most of the year...
That was a special season I will never forget. I went to the finale game of the regular season for the dodgers v giants and the atmosphere was spectacular. I missed that rivalry
It’s also worth mentioning the hitting coach Donny Ecker. I think he is the unsung reason for that teams offensive explosion. He has since left for the Texas Rangers with Bochy 👀
I liked how this was so close, I remember a division game back in 2021 where Albert pujols nearly hit a walkoff homerun and was robbed, that robbery would have won the dodgers the division but that game ended in a loss
@@beerussama7093 When Gabe Morales run up Wilmer on his checked swing against Scherzer, I immediately thought of the non-call on Ruf...I still complained about Gabe's call but I knew that I couldn't really get THAT bent out of shape about it. We all knew Ruf got away with that one :)
The pitching likely had a lot to do with Buster calling them. Really a once in a lifetime kinda player. Sad you didnt mention how Wade got his 'Late Night Lamonte' nickname
late night lamonte came up in game 5 in the 9th and he was the ONLY batter i was afraid of... soon as scherzer got him out i was much more comfortable ofc that caused dead arm, but having only 3 starters will do that to a team.
It'll be really interesting to see a retrospective on the Arizona Diamondbacks run to the World Series in 2023. Much like this Giants team, this most recent Snakes team felt so flukey and lucky that it still is weird to me that they won the NL Pennant.
I disagree. The dbacks have been building for awhile, and they have a bunch of hungry young players. They are not flukey, they are finally seeing the results and will be competitive for the next 5 years at least. They have a solid 1-3 in their rotation, they have an AS GG first baseman who hits a lot of homers, they have a new franchise outfielder who just won rookie of the year. They also have ketel marte who had like a 20 game postseason hit streak. I see no fluke in their team, they just succeeded a bit earlier than expected
@@daltonred7774 Well the next few years will determine if Arizona was a fluke or not but yeah I agree that team is loaded with great young talent. They're not winning by signing high-dollar power hitters like some other teams try to do. They're doing it with stellar pitching and masterful defense....similar to how the Giants won 3 in 5 a decade ago. I like it.
That 2021 NL West division race between LA and SF was as close as I have ever seen since I started watching baseball. The Sunday Night game where Buehler was gassed, I knew at that moment, LA would have to settle for the WC. LaMonte Wade Jr was really their unsung hero. Every time I saw him come up to hit in the 9th inning, I said oh no. True, it made no sense how the Giants were THAT good that year. But it made for must watch every night. I hate the Giants, but I can't deny how fun it was watching every LA vs SF game be THAT significant.
I hate the Dodgers lol, but yeah that 2021 season is how rivalries are SUPPOSED to be. I was literally following the Dodgers just as close as my Giants haha. And the way you felt about Wade is how I felt about Trea Turner when you guys traded for him. Every time he came to bat I knew he would get on base and/or knock in some RBIs no matter what! Now the last few years you guys have pretty much just been pounding us and unfortunately for me I think that will continue for the foreseeable future. Well, I do remember the Giants sweeping you guys in a series last year, and in LA to boot! Plus didn't they give the Dodgers their worst shutout loss ever or something like that if I'm not mistaken? Small victories like that is all I have to look forward to now I guess, lol.
@@TryPuttingItInRice Look at the Giant's roster then, and look at it now different teams buddy.....Learn baseball other than HomeRuns and Strikeouts buddy.....go play anime by the lake buddy
The giants players patiently waited for the smoke to clear on these cheating pitchers with sticky substances and finally had their 1 year to show what happens when pitchers can't cheat and forget to pitch on their own
That Giants team played so far over their head it was insane. Like it's astounding watching them the last two years because even those squads feel like overachievers.
I disagree that the last two years have felt like over achieving, especially 2023. It felt that way at the end of May when the young guys, JD Davis, and Michael Conforto propelled them from sub-.500 to 10 games over. But most batters had pretty underwhelming seasons on the whole, and I could see a world where a few lucky breaks and better health pushes them from 79 wins to competing for a Wild Card until the end.
@@AnnPorkins Yeah, injuries really hurt the Giants in 2023. Crazy to think halfway through the season they were ahead of the Dodgers. Even swept them in a series in LA if I remember correctly.
@@jonnyt16 the injuries were the biggest reason. The Giants had three guys top 100 innings at all and Manaea was all over in terms of bullpen vs rotation, and the lineup kept having to dip into AAA.
You get a lot of flukes out of that division diamondbacks last year and 2011. Giants In 2021. D’backs and Rockies in 2017. Rockies again in 2007. Mediocre teams that get hot at the right time.
There ain't nothing like the fiery motivation to one up the Dodgers. Yall felt it this year, the Padres the year before, the Giants the year before that.
Loved the video! There’s a lot to cover in a 15-minute video and it’s impossible to touch on everything, but I just want to shout out the contributions of a few others that didn’t get much time in the video. Brandon Belt was a force, putting up the best numbers of his career. He missed a good chunk of time and would have broken the Giants 30-HR drought if he hadn’t been hit in the hand. Evan Longoria was quite good in his 80 or so games, which helped lighten the 3B load for guys like Wilmer Flores and Kris Bryant. Johnny Cueto wasn’t spectacular, but he provided some quality innings after several lost injury-plagued seasons. Nice way to rebound at the end of his hefty contract. Austin Slater has quietly been one of the best punch hitters in decades, and he particularly shined in 2021. LaMonte Wade Jr got some love, but his solid numbers don’t express how clutch he was. They call him Late Night LaMonte for a reason. Darin Ruf is handsome. That is all. And I’ll stop with Buster Posey. This whole video could have been about him, and it still would have understated his importance to the Giants. His clubhouse presence was foundational to winning Giants baseball, his ability to work with pitchers made the fancy coaching decisions easier to implement, and it was a joy to see him hit the fountain of youth with the bat one last time. I wonder if the 2022 teams and beyond could have maintained some of that 2021 magic if Posey hadn’t retired.
The 2013 Red Sox kind of had this feel to them as well. They had a bunch of free agent signings that all went amazingly well and won the World Series. Sure, they still had Big Papi and Pedroia, but it was Gomes, Victorino, and Napoli who played huge roles the whole season. I forget how many games they won, but the duo of Lester and Lackey in the rotation stunned the Tigers in the ALCS.
9:45 I really feel like you dropped the ball by not mentioning he also earned 1of the greatest all time nicknames that year, *"LATE NIGHT LAMONTE"* 😂😂because of his clutch hitting
The 2021 season is what made me love baseball again, that giants squad was special. I loved that it was led by the old boys giving it one last hurrah before either retiring or just coming back down to earth. I think if they had made it past the Dodgers there was a good chance of them winning it all, though I did like seeing Freddie win with the Braves. Crazy how this happened just two and a half years ago but already feels like it has been ages. I'm really hoping the Giants get it together soon here, past two seasons were extremely disappointing, but I have hope that Jung Hoo Lee can spark some excitement here.
this season totally revitalized my love for the giants. stats are obviously much easier to quantify and translate into why this team was so successful, but their chemistry was also off the charts. they really looked like they enjoyed playing with and for each other. so so many guys who were easy to root for when you knew their story. also, brandon crawford should’ve won mvp this season and the fact that he wasn’t even a finalist is lunacy. praying we can get back to something close to this team this year!! 🧡🖤
Yeah that '21 season was so fun and entertaining. I remember that night against the Diamondbacks to keep their losing streak going, such an epic game. I miss seeing that chemistry and excitement in the Giants these last few years. Let's face it...Buster Posey was more their manager than Gabe Kapler was and after Posey retired its like they lost most (if not all) of their character and identity. I hope Bob Melvin and the current players can bring some of it back in 2024!
They definitely had a fluke season. Nearly all their players either had resurgence or career years at the same time. That just isn't normal. And they narrowly won the division race by a Mike Tauchman homerun Robbery of Albert Pujols. Mind u Mike was picked up off waivers from the Yankees.
They played perfect... that's what happened... perfection of analytics. They were truly crazy with the platoons but that's platoons working to perfection the last 2 seasons r platoons not working to that capacity. Although they still manage hot starts typically.
As a Giants fan, i really enjoyed 2021 not just cuz of their success, but because it finally spiced up the LA/SF rivalry. It had been kinda one sided since the Giants sucked but in 2021, LA and SF were the 2 best teams in baseball record wise and it finally felt like the rivarly that its supposed to be. It was fitting that the division race came to the final game and they would meet in the postseason. Miss these times.
When you look at a random player's baseball reference page and they have one of their best seasons randomly at age 33 or something like that, in a way that defies logic except for the fact that it shows there is natural variance from year to year... the 2021 Giants was that happening to every player on the roster all at the same time.
Hey Jolly, great video but you forgot one key moment in the season that robbed fans out of the last and potentially the BEST game 163 in baseball history. On July 22 a blown check swing call that went the way of Darin Ruf on a pitch thrown by Kenley Jansen provided the black magic Giants the opportunity for yet another comeback win in such a clutch season. Obviously, many other games were played and this 1 game should have not mattered... But it did. It adds another layer to the check swing in game 5. Sucks to know that check swing calls robbed 1 more head to head match on this historic season and at least 1 more pitch in one of the best NLDS in history.
2021 Giants = the epitome of overperformance/good luck/players exceeeding their normal levels They were two, maybe even three standard deviations above the norm Anomaly would be understatement
The funny thing is Kapler had a young Phillies team in 2018 (that also regressed and had to be retooled around Harper and FA signings) playing to a very high standard compared to the previous season and expectations in before an absolute freefalling collapse in August and September took them from leading the division to finishing in 4th and 12 games back by the end of the season. For all Kapler's flaws the man knows how to get more than the best out of a group of players for short periods of time.
Glad you highlighted that 107 wins is too much to be purely luck. Pessimistic Giants fans love to dismiss 2021 as a fluke, but it’s impossible for a team to be that consistently dominant over a full season because of luck alone.
I started watching the Giants in 2021. I was dating someone at the time who took me to my first game. There was something utterly magical about being at that game-especially after such a long period of isolation during the height of the pandemic. The camaraderie was natural and beautiful among all of us strangers at the game that day, and I’m sure I’m not the only person who felt that way. The relationship ended, but I’ll always be grateful to him for introducing me to the Giants. I’ve been to several games since. I realize I was spoiled by the 2021 season, but I still keep watching. I’ve loved getting to know these players and this organization-even though their decisions have sometimes been questionable. There’s just such a rich history there. I can’t wait until the season starts again. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Us giants fans knew they would make the playoffs, just not win that many games. The teams each of the last two years were good enough to make it but did not perform on the long run
Not even in baseball, this is probably the most baffling sports season in general to me of all time. The roster was not that different from the average years before and after this, but it all came together in a perfect storm for one year in 2021 for them to win 107 games of all things. Crazy.
My guess as to why they performed so high above expectations is because they had a lot of players who were in their contract year. Typically players want to play their best in this certain year so they can continue to get paid. Some of the names are gausman, descalfani, wood, belt, Bryant and many more. It’s just my two cents.
Reminiscent of the 1993 season when Gyros won 103 and the Bravos won 104…and the Giants had to go home. Second best record in baseball and they didn’t make the playoffs. No pansy wildcards back then. You won your division and made the postseason or you went fishing and listened on an old radio. I’m a die hard Giants fan so that season kills me (only season Giants had Clark and Bonds at the same time, plus they featured _two_ twenty-game winners), but the braves 4 stud pitchers were just two much. Those teams were both loaded so in that respect it wasn’t much like 2021, but the NL West Division race coming down to the final game and the two teams having the best records in baseball was much like the 2021 race.
As a Dodger fan I was happy to see Buster go out with a solid season and wins. His leadership was absolutely one of the reasons the team succeeded. Bochy molded a HOF catcher. I hope they spend more money and become competitive again. Dodgers vs Giants and Yankees vs Redsox is great for baseball. Make these teams strong,
As a Giants fan I agree, so quit spending billions of dollars and signing everyone!! LOL. In all honesty I feel the same. Similarly why I hope the Dodgers end up keeping Kershaw. For as much as he torched the Giants over the years, it wouldn't feel right seeing him in a different jersey.
As a Giants fan I too love a good rivalry. It may be a few years before we are competitive again. Our kids have to do something this year. No FA (or combination of FAs) on this market is going to push my boys to a winning record.
Great video Jolly , only thing I wish you touched on more was the epicness of game 1 of the nlds , Logan Webb was amazing in his first ever playoff start and then he was almost just as good in game 5.
Great d great pitching 👏 big ballpark timly hitting ( or clutch) just good timing randomly happing all year. An alot of dudes that wanted to get paid... kinda the perfect storm of health an Desire to be paid. Super close to 2013 soxs really
2021 was a weird year, and I’m a Braves fan. Crazy how my team has won 100+ games so many times in my life but the year they win 88 games was the year they decided to finally win when it matters. I feel for the Giants in 2021 but don’t feel too bad for them cause they have 3 rings in the last decade or so.
The '21 Giants is the exclamation point on Buster Posey's HOF worthy career. While not his crowning achievement, and not a strictly personal achievement, he was undoubtedly the leader of that club. He had the ability to significantly help bring out the best in pitchers. His game calling, leadership, pitch framing and defense were extremely valuable. Pitchers just succeeded with Buster catching. He was a huge piece in the winningest season in Giants history. In a shortened career , he was the embodiment of professionalism and excellence. His swan song season was nothing short of amazing. Posey=HOF
I wonder if Posey was the reason Kapler was able to perform at Manager of the Year status. Fans aren’t in the clubhouse, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Posey’s leadership took some of the load off Kapler so that he could be a hands-off manager. It’s all speculation, but Posey clearly was a fundamental piece to the team’s leadership and clubhouse culture
Very well said. Both of you guys are correct. Posey was a true General out there. You could just see how much more comfortable our pitchers were with him behind the plate. Buster definitely belongs in the Hall.
@@AnnPorkinsBuster was in the room when Kap was interviewed for the manager’s job. So his opinion definitely mattered. When he retired, it came crashing down.
The dbacks game in June was electric
No Posey in 2021, no 107 wins. But Posey for HOF might be a stretch since he only played 1371 games, just 1500 hits, 158 home runs, and had an OPS of .832. On the other hand he had 7 all-star appearances, 5 silver sluggers, 3 World championships, and NL MVP in 2012 so maybe.
Brandon belt over 2020-21 was such a monster. Third highest wrc+ in the entire sport behind only Harper and Soto for that span
I love watching Brandon Belt when he is hot. He carried the team on his back for a while many times. He would have hit 30 homers in 21 if he didn't get hit in the hand.
The only two seasons he was any good but only played 97 games in 2021.
As a dodger fan that year was wild. Also jolly you should make a video about yasiel puig dominated the league and then disappeared
People might say it was a “fluke” but it was amazing to watch and especially battling the west with LA.
They relied on platooning which is basically luck based. They ended getting lucky and the veterans really stepped up. This was a fluke year and is the worst thing to happen to this franchise since it set us back by extending Farhan and Gabe. Instead of going after the newer shortstops in FA, we decided to run it back. This franchise is sad with no direction. And I’m a giants fan…
Huge shoutout to Posey tho, he not only was one of the best players but he basically led the team and kept the clubhouse together.
I can confidently say it was this team in this year that rekindled my love for baseball from sport I liked but had awful personal history with to something I that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Thank you for reminding me of that joyous year, although Brandon Crawford learning to double jump in the Divisional Series is a moment that shouldnt be overshadowed by the blown call
Posey controlled the pitching staff and guys had really good offensive years.
I think it's more a testament to Posey than it is as a team even though the team had an above average year offensively
I love how you keep saying that luck was involved, but you said it yourself the giants put quality players in the best position possible for them to win every game. Also #WilmerDidntGo
Ruf did though
Love it! Great insight as always jolly. hope the running is going well
Thanks for doing another video on my squad. Sucks that they couldn't put a bow on it, but it definitely was an incredible season.
god as a Padres fan it’s hard to deny how beautiful this season is for the Giants. nothing quite like it and will certainly be admired for decades. special team
Always find your videos super interesting, informative and well made. Keep up the good stuff
Quietest 107-win season I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. And like those 116-win Mariners in Ichiro’s first season, it ended just as everyone suspected it would: w/o even an appearance in the World Series, much less winning it.
Don’t make me cry. That season was beautiful
As a Giants fan, this season was magical. No matter what despite the heartbreaking NLDS loss to LA. The last two seasons since have been so mid and uninteresting tho. Starting out well but fizzling out come September. With the new players in JHL, Jorge Soler, Matt Chapman along with a new manager in Bob Melvin, I'm once again really excited for Giants baseball. I doubt will touch 107 wins again but a postseason birth would be real nice 🤞
So glad someone’s talking about this. I was baffled at the time and I’m still baffled now. I have never seen a team over-perform more than that. Perhaps the 2013 Boston Red Sox, team built on good vibes and beards, since they went all the way
It needs to be said how extraordinary those home run numbers really are. Oracle park is the worst ballpark to hit home runs in all of the Major leagues. There were only 176 homers hit in the ballpark that season, good for 22nd in baseball.
Or a ballpark factor of 85 for home runs.
The Giants havent had a 30+ HR season since Bonds because of this.
Thats pretty damn crazy if you ask me.
I loved how from like mida May to the end of the September, there were so many "not sustainable" or "How is this sustainable?" posts. Loved it.
it was a legendary season. I had good times all year, thanks for the memory
This was the very best year the SF Giants had...after that, it was not the same! I even miss one of my favorite Giants player (wore #33 at the time he was on the team) and loved it when he was hitting HRs against teams, especially against Dodgers. If I have time, I plan to watch the 2021 Giants games as I am a MLB subscriber because it brings back the great memories of what I believe was a great baseball season! Thank you for sharing this video as it gave perspective of how this team won 107 games in 2021! ⚾️☀️🌴🌁🌉🙌😊
Love the haircut jolly, had to cut the flow too but it's a sick haircut 🤌🏼
Its honestly heart warming to see a Mets fan send a video Cheer Up card to their depressed parent.
This is why u should have kids folks.
They always pick ur spirits up when u need it most (at least when theyre young, like the toddler Mets)
Thanks Jolly ,we love you too 🖤 🧡
The giants in oracle being up there in the league for homeruns is what amazes me
that season was so special to me as a giants fan
As someone who was to young to truly appreciate the Giants 3 Championships from 2010-14, the magic of the 2021 season is something me and all other Giants fans will hold on forever.
Watching this season was the most fun I’ve had as a giants fan
Jake McGee was a superstar in 2021 for the Giants. Buster Posey provided great leadership as a future hall of fame catcher. Less than a year later, both were out of baseball.
Yeah I remember McGee fell off hard after 2021 but I thought he signed with some other team after the Giants released him, no?
@@jonnyt16 He was designated for assignment by three different teams in 2022.
It’s kind of funny SF won the division with a controversial check swing against the dodgers. Then in the DS the dodgers won with a controversial check swing against SF. And yes I know that’s not the only reason…
It’s both funny and insane that they won 107 games with Gabe Kapler and Farhan Zaidi. They are just bad now cuz Buster Retired
When he was with the Yankees, I remember Mike Tauchman could also run in addition to field. He just didn't hit very well for us.
I called it... dodgers are focused on selling tickets and not chips... giants have too many loyal fans and a much better team this year
this is the biggest outlier season i have ever seen. i remember predicting for them to quickly fall off after may, and they just never did. they kept over performing at every single position
The 2023 giants bullpen was elite until we overused because we had no starting pitching
I hear what was spoken in the video, but I refuse to believe Brandon Crawford geniuniely hit for a .895 OPS. There was some cheating lab in San Francisco at play. But wow, what an incredible bullpen. Really shows how important and volatile the position is given lots of the names had their peak year that season and regressed since then.
They did nothing in the several seasons before, and nothing in the couple after that season. Fluke period, this didn't the same Giants team that won 3 in 5 years, not even close. None of those teams even won 100 games the years they won world series. They got it done in playoffs and had a great manager, who got them to play above their talent when it mattered
great vid, fellow NL best enjoyer
Losing off a check swing still brings sadness
10:22 Darin Ruf played in South Korea, not Japan
That was a fun year
I liked "2 teams" on the one spreadsheet.
We will never forgive Gabe Morales. He blew multiple calls besides the game ender. I hope he loses his job and has to foreclose his mortgage
I still don't belive that thats how the season ended
I'm convinced Jolly made this video just to throw shade at Jeff Passan.
HAIRCUT!💈💇🥵
Wins don't matter just get into the playoffs. When the Giants went on their even year world series run they were averaging around a .500 year season. They got hot in the playoffs that's it. They won't win another championsip for another 100 years because their city is a disaster. Think of Oakland.
they just got that dawg in them that year
I miss Buster
As a Braves fan, I owe the Giants a huge favor for this season. The Dodgers were slowly closing in on our 14 straight division title record.
As a Giants fan, all we ask from you is that the Braves keep knocking the Dodgers out of the playoffs, thanks!
As a Dodgers fan I can say that 2021 was maybe the most fun season in recent memory its always better when the Giants are competitive imo although im still always rooting against them
same
As a Giants fan I’ve come to appreciate the true almost computer like regular season consistency by the dodgers to continue to win and keep that farm top 10 despite trades. I would’ve thought it would push us to grow the farm and simply add good players to supplement. Only 1 team did this correctly and will continue for the foreseeable future and the Giants will keep doing the cheap way lol.
Yeah, those damn Giants....Buster Posey is just a different animal.
I wanna see a Giants vs Dodgers NLCS!
1000% agree.
Every time I look at the 21 Giants bbref page I'm just mystified. They led the NL in home runs despite their individual leader only having 29. Truly a case study in how baseball is a team sport & how a deep roster is super important
Fun Fact: the Giants have not had a single player hit 30 or more home runs in a season since Barry Bonds!
Giants World Series titles with Barry Bonds: 0 Without Barry Bonds: 3
100% baseball is a team sport.
F**k bonds
@@jonnyt16How can you not win a World Series win your guy gets on base three quarters of the time 😂
Cheating lab was going wild that year for real 💯
@@Baseball2287
Because that same guy was so bloated, he could barely jog to a very catchable lazy fly ball that fell in front of him, triggering the Angels’ comeback and winning it all next time out…that’s how.
To put it into perspective 2021 Giants were 1 win behind the 2018 Red Sox, 1975 "Big Red Machine" Reds, and 1970 Dynasty Orioles. They won as many games as the 2019 Astros and more than any Dodgers team until 2022. 107 wins is a truly special, Top 0.1% achievement.
Don't forget the 108 win 86 Mets, the 114 Wins 98 Yankees and of course the 116 Wins 01 Mariners.
9 less than the 2001 mariners
and not winning a WS makes it worthless, lol.
@@Despiser25 that is what makes it crazy...the 114 win yankees won 125 games and the title easily...only 7 behind them is insane considering the talent going into the year
@@randomman3321also 9 less than the 1906 Cubs... who played 8 fewer games and also had two ties
As a diehard giants fan, it really cannot be stated how integral posey’s return was for us that season. Every single guy on the roster that year knew it was poseys last year, and went all in. That aspect coupled with incredible clutch moments by lamonte and yaz nearly every night was electric to watch. Also, respect tyler rogers, dude is an absolute dawg
As a Giants fan watching this season unfold I always had a feeling of too good to be true. I was enjoying the season but always mentally goal posting them 😅
As a Dodgers fan I didn’t like watching their steroid abusing head coach hand out steroids to the players like candy. Thank GOD they brought back steroid testing in 2022 and 2023
@@Dodgers-sw2uk
Don't forget the cheating labs 😂
@@eddielopez4698 whatever that means
@@Dodgers-sw2uk as a dodgers fan. How does it feel to waste a your time every single october??
Dodgers haven’t had a parade in 3 decades. What an enjoyable team LOL
This season was so bizarre. Darin Ruf being a feared clean up hitter on a MLB team, Anthony Desclafani leading the top of the rotation with Gausman, every single vet having crazy good years....
Hear me out, the Giants win the 2021 world series if Brandon Belt isn't injured in the playoffs. The NLDS came down to the final innings and could have drastically changed with Belt.
Belt was a top 5 hitter in baseball with 29 homeruns (any barry bonds curse enjoyers?) at the time of his injury. Dodger fans like to say Muncy being injured was comparable, but look at their numbers towards the end of 2021... Belt was a difference maker and the best hitter on the team for most of the year...
100 percent. Belt was that clutch home run hitter we needed there. Hes been there before.
I doubt they win it all
@@razkablethey didn’t need to win it all they just had to Beat LA
As a giants fan, this was the most fun summer ever! This team was insane.
As a Dodgers fan, this was probably the most "WTF do we need to do to catch these guys" summer ever.
That was a special season I will never forget. I went to the finale game of the regular season for the dodgers v giants and the atmosphere was spectacular. I missed that rivalry
It’s also worth mentioning the hitting coach Donny Ecker. I think he is the unsung reason for that teams offensive explosion. He has since left for the Texas Rangers with Bochy 👀
I did not know this...🤔🤔
Good point because the hitting was trash in the last two seasons. Last season for sure from what I remember
I liked how this was so close, I remember a division game back in 2021 where Albert pujols nearly hit a walkoff homerun and was robbed, that robbery would have won the dodgers the division but that game ended in a loss
And the Giants cut Tauchman but every person on that Giants team contributed in some way
How about the game Ruf clearly swung and ump said he didn’t? That game was robbed, but karma came around game 5 of the nlds for the giants huh? 😂
@@beerussama7093 couple other times that happened both ways
@@beerussama7093 When Gabe Morales run up Wilmer on his checked swing against Scherzer, I immediately thought of the non-call on Ruf...I still complained about Gabe's call but I knew that I couldn't really get THAT bent out of shape about it. We all knew Ruf got away with that one :)
@@beerussama7093 I certainly recall Dodgers fans crying about the Ruf non-swing call for months. Looks like you clowns still can't get over it!
The pitching likely had a lot to do with Buster calling them. Really a once in a lifetime kinda player. Sad you didnt mention how Wade got his 'Late Night Lamonte' nickname
late night lamonte came up in game 5 in the 9th and he was the ONLY batter i was afraid of... soon as scherzer got him out i was much more comfortable
ofc that caused dead arm, but having only 3 starters will do that to a team.
The pandemic shortened season did wonders for the Giants older veterans, those dudes fully healed and came back rejuvenated in ‘21
It'll be really interesting to see a retrospective on the Arizona Diamondbacks run to the World Series in 2023. Much like this Giants team, this most recent Snakes team felt so flukey and lucky that it still is weird to me that they won the NL Pennant.
winning 107 games in the regular season is way more impressive than winning 84 and getting hot/lucky during the postseason
@@pizzaparity both are interesting to talk about
I disagree. The dbacks have been building for awhile, and they have a bunch of hungry young players. They are not flukey, they are finally seeing the results and will be competitive for the next 5 years at least. They have a solid 1-3 in their rotation, they have an AS GG first baseman who hits a lot of homers, they have a new franchise outfielder who just won rookie of the year. They also have ketel marte who had like a 20 game postseason hit streak.
I see no fluke in their team, they just succeeded a bit earlier than expected
@@daltonred7774 Well the next few years will determine if Arizona was a fluke or not but yeah I agree that team is loaded with great young talent. They're not winning by signing high-dollar power hitters like some other teams try to do. They're doing it with stellar pitching and masterful defense....similar to how the Giants won 3 in 5 a decade ago. I like it.
Corbin Carrol ain't flukey!!
Wish you showed the blown call against Jansen.
💯. At least we got em back in the nlds 😂
That 2021 NL West division race between LA and SF was as close as I have ever seen since I started watching baseball.
The Sunday Night game where Buehler was gassed, I knew at that moment, LA would have to settle for the WC. LaMonte Wade Jr was really their unsung hero. Every time I saw him come up to hit in the 9th inning, I said oh no.
True, it made no sense how the Giants were THAT good that year. But it made for must watch every night.
I hate the Giants, but I can't deny how fun it was watching every LA vs SF game be THAT significant.
I hate the Dodgers lol, but yeah that 2021 season is how rivalries are SUPPOSED to be. I was literally following the Dodgers just as close as my Giants haha. And the way you felt about Wade is how I felt about Trea Turner when you guys traded for him. Every time he came to bat I knew he would get on base and/or knock in some RBIs no matter what!
Now the last few years you guys have pretty much just been pounding us and unfortunately for me I think that will continue for the foreseeable future. Well, I do remember the Giants sweeping you guys in a series last year, and in LA to boot! Plus didn't they give the Dodgers their worst shutout loss ever or something like that if I'm not mistaken? Small victories like that is all I have to look forward to now I guess, lol.
LaMonte hit went .415/.439/.660 in high leverage situations.
His season totals were .253/.326/.482
Absolutely insane
I’ll never understand how the giants pulled this off, everyone maxed out there potential and ceiling at once great vid jolly
Naw they just didn't have to face cheating pitchers anymore.
@@baseballvideos90right. Which is why the Giants have been performing well ever since 2021😂 use your brain
@@TryPuttingItInRice When the manager leaves players in for more than 4 innings per game they do perform....use you eyes funny guy....
@@baseballvideos90 cool story kid. Your logic is flawed. Cry harder.
@@TryPuttingItInRice Look at the Giant's roster then, and look at it now different teams buddy.....Learn baseball other than HomeRuns and Strikeouts buddy.....go play anime by the lake buddy
Truly some of the best baseball content on TH-cam.
Thanks for making this video! This is a mythical season to us giants fans. What an anomaly.
Arizona had their worst season ever that year and was just feeding wins to LA and SF all season. it was really painful year to watch those guys play.
June 15th of that year must have been REALLY painful for you to see....
2021 was by far the most fun season I've watched in my 20 years of living, watched almost every game
The giants players patiently waited for the smoke to clear on these cheating pitchers with sticky substances and finally had their 1 year to show what happens when pitchers can't cheat and forget to pitch on their own
That Giants team played so far over their head it was insane. Like it's astounding watching them the last two years because even those squads feel like overachievers.
I disagree that the last two years have felt like over achieving, especially 2023. It felt that way at the end of May when the young guys, JD Davis, and Michael Conforto propelled them from sub-.500 to 10 games over. But most batters had pretty underwhelming seasons on the whole, and I could see a world where a few lucky breaks and better health pushes them from 79 wins to competing for a Wild Card until the end.
@@AnnPorkins Yeah, injuries really hurt the Giants in 2023. Crazy to think halfway through the season they were ahead of the Dodgers. Even swept them in a series in LA if I remember correctly.
@@jonnyt16 Not to mention 15-0 on a Saturday night game.
@@jonnyt16 the injuries were the biggest reason. The Giants had three guys top 100 innings at all and Manaea was all over in terms of bullpen vs rotation, and the lineup kept having to dip into AAA.
2021 Giants were so much fun to watch, they had that dawg in them!
As a Diamondbacks fan, I can tell you that the NL West is a Group of Death sometimes. It's wierd.....
You get a lot of flukes out of that division diamondbacks last year and 2011. Giants In 2021. D’backs and Rockies in 2017. Rockies again in 2007. Mediocre teams that get hot at the right time.
There ain't nothing like the fiery motivation to one up the Dodgers. Yall felt it this year, the Padres the year before, the Giants the year before that.
@@alwillkthey’re not flukes. Like in the video, it was good management and good chemistry to get wins. Teams just want it more
@@alwillk Okay man, really? Flukes?
Nl group of death....the al west last year was good and the al east is always stacked...the real group of death
Loved the video! There’s a lot to cover in a 15-minute video and it’s impossible to touch on everything, but I just want to shout out the contributions of a few others that didn’t get much time in the video.
Brandon Belt was a force, putting up the best numbers of his career. He missed a good chunk of time and would have broken the Giants 30-HR drought if he hadn’t been hit in the hand.
Evan Longoria was quite good in his 80 or so games, which helped lighten the 3B load for guys like Wilmer Flores and Kris Bryant.
Johnny Cueto wasn’t spectacular, but he provided some quality innings after several lost injury-plagued seasons. Nice way to rebound at the end of his hefty contract.
Austin Slater has quietly been one of the best punch hitters in decades, and he particularly shined in 2021.
LaMonte Wade Jr got some love, but his solid numbers don’t express how clutch he was. They call him Late Night LaMonte for a reason.
Darin Ruf is handsome. That is all.
And I’ll stop with Buster Posey. This whole video could have been about him, and it still would have understated his importance to the Giants. His clubhouse presence was foundational to winning Giants baseball, his ability to work with pitchers made the fancy coaching decisions easier to implement, and it was a joy to see him hit the fountain of youth with the bat one last time. I wonder if the 2022 teams and beyond could have maintained some of that 2021 magic if Posey hadn’t retired.
lamonte hit like 700 in the 9th inning or later i think
The 2013 Red Sox kind of had this feel to them as well. They had a bunch of free agent signings that all went amazingly well and won the World Series. Sure, they still had Big Papi and Pedroia, but it was Gomes, Victorino, and Napoli who played huge roles the whole season. I forget how many games they won, but the duo of Lester and Lackey in the rotation stunned the Tigers in the ALCS.
9:45 I really feel like you dropped the ball by not mentioning he also earned 1of the greatest all time nicknames that year, *"LATE NIGHT LAMONTE"* 😂😂because of his clutch hitting
The 2021 season is what made me love baseball again, that giants squad was special. I loved that it was led by the old boys giving it one last hurrah before either retiring or just coming back down to earth. I think if they had made it past the Dodgers there was a good chance of them winning it all, though I did like seeing Freddie win with the Braves. Crazy how this happened just two and a half years ago but already feels like it has been ages. I'm really hoping the Giants get it together soon here, past two seasons were extremely disappointing, but I have hope that Jung Hoo Lee can spark some excitement here.
Agreed, hopefully Lee, Bob Melvin, and the new staff can help make a positive impact
The giants dodgers rivalry peaked this year and idk if it ever be topped, better than New York days imo, as a giants
this season totally revitalized my love for the giants. stats are obviously much easier to quantify and translate into why this team was so successful, but their chemistry was also off the charts. they really looked like they enjoyed playing with and for each other. so so many guys who were easy to root for when you knew their story.
also, brandon crawford should’ve won mvp this season and the fact that he wasn’t even a finalist is lunacy.
praying we can get back to something close to this team this year!! 🧡🖤
Yeah that '21 season was so fun and entertaining. I remember that night against the Diamondbacks to keep their losing streak going, such an epic game. I miss seeing that chemistry and excitement in the Giants these last few years. Let's face it...Buster Posey was more their manager than Gabe Kapler was and after Posey retired its like they lost most (if not all) of their character and identity. I hope Bob Melvin and the current players can bring some of it back in 2024!
Craw was a fluke that year just like the rest of the team.
They definitely had a fluke season. Nearly all their players either had resurgence or career years at the same time. That just isn't normal. And they narrowly won the division race by a Mike Tauchman homerun Robbery of Albert Pujols. Mind u Mike was picked up off waivers from the Yankees.
Winning 107 games isn't a fluke
12:07 Kevin Gausman makes Shohei look absolutely silly. Love it.
God I want Gausman back
@@iggy_vibez No kidding. Farhan Zaidi messed that up big time. Gausman even wanted to stay in SF.
They played perfect... that's what happened... perfection of analytics. They were truly crazy with the platoons but that's platoons working to perfection the last 2 seasons r platoons not working to that capacity. Although they still manage hot starts typically.
As a Giants fan, i really enjoyed 2021 not just cuz of their success, but because it finally spiced up the LA/SF rivalry. It had been kinda one sided since the Giants sucked but in 2021, LA and SF were the 2 best teams in baseball record wise and it finally felt like the rivarly that its supposed to be. It was fitting that the division race came to the final game and they would meet in the postseason. Miss these times.
It just sucks we lost to the dodgers in the playoffs I hope we get revenge on them 😤
When you look at a random player's baseball reference page and they have one of their best seasons randomly at age 33 or something like that, in a way that defies logic except for the fact that it shows there is natural variance from year to year... the 2021 Giants was that happening to every player on the roster all at the same time.
I'd rather be proud of a failing regular season than be a Dodgers fan proud of a 60 game world series that wasn't even played at Chavez Latrine.
🫡 id rather be anything than a dodgers fan
LAMONTE WADE JR MENTIONEDDDDD 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Late Night LaMonte
Hey Jolly, great video but you forgot one key moment in the season that robbed fans out of the last and potentially the BEST game 163 in baseball history.
On July 22 a blown check swing call that went the way of Darin Ruf on a pitch thrown by Kenley Jansen provided the black magic Giants the opportunity for yet another comeback win in such a clutch season. Obviously, many other games were played and this 1 game should have not mattered... But it did. It adds another layer to the check swing in game 5. Sucks to know that check swing calls robbed 1 more head to head match on this historic season and at least 1 more pitch in one of the best NLDS in history.
2021 Giants = the epitome of overperformance/good luck/players exceeeding their normal levels
They were two, maybe even three standard deviations above the norm
Anomaly would be understatement
The funny thing is Kapler had a young Phillies team in 2018 (that also regressed and had to be retooled around Harper and FA signings) playing to a very high standard compared to the previous season and expectations in before an absolute freefalling collapse in August and September took them from leading the division to finishing in 4th and 12 games back by the end of the season. For all Kapler's flaws the man knows how to get more than the best out of a group of players for short periods of time.
Glad you highlighted that 107 wins is too much to be purely luck. Pessimistic Giants fans love to dismiss 2021 as a fluke, but it’s impossible for a team to be that consistently dominant over a full season because of luck alone.
I started watching the Giants in 2021. I was dating someone at the time who took me to my first game. There was something utterly magical about being at that game-especially after such a long period of isolation during the height of the pandemic. The camaraderie was natural and beautiful among all of us strangers at the game that day, and I’m sure I’m not the only person who felt that way.
The relationship ended, but I’ll always be grateful to him for introducing me to the Giants. I’ve been to several games since. I realize I was spoiled by the 2021 season, but I still keep watching. I’ve loved getting to know these players and this organization-even though their decisions have sometimes been questionable. There’s just such a rich history there. I can’t wait until the season starts again. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Your relationship with that guy may have ended, but you gained THOUSANDS of more friends in becoming a Giants fan. Welcome to the family!!
Us giants fans knew they would make the playoffs, just not win that many games. The teams each of the last two years were good enough to make it but did not perform on the long run
Jeff Passan was catching strays 😭
The 2021 Giants cheating lab was so special
I think they're still a good org in terms of development, just lacking in talent at this point
Not even in baseball, this is probably the most baffling sports season in general to me of all time. The roster was not that different from the average years before and after this, but it all came together in a perfect storm for one year in 2021 for them to win 107 games of all things. Crazy.
That nlds was maybe the best series in post season history
My guess as to why they performed so high above expectations is because they had a lot of players who were in their contract year. Typically players want to play their best in this certain year so they can continue to get paid. Some of the names are gausman, descalfani, wood, belt, Bryant and many more. It’s just my two cents.
Some other names I found were Jake McGee and Brandon Crawford
Great video jolly. Was a crazy run
Reminiscent of the 1993 season when Gyros won 103 and the Bravos won 104…and the Giants had to go home. Second best record in baseball and they didn’t make the playoffs. No pansy wildcards back then. You won your division and made the postseason or you went fishing and listened on an old radio. I’m a die hard Giants fan so that season kills me (only season Giants had Clark and Bonds at the same time, plus they featured _two_ twenty-game winners), but the braves 4 stud pitchers were just two much. Those teams were both loaded so in that respect it wasn’t much like 2021, but the NL West Division race coming down to the final game and the two teams having the best records in baseball was much like the 2021 race.
As a Dodger fan I was happy to see Buster go out with a solid season and wins. His leadership was absolutely one of the reasons the team succeeded. Bochy molded a HOF catcher. I hope they spend more money and become competitive again. Dodgers vs Giants and Yankees vs Redsox is great for baseball. Make these teams strong,
As a Giants fan I agree, so quit spending billions of dollars and signing everyone!! LOL. In all honesty I feel the same. Similarly why I hope the Dodgers end up keeping Kershaw. For as much as he torched the Giants over the years, it wouldn't feel right seeing him in a different jersey.
As a Giants fan I too love a good rivalry. It may be a few years before we are competitive again. Our kids have to do something this year. No FA (or combination of FAs) on this market is going to push my boys to a winning record.
Great video Jolly , only thing I wish you touched on more was the epicness of game 1 of the nlds , Logan Webb was amazing in his first ever playoff start and then he was almost just as good in game 5.
Posey almost went oppo taco into the bay , would have been the first righty ever if it didn't hit the smoke tower
Great d great pitching 👏 big ballpark timly hitting ( or clutch) just good timing randomly happing all year. An alot of dudes that wanted to get paid... kinda the perfect storm of health an Desire to be paid. Super close to 2013 soxs really
This is why I love baseball
2021 was a weird year, and I’m a Braves fan. Crazy how my team has won 100+ games so many times in my life but the year they win 88 games was the year they decided to finally win when it matters. I feel for the Giants in 2021 but don’t feel too bad for them cause they have 3 rings in the last decade or so.