Giants pay tribute to longtime shortstop on Brandon Crawford Celebration Day

SAN FRANCISCO AP Brandon Crawford grew up in the Bay Area as a San Francisco Giants fan He wound up playing 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 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 challenge against Texas He gave a speech to the fans who supported him from - I played in a scarce 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 commented 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 amateur draft It s such a great story a guy that grew up here grew up a Giants fan declared Rangers manager Bruce Bochy Crawford s skipper during the catcher s first nine seasons with the Giants In his first major league competition Crawford hit a grand slam off Milwaukee s Shaun Marcum in a - win May Since the Giants began playing in San Francisco in Crawford ranks in among the squad s top in hits fifth doubles fifth and triples third His baseball smarts were through the roof declared 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 commented he could return to the event in the future I may be stepping away from the field Crawford narrated the fans at the end of his speech but I ll unfailingly be a Giant AP MLB https apnews com hub MLB Source