Another World Series is in the books, and the San Francisco Giants cement their place in history by winning their 3rd World Series title in the last 5 years with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals last night. The series was epic in every sense of the fashion, with blowout victories, come from behind wins, stellar pitching, it had everything a baseball fanatic could ask for. One aspect that gave the Giants confidence in the postseason was their walk up song choices. You may remember the Player Music Special I did on them this past March, and here I present it to you again with a few additions that show you the level of confidence and grit that these guys displayed during their magical victory run. Here are the champs song picks:
Brandon Belt: Jay-Z - 99 Problems The first baseman also affectionately known as "The Giraffe" has this gritty Jay-Z track and his walk up music. Belt has been gradually improving his offensive mindset at the plate, while playing a heck of a game at first base as well. I've seen Brandon come up from the very beginning, and has helped his team in more ways than one with his relentless pursuit of becoming a great major league first baseman.
Brandon Crawford: Ellie Goulding - Burn Another Brandon has some pop flavor added to the mix with his walk up song selection. This shaggy haired shortstop plays a great defensive game, diving right into the oncoming traffic of baseballs hit in his general direction, grabbing them down each and every time he gets it in his glove. His offensive numbers continue to improve each year and while not matching those of his fellow teammates, he knows where his strengths are and what his role is.
Buster Posey: Brantley Gilbert - Hell On Wheels The southern charm of the catcher Posey is well represented in this Southern fried nugget right here. The Georgia native has been a fan favorite ever since arriving in 2010, helping his team win the World Series that year over the Rangers, and continually puts up terrific numbers year after year. A leg injury wiped out most of his 2011 season, but he returned the following year and won the NL MVP along with his 2nd World Series ring (and now his 3rd). Buster is the model player and a exemplary gentleman.
Hunter Pence: Justin Moore - Beer Time The Houston, TX native and right fielder has this country number as his personal warm up track. Also known as "The Reverend", a nickname he earned during the Giants comeback victory over the Reds in the 2012 NLDS with his inspirational and motivating speech, Hunter is a true leader and carries the team on his shoulders night in and night out. With his bulbous eyes and flair for the dramatic, Pence is the player that fans will instantly love.
Madison Bumgarner: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man The postseason legend and World Series MVP known by fans as MadBum has some classic rock from the south in the form of Lynyrd Skynyrd as his entrance music. Bumgarner has been an integral part of the Giants rotation for a few years now, and has a tremendous ability to pitch deep into ballgames and throw hitters off balance with his extensive pitch arsenal. His humble and laid-back demeanor has made him a huge inspiration to up and coming athletes and myself included.
Michael Morse: a-ha - Take On Me
The World Series hero has this instant classic form the 80's as his walk up song choice. A free agent signing from the Nationals last year, Morse came back from a oblique injury and wasn't activated until this year's NLCS where he delivered a clutch, game tying homerun against the Cardinals, and his fiery athleticism showed off with his cool batting warm up "Morseing" starting to become a national trend. Morse is every bit as clutch as he looks.
Ryan Vogelsong: Alter Bridge - Metalingus Vogey has this 'song' as his entrance tune heading out to the mound. Ryan has had a fascinating journey en route to the major leagues, first pitching for the Giants in 2000, but he left and went to the Pirates and also pitched overseas in Japan as well. Returning to San Fran in 2011, he earned himself a spot in the rotation where he's been ever since, constantly honing in on his skills and reevaluating his game time and time again.
Sergio Romo: Banda MS - El Machon The ever vibrant closer has some Latino flavor to add to his game with this entrance song choice. Romo took over the closing duties full time last year after the departure of another bearded closer, Brian Wilson. Sergio knows how to keep things loose and limber, and is ready to charge out of the gate when his time on the mound comes, and throws some serious heat to earn the save and bring his team to victory countless times.