born march american professional baseball catcher san_francisco_giants major_league_baseball stands feet inch tall weighs pounds bats throws right handed filled base giants grew georgia played sports high school playing baseball excelled hitting pitching attended began playing catcher position won golden spikes award selected giants fifth overall pick major_league_baseball draft major league debut september beginning season minor leagues called major leagues presence time catcher played base originally called majors giants regular catcher end june traded texas_rangers team giants later face world series rookie finished batting average home runs runs batted named national_league rookie year caught inning playoffs giants won world series missed year severely injured collision home plate returned injury posted batting average win batting title second san francisco giant win batting title named valuable player won second world series year giants swept detroit_tigers games signed year contract extension worth million record sum length player level experience won world series following year giants defeated early years oldest children born march georgia nickname came father childhood nickname played football soccer basketball growing baseball main sport junior pitched played shortstop year hit doubles triples home runs setting school records batting average runs batted rbi pitching achievements included record earned run average era senior year batted rbi setting school record home runs starts pitcher year record era strikeouts defeated fellow future major played senior season named year louisville state player year baseball america american graduated grade point average high school fourth class students drafted 50th round major_league_baseball mlb draft anaheim chose college instead signing professional baseball contract college career played college baseball coach played shortstop freshman starting games named louisville freshman american finished freshman season batting average home runs rbi sophomore moved catcher position suggestion assistant coach batted home runs rbi season playing position finished second voting junior hit home runs rbi won johnny bench award garnered collegiate baseball player year award hit grand slam played fielding positions victory pitcher day struck batters faced awarded golden spikes award end year college offseason started shortstop won championship started catcher won championship professional career draft minor leagues considered best catcher available major_league_baseball draft drafted san_francisco_giants fifth overall pick august giants signed shortly signing deadline gave million bonus largest bonus giants history entering season ranked number prospect giants organization invited giants spring training following spring training assigned giants class advanced affiliate games batted runs hits doubles home runs rbi july promoted giants class aaa team games batted runs scored hits doubles home runs rbi san_francisco_giants present injury giants starting catcher called majors time september major league debut september striking bat los_angeles_dodgers got major league hit september dodgers bats giants hits coming ranked prospect giants organization appearing giants spring training camp began season batting runs scored hits doubles home runs rbi games called major leagues started base drove runs major league career going rbis appeared primarily base end june hit career home run cincinnati_reds june following trade texas_rangers june starting catcher giants hit career grand slam july route home run hit rbi night game streak july july batted hits home runs rbi set national_league record day stretch according performance earned player week honors week july july game inserted giants batting order clean hitter regular position lineup game hitting streak started july ended july florida threw hitter giants streak fell game short tying rookie mark set short team record batted hits home runs rbi awarded player month rookie month awards excellent july september hit eighth inning home run chicago_cubs win game hit eighth inning home run san_diego_padres final game year october giants secured west division championship defeating games batted runs scored hits doubles home runs rbi named rookie year place votes playing finished second sixth giant win award joining sixth catcher history win award named peers players choice awards outstanding rookie named catcher league finished 11th valuable player mvp voting braves batted giants won series games game championship series philadelphia_phillies rookie hits game giants won batted hits rbi series giants defeated phillies games game world series texas_rangers formed rookie starting pitcher catcher tandem world series caught game world series hit postseason home run victory making fifth rookie catcher hit home run world series giants won series games giving batted home run rbi series world series ring caught inning playoffs giants set season highs hits rbi april including run home run victory game florida injured collision home plate cousins scored winning run 12th inning giants loss suffered fractured torn ankle requiring season ending surgery cousins disciplined said hit intentionally order score hit punish punish chance ball coming expressed regret injuring saying certainly didn want hurt cousins received threats fans denounced appreciate continued support giants fans begin process working way way threats kind family said week scott games batted runs scored hits doubles home runs rbi started catcher perfect game june 22nd major league history stated game feeling nervous baseball field played july going walk run scored batting home runs rbi games star break batted home runs rbi final games season july hits rbi victory braves days later hits rbi including run home run cole inning victory phillies days later hits rbi including run home run victory hit game winning run home run august victory september hits including game winning run home run wade victory games runs scored hits tied eighth doubles tied eighth home runs rbi sixth teammate batted asked mlb rule ineligible batting title receiving game suspension raised levels result led leagues batting average catcher lead hitting second san francisco giant win batting title following barry bonds batting average left handed pitching led batters major leagues game reds october hit grand slam reds starter giants lead subsequently won game giants second team win division series games permanent standard playoffs catcher mlb history hit grand slam playoffs completed throw double play base sixth inning help preserve victory batted hits rbi giants defeated cardinals seven games hit run home run max game world series giants swept detroit_tigers giving second world series ring season named mvp won silver award catcher position won hank tigers won american_league award marking time history world series opponents won award year named comeback player year received giants organization eligible salary arbitration time signed year million contract giants prior spring training season march agreed year contract extension worth million said giants lucrative franchise history contract wiped arbitration years years free agency locking services season club option agreement second largest major league history catcher exceeded july named week week june june second time earned award career games hit raise average base percentage slugging percentage home runs drove july caught hitter san_diego_padres hitter marks 15th giants history second performed away july played second straight star game striking bat offense following mvp season especially second half season hit home runs finished solid batting average home runs runs batted july pitcher hit grand slam home runs marked time major_league_baseball history catcher pitcher hit grand game august win milwaukee brewers park went innings catcher giants franchise history career hit games world series giants defeated seven games giving ring years june caught rookie hitter new_york_mets field including final marks seventeenth hitter giants franchise history hitter played catcher fourth overall started base second career hitter puts record hitters caught held june win los_angeles_dodgers hit grand slam stole base giants catcher years accomplish feat days later win san_diego_padres park hit grand slam july selected career star game number voting september field win hit 100th career home run november named winner year award given best defensive catcher mlb following day named winner national league silver award catcher win field hit run home runs route career high runs batted second rbis single game giants catcher selected start catcher mlb star game fourth career mlb star game time giants catcher franchise history catcher battery mate second battery mate started caught classic teammate personal life married high school sweetheart january twins lives family season home georgia season younger sister samantha played april hit home run cycle
Buster Posey