Matt “The Bat” Williams impressed the scouts at UNLV so much that he was the Third Overall Pick in 1986, and a year later, he first made the Giants, but the first three years were a little on the ugly side.
From 1987 to 1989, Williams was strong defensively at Third and Short but had not found his hitting, batting under .200 with 34 Home Runs in 747 Playoff Appearances. The power was there, and he was helpful in San Francisco reaching the 1989 World Series, but the improvement was still needed, and Williams rose to that challenge in 1990.
Now the everyday Third Baseman, Williams, broke out with 33 Home Runs, a league-leading 122 RBIs, and an elevated Batting Average of .277. An All-Star and Silver Slugger this year, Williams smacked at least 20 Home Runs each of the next six years, including 43 in 1994, which led the league. He was also second in MVP voting in '94 and began a three-year streak of All-Star Selections. Williams also added a second Silver Slugger in 1994 and was a three-time Gold Glove winner for the Giants defensively.
San Francisco traded Williams to Cleveland in 1997, ending his run with the Giants with 247 Home Runs, 732 RBI, and 1,092 Hits. The Giants honored Willams by inducting him as a member of their inaugural Wall of Fame Class in 2008.
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