1981 San Francisco Giants season explained

San Francisco Giants
Season:	1981
League:	National League
Division:	West
Ballpark:	Candlestick Park
City:	San Francisco, California
Owners:	Bob Lurie
General Managers:	Spec Richardson, Tom Haller
Managers:	Frank Robinson
Television:	KTVU (Lindsey Nelson, Gary Park, Edgard Martinez)
Radio:	KNBR (Lindsey Nelson, Hank Greenwald, David Glass)

The 1981 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 99th season in Major League Baseball, their 24th season in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season, and their 22nd at Candlestick Park. Giants manager Frank Robinson became the first black manager in the history of the National League.^[1] Robinson was also the first black manager in the history of the American League.

Offseason

December 8, 1980: Chris Bourjos and Bob Knepper were traded by the Giants to the Houston Astros for Enos Cabell.^[2]
December 9, 1980: DeWayne Buice was drafted from the Giants by the Oakland Athletics in the 1980 minor league draft.^[3]
December 12, 1980: John Montefusco and Craig Landis (minors) were traded by the Giants to the Atlanta Braves for Doyle Alexander.^[4]
December 12, 1980: Joe Strain and Philip Nastu were traded by the Giants to the Chicago Cubs for Jerry Martin, Jesús Figueroa, and a player to be named later.^[5] The Cubs completed the deal by sending Mike Turgeon (minors) to the Giants on August 11, 1981.^[6]
February 9, 1981: Joe Morgan was signed as a free agent by the Giants.^[7]
March 23, 1981: Billy Smith was purchased by the Giants from the Philadelphia Phillies.^[8]
March 31, 1981: Gorman Heimueller was released by the Giants.^[9]

Regular season

Opening Day starters

Notable transactions

April 20, 1981: Mike Ivie was traded by the Giants to the Houston Astros for Dave Bergman and Jeffrey Leonard.^[11]
May 17, 1981: Phil Ouellette was signed by the Giants as an amateur free agent.^[12]
August 3, 1981: Mike Sadek was released by the Giants.^[13]

Roster

1981 San Francisco Giants
Roster
Pitchers	CatchersInfielders	Outfielders	ManagerCoaches (First Base) (Third Base) (Hitting) (Pitching) (Bullpen)

Game log

Regular season Game log

First half

|-style=background:#fcc| 5 || || || Dodgers|-style=background:#fcc| 6 || || || Dodgers|-style=background:#fcc| 7 || || || Dodgers|-style=background:#fcc| 19 || || || @ Dodgers|-style=background:#cfc| 20 || || || @ Dodgers|-style=background:#cfc| 21 || || || @ Dodgers|-|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Phillies || colspan=8 | Postponed (Rain) (Makeup date: May 2)|-style=background:#cfc| 22 || || || @ Phillies|-style=background:#fcc| 23 || || || @ Phillies|-style=background:#fcc| 24 || || || @ Phillies|-style=background:#fcc| 25 || || || @ Phillies|-style=background:#cfc| 29 || || || @ Expos|-style=background:#cfc| 30 || || || @ Expos|-style=background:#cfc| 31 || || || @ Expos|-style=background:#fcc| 32 || || || @ Expos|-style=background:#cfc| 33 || || || Phillies|-style=background:#cfc| 34 || || || Phillies|-style=background:#fcc| 35 || || || Phillies|-style=background:#cfc| 36 || || || Expos|-style=background:#fcc| 37 || || || Expos|-style=background:#cfc| 38 || || || Expos|-style=background:#cfc| 42 || || || @ Astros|-style=background:#fcc| 43 || || || @ Astros|-style=background:#cfc| 44 || || || @ Astros|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Reds || colspan=8 | Postponed (Rain) (Makeup date: August 14)|-style=background:#cfc| 48 || || || Astros|-style=background:#fcc| 49 || || || Astros|-style=background:#cfc| 50 || || || Astros|-|-|- style="text-align:center;"| Legend: = Win = Loss; = Postponement
Bold = Giants team member

Games canceled

|-|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || Dodgers || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || Dodgers || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || Dodgers || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Dodgers || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Dodgers || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Dodgers || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Phillies || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Phillies || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Expos || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Expos || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || Phillies || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || Phillies || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || Phillies || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || Expos || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || Expos || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || Expos || colspan=8 | Canceled|-|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Astros || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Astros || colspan=8 | Canceled|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || @ Astros || colspan=8 | Canceled|-|- style="text-align:center;"| Legend: = Postponement

Second half

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bbcaff;"| colspan="12" | 52nd All-Star Game in Cleveland, Ohio|-style=background:#fcc| 58 || || || Astros|-style=background:#cfc| 59 || || || Astros|-style=background:#fcc| 60 || || || Astros|-|-style=background:#fcc| 86 || || || @ Dodgers|-style=background:#fcc| 87 || || || @ Dodgers|-style=background:#cfc| 88 || || || @ Dodgers|-style=background:#fcc| 89 || || || @ Astros|-style=background:#fcc| 90 || || || @ Astros|-style=background:#fcc| 91 || || || @ Astros|-style=background:#cfc| 96 || || || Astros|-style=background:#fcc| 97 || || || Astros|-style=background:#fcc| 98 || || || Astros|-style=background:#cfc| 99 || || || Dodgers|-style=background:#cfc| 100 || || || Dodgers|-style=background:#fcc| 101 || || || Dodgers|-|-style=background:#bbb| — || || || Padres || colspan=8 | Postponed (Rain) (Makeup date: October 3)|-|- style="text-align:center;"| Legend: = Win = Loss; = Postponement
Bold = Giants team member

Player stats

= Indicates team leader

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C	97	316	98	.310	2	33
1B	96	396	101	.255	2	36
2B	90	308	74	.240	8	31
3B	102	357	92	.258	12	48
SS	104	324	82	.253	0	28
LF	99	385	103	.268	17	53
CF	96	364	105	.288	5	41
RF	72	241	58	.241	4	25

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
63	145	37	.255	3	13
46	131	29	.221	1	12
37	127	39	.307	4	26
38	87	20	.230	1	7
50	68	11	.162	1	7
36	61	11	.180	1	5
19	45	15	.333	1	4
19	36	6	.167	0	3
18	32	6	.188	0	1
35	29	2	.069	0	2
10	20	4	.200	0	2
7	17	5	.294	0	3
8	15	2	.133	0	0
5	15	4	.267	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
24	152.1	11	7	2.89	77
22	129.1	8	8	3.76	83
22	123.0	6	9	4.02	65
18	124.2	8	6	2.45	63
19	90.2	4	4	4.07	47

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

G	IP	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
55	84.1	4	5	21	2.88	29
47	100.2	7	5	7	2.41	78
45	77.2	5	2	1	2.55	37
34	65.2	2	6	4	3.84	45
9	15.2	0	1	0	3.45	8
11	15.1	0	0	0	3.52	12
10	11.1	0	0	0	7.94	11

Awards and honors

1981 Larry Herndon LF, Willie Mac Award

All-Star Game

Vida Blue, reserve

Farm system

External links

1981 San Francisco Giants at Baseball Reference
1981 San Francisco Giants at Baseball Almanac

Notes and References

Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p.198, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York,
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bourjch01.shtml Chris Bourjos
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/buicede01.shtml DeWayne Buice
https://www.baseball-reference.com/a/alexado01.shtml Doyle Alexander
News: Giants trade twice on final day. December 22, 2014. Associated Press (AP). The Ledger. December 13, 1980. Lakeland, Florida. 3D.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/straijo01.shtml Joe Strain
https://www.baseball-reference.com/m/morgajo02.shtml Joe Morgan
https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/smithbi05.shtml Billy Smith
https://www.baseball-reference.com/h/heimugo01.shtml Gorman Heimueller
Web site: 1981 San Francisco Giants Roster by Baseball Almanac.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/iviemi01.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/o/ouellph01.shtml Phil Ouellette
https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sadekmi01.shtml Mike Sadek