How clubhouse remodel will give Giants extra motivation in 2025

How clubhouse remodel will give Giants extra motivation in 2025 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — When the Giants return home Friday, they will unveil upgrades to their famous Coca-Cola bottle and the concessions at the field level. Fans can try new items like an elote hot dog, miso ramen and bacon ranch buffalo pretzel. The light shows have been sharpened in year two with that technology, and on Tuesday, the Giants will wear their new City Connect jerseys for the first time.

The most eye-popping change, though, will come in an area that most in the public will never have access to.

The organization is putting the finishing touches on the entryway to the home clubhouse, which now includes a case for the three World Series trophies. When players walk through the front door every day, they will get a reminder of the best stretch in franchise history, and eventually the wall will be covered with photos of past Giants stars and notable moments.

“I just want them to understand the history of the Giants, and even beyond those three World Series trophies, just the type of players that have come through and what the San Francisco Giants mean to the city of San Francisco,” new president of baseball operations Buster Posey said last week. “We’re planning to have some pictures behind the trophies of parade celebrations or what have you. I just think it’s important. This is a storied franchise and those were obviously a big part of it.”

The addition of the trophies was first brought up by Brad Grems, the organization’s senior manager for the home clubhouse and Major League equipment. Last year, that wall was home to a mural and a television that showed still photos from games, but as the new regime thought about changes in the offseason, Grems couldn’t help but think about what it’s like to walk into the clubhouse at Dodger Stadium. 

When Dodgers get out of their elevator, they stroll down a long hallway filled not only with World Series trophies, but also Cy Young Awards, MVP trophies, Rookie of the Year trophies, Gold Gloves and more. That’s common in a lot of MLB ballparks. Nobody spends more time around the actual Giants jerseys than Grems, and he wanted players to know what it has always meant to wear orange and black. 

“There needs to be a sense of pride when these guys walk from the parking lot through that hallway,” he said. “It’s setting an expectation of what it means to be a Giant and what it means to put that uniform on. It brings back that allure and legacy.”

When the previous regime was in charge, many in the organization noticed that there seemed to almost be a targeted effort to shy away from anything that had to do with the dynasty. This spring, the Giants made subtle changes to return to their roots, putting up some new photos at Scottsdale Stadium and inviting a huge crowd of former Giants standouts to come to camp as guest instructors.

Grems mentioned the trophies in a meeting about two weeks after Posey was hired and the new boss was immediately on board. Players haven’t seen the full remodel yet, but they were excited by the presence of the trophies — the Giants have two sets, and still will keep the other one on the concourse for fan photos — when they hosted a two-game exhibition series at the end of the spring. 

“I think it’s awesome. You should celebrate winning and your history,” Matt Chapman said. “When I was with the Blue Jays they had the two World Series trophies right in the entrance to the clubhouse and I thought it was cool, so I’m glad we’re doing it. That’s Giants baseball right there. I think it just sets the tone.”

The Giants also plan to spend all season celebrating 25 years at Oracle Park, starting today, with a ceremony that will include Barry Bonds, Rich Aurilia and other members of the 2000 team. Posey didn’t hesitate when asked which moment stands out from his own career. In 2012, he caught Matt Cain’s perfect game, the only one in franchise history. 

“I don’t know how many times I’ve watched Arias make that last play at third and I still get nervous when he falls backwards,” he said, smiling. “That’s just the epitome of a team game to me. A seemingly meaningless game, I don’t know what the score was, but the electricity in the stands was like nothing else other than a playoff game and that was in June.”

Cain’s massive fist pump after the 27th out surely will be represented on that wall of photos in the clubhouse, and you can bet there will be a Gregor Blanco reference, too. It’s the first phase in a remodel that so far has also included new lighting to make the entrance to the clubhouse feel cooler in general. Grems was especially proud that the lighting includes the words “Mike Murphy’s clubhouse.”

Murph’s office used to be the first thing anyone saw when they walked into the clubhouse, but for the past half decade that space was used by analysts, who now have been moved elsewhere. The room at the front of the clubhouse now will belong to members of the front office. The real stars of that hallway, though, are the three trophies.

“I didn’t know that was happening, but I absolutely loved it,” Logan Webb said. “The first time I saw it I was walking by with someone and we were like, ‘Let’s make sure there’s space for another one.'”

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