FanFest: New outfielder Andrew McCutchen says right thing to win over Giants faithful.
Andrew McCutchen didn’t take long to win over Giants fans.
At Saturday’s FanFest at AT&T Park, a fan asked a panel of Giants where they get most fired up to play on the road, and McCutchen didn’t think twice.
“Somebody I want to stick it to every time I get fired up … is the Dodgers,” said McCutchen, prompting a roar from several hundred fans who broke into a “beat L.A.” chant.
It was the first sign that McCutchen will wear his 22 jersey well, a number that was worn by celebrated Giants Will Clark and Jack Clark, both of whom have tales to tell about Giants-Dodgers lore.
Manager Bruce Bochy was on the panel, too, along with new center fielder Austin Jackson.
“We hated the Dodgers then, too,” said Bochy, drawing another roar from the crowd as he recalled his playing days with the Padres.
Someone asked McCutchen what he admired from afar about the Giants, and he mentioned how one particular chant — “What’s the matter with McCutchen? … He’s a bum” — was so perfectly coordinated between bleacherites in left field and center field.
“Now that I’m on this side, it’s awesome,” said McCutchen, who encouraged fans to keep directing the chant at visiting players. “Let ‘em hear it. I heard it for nine seasons.”
McCutchen grew up wearing No. 11 because it was a favorite uncle’s number, and he wore 24 throughout the minors because of Ken Griffey Jr. When he got to the Pirates, 24 — which Barry Bonds previously wore in Pittsburgh — was taken by a pitcher, Tom Gorzelanny.
“A pitcher? Who wears 24 as a pitcher?” said McCutchen, who was given 22 instead but figured he’d get 24 once Gorzelanny moved on.
“My rookie year passed, and 24 was available, but I kind of made a name for myself with 22,” McCutchen said. “I saw a lot of kids wearing it and thought that was kind of cool. I stuck with it, and I’m excited they gave me the number here.”
McCutchen said he already heard from Clark. “He said there’s a lot of hits left in this jersey,” McCutchen said.
McCutchen, Jackson and third baseman Evan Longoria were acquired to help improve a team that lost 98 games and finished 40 games behind the Dodgers, who won the National League West five straight seasons.
Brandon Crawford, sitting alongside Longoria, reminded the audience none of those division titles led to a World Series championship — the Dodgers haven’t won it all since 1988 — while the Giants won the World Series as a wild card in 2014, their third title in five years.
That, too, made fans erupt.