Thank you, Matt Cain. #ForeverGiant #ThanksCain pic.twitter.com/4QIY6cB8el
— San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) October 2, 2017
After his emotional final start on Saturday, Matt Cain penned an emotional final goodbye to the Giants organization and fans in a Player’s Tribune article released on Monday. The entire piece is terrific and tells the story of Cain’s journey through the big leagues, starting from when he was a young boy in Alabama, all the way through his last start, and the many notable moments along the way.
Cain begins the piece by saying that he only recently realized why it meant so much for him to play for the Giants for his entire 15 year career.
“A lot of people have asked me why it meant so much to me — to play for one team, and one team only,” Cain writes. “And the truth is, while it was happening, I never really had a good answer. I knew it’s what I wanted … I’m just not exactly sure I knew why. But as these last few days have come and gone — with making the decision, and making the announcement about my last start, and pitching for the last time, and suiting up for the last time, all of that — I think everything has come a little more into focus.
“I think I’ve realized that, what I’ve been able to build for myself here in San Francisco … it’s just so much bigger than baseball. It’s bigger than the innings I’ve pitched, or the games I’ve won — or even the championships we’ve brought home. It’s something that you can’t measure by looking at my stats, and you can’t understand by looking at my scouting reports.
“I think I’ve realized that what I gave you guys is 15 years of baseball. And that what you gave me back is an entire life. I got to build an entire life here in San Francisco. I got to grow into a man, and a husband, and a father. I got to become someone, and something, that looking back — and now, in another way, looking forward — I can truly be proud of. I got to become Matt Cain, Pitcher, San Francisco Giants.
“And I’ll always be in your debt for that.”
Somewhat surprisingly, Cain also spoke glowingly about Barry Bonds, who he said acted as a mentor early in his career.
“And speaking of people who didn’t have to: I’ll tell you who was one of the best, nicest guys to me, during those first few years, straight up — it was Barry. He’d sit me right by him on the plane, and man … he would just talk the game to you, so caringly, through his eyes. And of course he’s on this next level, so even when he’s trying to explain things to you, it’s a little, like, O.K., well, that’s why you’re the best ever, and I’m just a kid — but even in those moments, honestly, he was as understanding as could be. And he protected me. Whether it was from other teams, and giving me advice on how to deal with certain situations, or it was from guys on our own team who he felt were coming down too hard on me … truly very few people were there for me, at the beginning of my career, like Barry.”
Finally, Cain detailed the emotions he felt on his final day at AT&T Park, and gave one last thank you to everyone who has supported him over the past 15 years.
So, you know — thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to the best organization and the best fans in all of sports. You are what makes this franchise great.
And you are what made my life in baseball possible.
And you know what: I think that was the moment.
That was the moment, I think, when I finally answered the question — of why it meant so much to me to play my entire career as a Giant. It wasn’t the first World Series, or the second, or the third, or the LCS against the Cardinals, or the LDS against the Reds, or one of the hundreds of Dodgers games, or the perfect game … or any other moment in between. It was the reaction that I got from those fans, on that afternoon, on my last day as a starter.
It was a reaction that said, Hey — we know what you’re going through. And guess what: We’re going through the exact same thing. It was a reaction that said, You’re going to miss this? Well, guess what: We’re going to miss this — we’re going to miss you — just the same.
It was a reaction that said, When you’re in this ballpark, you’re not just “Matt Cain, Pitcher.” You’re “Matt Cain, Pitcher, San Francisco Giants” — and you’re not on your own. We’re right here, with you, and we’re going to do this together.
And that’s what happened. I walked out of the bullpen, and I took the mound — and I didn’t feel alone the entire time. It was kind of wild to think about: 25 years after my dad had showed me this trick he’d learned in the backyard from some kid … there I was, gripping that ball, for the last, first time.
I waited for Buster, and then went into my windup.
You grip the baseball, just like that … and you throw.
It’s still about the greatest trick I’ve ever seen. It’s still never gotten old. And on my last day ever as a pitcher, it’s the craziest thing … but it still worked.
That’s the thing about magic.
You can read the entire piece here.