SAN FRANCISCO – First baseman Brandon Belt made an unforgettable entrance to Oracle Park on Friday – one only a captain can make – as part of the Giants’ elaborate Opening Day festivities prior to their game with the Miami Marlins.
Wearing a captain’s hat and a taped “C” on his jersey befitting of his status, Belt, roughly 10 minutes before the first pitch, entered the park from left field on a boat that was being towed by a truck.
Belt threw baseballs into the crowd and saluted his teammates once he arrived at the dugout. Belt then threw out the first pitch to Giants manager Gabe Kapler.
Belt isn’t an official team captain but began using the moniker last September. Prior to a Giants game with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, third baseman Evan Longoria used electrical tape to spell a captain’s “C” above the lettering on the left side of Belt’s jersey.
“Captain” Brandon Belt’s magnificent, nautical entrance in its entirety pic.twitter.com/7bqoIwLWPM
— Evan Webeck (@EvanWebeck) April 8, 2022
During the Giants’ trip to Chicago, Longoria said Belt had proclaimed himself San Francisco’s captain, so, like in hockey, he put it on his jersey.
Belt leaned into it, saying at the time, “I was not going to wear it, but everybody thought that I should. So being the leader that I am, I stepped up and did it.
“When you’re the alpha, you’ve got to do it. Everybody else just follows along. There’s a chance it was self-proclaimed and actually, it was, and as I said, they just get in line when they know.”
Belt is the Giants’ longest-tenured player with 10 years and 128 days of service time, slightly ahead of shortstop Brandon Crawford (10 years, 94 days).
Belt hit second in the Giants order Friday behind Mike Yastrzemski. This is his 12th season in a Giants uniform, and Friday was the 11th time he’s been on an Opening Day roster.
In captain-like fashion, Belt had the Giants’ first hit of the season. His bunt to the left side of the infield to beat the shift in the third inning resulted in an error by Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas, whose throw wound up in foul territory behind first base.
That allowed Joey Bart to score from first base for a 1-0 Giants lead. With Belt on second base, Darin Ruf then singled to right for a 2-0 San Francisco lead.
The Giants’ pregame presentation also featured several members of the U.S Navy’s parachute team, the Leap Frogs, landing on the field at various times after players and coaches from both teams were introduced.
The Giants offered remembrance to those associated with the team who have died in the past year, also remembering Ray Fosse and John Madden with the video tribute, as the expected sellout crowd stood in silence.
Recording artist Brian McKnight sang the National Anthem, and a moment of silence was also held for the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
