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MLB reacts to Willie Mays’ death: ‘He was a true giant on and off the field’

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Major League Baseball and San Francisco Giants legend Willie Mays died on Tuesday at the age of 93.

The “Say Hey Kid” displayed a showman’s talents, making catches in center field, making daring runs on the basepaths, winning four home run crowns, collecting 12 Gold Glove Awards and laughing with a joyous high-pitched voice.

Mays spent 21 of his 23 major league seasons with the Giants in New York and San Francisco. He batted .301 with 660 home runs, 339 stolen bases and 3,293 hits, and won two National League MVP awards.

Mays left an indelible mark on baseball, prompting many members of Major League Baseball to pay tribute to him during Tuesday night’s game and on social media.

MLB quotes and anecdotes:

Ken Griffey Jr.: “My heart is on the ground,” the Hall of Famer told MLB Network. “I’m grateful to have spent this time with Mays because he is a true giant on and off the court.”

Judge Aaron: The New York Yankees star outfielder and California native reflected on his meeting with Mays.

“I have a family friend who is very close to his family,” the judge said. “I had a chance to meet him. He showed me something about throwing a baseball out of the outfield that I still remember. I still have some cool stuff in my childhood room.

Judge added: “(His death) is really, really terrible news. I was a huge Willie Mays fan. What he meant to the Cal game, to all Giants fans, especially when I was growing up. For fans, you want to play like Willie and catch the ball like him.

“The numbers he puts up on the field and everything he does is impressive, but he’s even greater as a person and a person. It’s bigger than baseball. He’s special. Baseball is definitely missing a great one. players.

Mike Yastrzemski: “The things he did, we’ll never see again,” the Giants outfielder said of Mays’ career. “He’s an extremely talented player who plays in the purest way that anyone can. To be able to see that on film — and I’m glad there’s a film — because that’s what’s going on for the rest of the time. Something that will be watched and studied.

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Giants react to Willie Mays’ death: ‘He did things we will never see again’

Sergio Romo: “He’s very willing every day to donate his time, his expertise, his advice,” Romo, a three-time World Series champion with the Giants, told NBC Sports Bay Area about Mays’ visit to the club. Case. “He makes you feel visible.”

Bruce Burch: This game introduces you to some great players and people, and I spent a lot of time with Willie during my tenure (in San Francisco), and it’s a sad day,” said the former Giants manager and current DE Texas Rangers manager said. “He’s truly a legend.”

Billy Owens: The Oakland Athletics’ assistant general manager and Bay Area native paid tribute to Mays in a text message CompetitorMelissa Lockard.

“It’s all about saying hey… right there, Muhammad Ali is the greatest,” Owens said. “A remarkable performance has been recorded. The style can never be replicated. His power, speed and grace will always be unique. Nearly a century later, the capture still captures the imagination. Willie was a fixture in New York (Polo Grounds) and San Francisco (Candlestick Park). I’ll be watching the game at Rickwood Field (Birmingham) this week and imagining Willie catching the ball in center field and hitting a home run into the stratosphere. RIP and say Hey Willie Mays.

Steven Kwan: “(Mays) is the face of the Giants,” said the Cleveland Guardians outfielder and Bay Area native. “It’s him and Barry Bonds, they’re together forever. You see them talk. You wish you To be able to be a fly on the wall in these conversations.

Stephen Vogt: Cleveland Guards head coach Stephen Vogt’s grandfather lived in Oklahoma, which had no MLB team nearby. He chose the New York Giants as his team mainly because he hated the Yankees and Dodgers. He loved watching Mays play and would talk endlessly about the center fielder to his son, Randy.

In 1958, when Randy was three years old, the Giants moved to San Francisco. The Giants became his team and Mays became Randy’s hero. The family goes to Candlestick Park every year.

Stephen is also a Giants fan. Vogt has season tickets in the upper left field line. Stephen signed with San Francisco for the 2019 season. That spring, he met Mays. The two chatted and took photos in the club. Randy framed the photo and put it on a shelf in his office.

“They’re gods to you,” Vogt said of Mays. “It’s just this unfathomable number. You never really see him on TV, (just) highlight reels. It was really cool to see him and get a chance to chat with him.

Harold Reynolds: “Willie was like a dad to all of us,” the former Seattle Mariners second baseman told MLB Network. “He was the generation that carried on the tradition. … He gave you advice in every aspect of your life.

Craig Counsell: “I’m saddened by the news about Willie Mays,” the Chicago Cubs manager said. “In my opinion, this is one of the Mount Rushmores of baseball players. A legend in our game. I met him a few times. He was, like Hank Aaron, one of those guys who made you feel Nervous guys because of how great they are. It was so sad to hear that today at the game.

Cody Bellinger: “I saw the news (of Mays’ death) in the seventh inning and was very sad about it. It was special to wear No. 24. He was one of the best players in our game. Just seeing him on the field. A true blessing just a few times and an incredible man, best wishes to his family now.

Bellinger wore No. 24 with the Cubs, the same number that Mays wore with the Giants and New York Mets.

The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, Melissa Lockard, Zack Meisel and Sahadev Sharma contributed to this article.

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(Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)





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