San Francisco Giants Inviting Franchise Fan Favorites as Guest Instructors

The San Francisco Giants are tapping into their reservoir of former players to help mentor young players at spring training.

Jul 23, 2017; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti (19) jogs back to the dugout after visiting the mound during the fourth inning of the game against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park. | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are tapping into their long list of franchise alumni to serve as guest instructors during spring training this month.

Most franchises invite guest instructors to join the coaching staff during spring training, but the roster of returning players is especially relevant given the move to bring in franchise legend Buster Posey as the team’s new president of baseball operations.

Per the San Francisco Chronicle, the list of former Giants includes Yusmeiro Petit, Dave Righetti, Santiago Casilla, JT Snow, Javier Lopez, Marcos Scutaro, Rich Aurilia, Jeffrey Leonard, Joe Panik., Jermey Affeldt, Hunter Pence and Ryan Vogelsong.

Righetti is noteworthy as he both played and coaches for the Giants. He spent three seasons with San Francisco as a pitcher in the latter stages of his career, one that saw him finish 82-79 with a 3.46 ERA and throw a no-hitter with the Yankees.

He joined the organization as a pitching coach in 2000 and served for 17 years, working for Dusty Baker and then guiding the pitching staff to three World Series championships under manager Bruce Bochy.

Snow spent 10 of his 16 years in the Majors with the Giants. With San Francisco he finished with a slash line of .273/.369/.438/.807 with 124 home runs and 615 RBI. He won four of his six Gold Gloves with the Giants.

Aurilia, an infielder, spent the first nine years and the last three years of his 15-year Major League career with the Giants, including a National League-high 206 hits in 2001, which was his only All-Star season. With the Giants, he finished with a slash line of .275/.327/.431/.758 with 143 home runs and 574 RBI.

Pence became a fan favorite with the Giants, as he played on two World Series teams and played eight of his 14 seasons San Francisco. He was an All-Star with the Giants in 2014 and finished his San Francisco career with a slash line of .265/.322/.429/.750 with 95 home runs and 412 RBI.

Pitchers and catchers are set to report to the Giants’ spring training facility in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Feb. 12. The remaining position players report on Feb. 17. The Giants will open their spring training schedule at Texas on Feb. 22.

San Francisco will return to Oracle Park for two exhibition games against the Detroit Tigers on March 24-25. Following an off day, the Giants will open up the regular season at Cincinnati on March 27. San Francisco’s regular-season home opener is set for April 4 against Seattle.