Lost in the go-ahead home runs, baserunning blunders, lead changes and bullpen implosions, the two biggest plays of the Giants’ Opening Day 6-5 win involved Mark Hallberg, San Francisco’s freshman third base coach.
Hallberg, whose globetrotting story makes his rise to the post remarkable, waved both Joey Bart and winning run Darin Ruf through third base aggressively but safely. In his first big-league game as a third base coach, Hallberg gave the final kick to both San Francisco’s first run of the season and the Opening Day walk-off.
Manager Gabe Kapler called Hallberg’s decisions “excellent” postgame. Though some third base coaches can be labeled as conservative or aggressive, Hallberg plans to treat every moment on a play-by-play basis.
“I think foundationally, you need to understand the game states,” Hallberg, 36, said Saturday. “Where you can be a little bit more aggressive or not. Whether (Ruf) was out or safe to win the game yesterday, I think it was a quality decision with where he was at. I knew the outfielder was playing in the gap. You want to make him throw him out in that situation.”
And although this was the first Opening Day for the Giants in Life After Buster, Hallberg represents a unique connection to the legendary catcher who looms large over this season.
Fifteen years ago, after transferring in from University of Illinois Chicago, Hallberg arrived at Florida State as a sure-handed infielder. So fundamentally sound, he pushed All-American shortstop Buster Posey off the position — from shortstop to catcher.
Posey and Hallberg roomed together in college and remained close through the years, Posey told Andy Baggarly of The Athletic in 2019.
“We could go three, four months without speaking and hop on the phone and it feels like we’re back as roommates in college,” Posey told The Athletic. “As we go through life, I know I could pick up the phone and give him a call if I need anything, and he feels the same way. It’s one of those unique relationships. Hopefully, all of us have a chance to meet a few people like that.”
Having the franchise cornerstone as a job reference can’t hurt for an aspiring coach. After retiring from playing baseball in 2012 — Hallberg rose to as high as the No. 4 prospect in the Diamondbacks organization — Hallberg went back to school to finish his degree. He knew he wanted to coach.
Hallberg got experience in the Cape Cod Baseball League and overseas at a high school in Dubai before eventually getting hired to coach the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes — then San Francisco’s Class A affiliate — in 2018. He became the team’s manager the next year and then an assistant coach for the big league club the year after.
Hallberg’s work ethic and worldly perspective made his rise an easy call for Giants brass.
“Nobody works harder than he does,” Kapler said. “We talked about that when we placed him as our third base coach. It was a huge loss — Ron Wotus was a huge loss, and has seen that play so many times over. It’s hard to replace someone that is that good at their job, but Mark is a relentless preparer.”
It also made him a logical choice to succeed Ron Wotus as the Giants’ third base coach. Hallberg said he’s open to feedback from Wotus and Tim Flannery, whom he met for the first time before the Opener.
Those coaching legends are excellent resources for Hallberg, but third base coach isn’t a completely foreign responsibility for him; Hallberg had coached third in spring training, the Cape League and at the high school level.
Still, this is The Show. It was Opening Day for Hallberg just like it was for everyone else. And he was quickly put to the test.
And it was fitting that Hallberg’s first send with the Giants was to Bart, whom he coached at Salem. Bart, looking like a linebacker sprinting from first, scored on an errant throw that ended up down the right field line. Hallberg waved the familiar face home with authority and Bart scored standing up. One-for-one.
“I was pretty sure I was going home, but as soon as I saw him sprinting home, I was like, ‘I’m following you,’” Bart said.
The decision gave San Francisco its first run of the season.
“I think he understands the strength of opposing outfielders,” Kapler said. “He understands the speed on the bases. Mark is not leaving any stone unturned…
Then, a lead change and a clutch Thairo Estrada game-tying home run later, Hallberg had another call to make.
Mauricio Dubón’s indecisive baserunning led to an out at second, but Darin Ruf drew a walk to keep a rally alive in the bottom of the tenth. Austin Slater ripped a double into deep left, and all 6-foot-2, 232 pounds of Ruf came chugging toward Hallberg.
Kapler said he was “100% behind” the decision to send the huffing-and-puffing Ruf — even if he got gunned down at the plate. Getting two-out hits against relievers is a tall task, and holding up Ruf at third would’ve risked stranding him there.
Ruf was about halfway to third when left fielder Jorge Soler corralled the ball by the wall. Hallberg emphatically windmilled him through with conviction. The coach was damn near at home plate, beating Ruf to the finish line.
As San Francisco’s designated hitter slid into home, Soler’s throw one-hopped into Jacob Stallings’ chest. If Stallings fielded it cleanly and put the tag on Ruf, he may have gotten him in time.
“There was no extra gear,” Ruf said. “It was probably downshifting more than anything.”
“I think Darin is sneaky athletic,” Brandon Crawford said.
“Never a doubt,” Slater said. “He unhitched the trailer and he got there.”
Hallberg’s career at third base is off to a perfect start. And among the many texts he received after Friday’s thrilling win, fittingly, came from his former roommate Buster Posey.