When SF selected Hunter Bishop (Serra HS), they noted his Bay Area roots as a plus. To date, Bishop looks like a Round 1 bust. Hopefully, he can get back on track at some point after he regains his health.
Heck, the most popular Giants during the title years were Posey, Bumgarner and Pence. All of them grew up far from California.
I think fans do follow players who grew up in their hometown more closely than others (Chris Speier was always one of my favorites because we played youth baseball on the same team) but that is not a determining factor regarding whether they attend games. It is all about winning and that requires highly talented players from all over the world.
Today, among others, we are looking at a Venezuelan prospect to carry the torch alongside a North Carolina product.
Heck, the most popular Giants during the title years were Posey, Bumgarner and Pence. All of them grew up far from California.
I think fans do follow players who grew up in their hometown more closely than others (Chris Speier was always one of my favorites because we played youth baseball on the same team) but that is not a determining factor regarding whether they attend games. It is all about winning and that requires highly talented players from all over the world.
Today, among others, we are looking at a Venezuelan prospect to carry the torch alongside a North Carolina product.