Al Rosen Says an Emotional Goodby to Giants

Al Rosen resigned Friday as president and general manager of the San Francisco Giants, ending a seven-year tenure during which the team went from a 100-loss season to the World Series.

In an emotional farewell, Rosen said he felt that with new ownership coming in, it would be best that he “step aside.”

“I’ve decided that it’s time for me to retire and I wanted to make my decision public immediately,” Rosen, 68, said at a news conference at Candlestick Park.

Rosen said that he didn’t plan to be very far from baseball, but added he would “never go to work for another club in the same role I am here.”

“I’ll be available,” he said.

Rosen started his resignation speech and then, overcome, stepped aside to compose himself. He returned to the podium, but before going on he stared at a wall containing pictures of Giant players.

“The last seven seasons with the Giants have featured some of the best times of my many years in baseball,” he said. “We’ve had a chance to be a part of a special time in San Francisco baseball, highlighted by a pair of division titles and a National League pennant.”

Rosen, a four-time All-Star during his playing days with Cleveland, joined the Giants in 1985, the season they lost 100 games.

He immediately started the turnaround by selecting Roger Craig as his manager.

The team went on to win two division championships and appeared in the earthquake-interrupted 1989 World Series, the so-called Bay Bridge Series it lost to the Oakland Athletics in four games.

Giant owner Bob Lurie put the team up for sale after he failed four times to persuade local voters to approve a publicly financed stadium to replace wind-swept Candlestick Park.

Rosen praised hearty Giant fans who braved the cold and wind at the ballpark.

“Anybody who comes and sits in this weather has to be a great fan,” he said.