You might find Mark Gardner these days at Copper River Golf Club.

The former MLB pitcher and coach still calls Fresno home.

“I’m retired, so it’s just play golf every once in a while, relax, and enjoy. And, I keep up with the Giants. It’s always nice to be able to come back (to San Francisco),” Gardner told GV Wire on Saturday at Oracle Park.

Before Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, the Giants honored the 2014 World Series-winning team. Gardner was on hand for an on-field ceremony, followed by taking in the game from a luxury suite with his fellow coaches from that year’s team.

“We were always the underdog. We had to go through the Wild Card system. We didn’t blow the doors off anybody. We didn’t win the division. But these guys really stepped up,” Gardner said. “And the playoffs require total dedication. You’re mentally drained after a few games, and you have to persevere. And they did that. They came through and never gave up,” Gardner said.

The Giants won their third World Series in five years in 2014. In the playoffs, they clipped Pittsburgh in the Wild Card game, then defeated Washington, St. Louis, and Kanas City en route to the title.

Dramatic moments marked the playoff run, including an 18-inning win at Washington; former Fresno Grizzlies player Travis Ishikawa hitting the pennant-winning homer; and Madison Bumgarner’s legendary World Series Game 7.

Giants manager Bob Melvin joked “I don’t like any of them.”

Melvin managed the rival Oakland Athletics in 2014.

“We had some spirited battles with those guys,” Melvin said on Saturday. “Those teams were so good. They always were always the team that showed up at the moment, and in big moments and won close games, big games,” Melvin said.

Why Fresno Turns Out MLB Talent

Gardner, a Clovis High, Fresno City and Fresno State grad, pitched 13 years for Montreal, Kansas City, Florida, and the Giants. After his playing career ended in 2001, he served as the Giants bullpen coach from 2003 to 2017, and has three World Series rings to his credit.

What made Fresno such a hotbed for talent such as New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge?

“They’ve got some good coaches in town. They’ve all been mostly products of Fresno State. You know, (coaches) Bob Bennett, Pete Biden, and Mike Batesole. So it’s always been a good head coach out there, and usually the disciples and the former players who get out there in the high schools and Little Leagues. So it’s a good quality. It’s a good fundamental, school of learning. And I think that’s kind of trickle down to all the youth,” Gardner said.

The usually sunny skies are a benefit as well.

“It was a good place to be outside and play baseball. And that’s all we did as kids. You know, there were no video games or anything. So you really honed your skills outside. It was always a good community,” Gardner said.