Showing posts with label The Giants Win The World Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Giants Win The World Series. Show all posts
Monday, November 17, 2014
D_Y_N_A_S_T_Y
Well, many people are calling the Giants' World-Series-winning ways "Dynasty." Yes, the Giants have dominated this decade, and winning three titles in five years is certainly nothing to write off. Usually, though, dynasties have consecutive championships. But I won't deny the use of the word. I simply put spaces between the letters in my title.
Friday, November 2, 2012
The Giants Win The World Series - Again
The Giants win the 2012 World Series! Their second championship in three years. I can say right now that this will never get old, as I'm sure fans of other teams have found when their teams win several in a row or in an era.
The win was in such convincing fashion, that it will be well remembered in baseball history. They didn't only beat the best team in the AL, the Tigers were a powerhouse team with the most potent lineup, the most visible 3-4-5 hitters in the game - including the triple crown winner - and what most people consider the best pitcher in baseball. They were picked to win it all before the season, and it came as no surprise that the Tigers put it together in the post-season.
The Giants will be remembered for winning six consecutive elimination games, three after being down 2-0 to the Reds, and three after being down 3-1 to the Cardinals. They will also be remembered for beating Verlander in game 1, sparked by an historic three-homer game by Pablo Sandoval. They will be remembered for pitching two consecutive shutouts against this lineup, and for striking out the triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera to win it all. They will be remembered for Barry Zito's game 5 shutout against the Cardinals in NLCS game 5, and his victory over Justin Verlander in WS game 1.
Well, they will be remembered for lots more than that, but I'll save the detailed stats for a future post. Keep it up Giants! Let's try to win some more. We can smell dynasty.
The win was in such convincing fashion, that it will be well remembered in baseball history. They didn't only beat the best team in the AL, the Tigers were a powerhouse team with the most potent lineup, the most visible 3-4-5 hitters in the game - including the triple crown winner - and what most people consider the best pitcher in baseball. They were picked to win it all before the season, and it came as no surprise that the Tigers put it together in the post-season.
The Giants will be remembered for winning six consecutive elimination games, three after being down 2-0 to the Reds, and three after being down 3-1 to the Cardinals. They will also be remembered for beating Verlander in game 1, sparked by an historic three-homer game by Pablo Sandoval. They will be remembered for pitching two consecutive shutouts against this lineup, and for striking out the triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera to win it all. They will be remembered for Barry Zito's game 5 shutout against the Cardinals in NLCS game 5, and his victory over Justin Verlander in WS game 1.
Well, they will be remembered for lots more than that, but I'll save the detailed stats for a future post. Keep it up Giants! Let's try to win some more. We can smell dynasty.
Monday, January 3, 2011
2010 Season In Review
Wow, what a year. For me, it started out not being able to buy season tickets for the first time in 26 years due to the economy. So, I picked the Giants to win the World Series since I wouldn't be there to see it. And it happened.
Spring training started with the realization that the Giants had little prospect for improving upon their 2009 total of 88 wins. Although 88 wins could be figured as overachieving, they finished in 3rd place behind a surging Rockies team, and were the only team of the 8 holding a playoff position at the All-Star break not to hold on. One thing was clear, though. The Giants had one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball, and the 88 wins without any semblance of an offense proved it.
They started off very strong in the first couple of weeks, as did the A's. But they faded as time went on, and it was clear that the Padres were a team to be reckoned with, especially with the way they were pitching. Slowly, the Giants added bats. First, Buster Posey was brought up from the minors. Bengie Molina was their cleanup hitter, and Posey took that spot after Molina's trade to their eventual World Series opponent Rangers. Pat Burrell and Cody Ross were instrumental additions in the team's stretch run. The pitching staff caught fire in August - racking up numbers not seen in baseball since the 1965 Dodgers. I was convinced they easily had the pitching staff to win it all, but I was not convinced at all that the Giants would win anything. The Giants never won anything, and it was not in their nature to ever do so.
The pennant race with the Padres was simply an amazing thing to watch. "Torture" as we would come to know it was already coursing through our veins, we just didn't have a word for it. Of course, that last 3-game series had the Giants dropping the first two - and losing a great number of games during the year to San Diego - and winning the West in game 162 was Torture at it's highest...to that point.
Of the 32 post-season games played in 2010 between all 8 playoff teams, seven were one-run games. The Giants played every single one of those seven games, and were 6-1. Now that's Torture. All four Braves games, three of the six Phillies games, and not one of the Ranger games. The Giants simply dominated the post-season, going 11-4. Brian Wilson was on the mound for all four clincher games - game 162 vs. the Padres, game 4 vs. the Braves, game 6 vs. the Phillies and game 5 vs. the Rangers. Three of those series ended in strikeouts. Ryan Howard standing motionless trying to argue with the umpire whilst the Giants dogpiled in the center of the diamond is an image of contrasts I'll never forget. Swing, Ryan, swing! Tim Lincecum won game 1's of the NLDS, NLCS, WS and the WS clincher. Matt Cain had a 0.00 ERA in 3 starts, and Brian Wilson was lights out. The Texas Rangers, who had the best offense in baseball, were shutout once at home all year. The Giants shut them out twice, and came one pitch from doing it a third time. The Rangers totalled one run and six hits in the last two games, and only one Texas player even as much as touched third base. AL MVP Josh Hamilton was a deer in the headlights and Vladimir Guererro swung not like a madman, but like a little leaguer. Nelson Cruz whiffed and Cliff Lee was spanked.
Madison Bumgarner, Johnathan Sanchez, Juan Uribe, Buster Posey, Edgar Renteria, Javier Lopez, Aubrey Huff. Kruk, Kuip, Miller and Flem. Dave Flemming's cracked voice. Enough names to remember forever. I hope I didn't forget anybody. Bruce Bochy, and the million man march down Market Street. "Swing and a miss. And that's it!" What a season. The replays are great and will be forever.
Spring training started with the realization that the Giants had little prospect for improving upon their 2009 total of 88 wins. Although 88 wins could be figured as overachieving, they finished in 3rd place behind a surging Rockies team, and were the only team of the 8 holding a playoff position at the All-Star break not to hold on. One thing was clear, though. The Giants had one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball, and the 88 wins without any semblance of an offense proved it.
They started off very strong in the first couple of weeks, as did the A's. But they faded as time went on, and it was clear that the Padres were a team to be reckoned with, especially with the way they were pitching. Slowly, the Giants added bats. First, Buster Posey was brought up from the minors. Bengie Molina was their cleanup hitter, and Posey took that spot after Molina's trade to their eventual World Series opponent Rangers. Pat Burrell and Cody Ross were instrumental additions in the team's stretch run. The pitching staff caught fire in August - racking up numbers not seen in baseball since the 1965 Dodgers. I was convinced they easily had the pitching staff to win it all, but I was not convinced at all that the Giants would win anything. The Giants never won anything, and it was not in their nature to ever do so.
The pennant race with the Padres was simply an amazing thing to watch. "Torture" as we would come to know it was already coursing through our veins, we just didn't have a word for it. Of course, that last 3-game series had the Giants dropping the first two - and losing a great number of games during the year to San Diego - and winning the West in game 162 was Torture at it's highest...to that point.
Of the 32 post-season games played in 2010 between all 8 playoff teams, seven were one-run games. The Giants played every single one of those seven games, and were 6-1. Now that's Torture. All four Braves games, three of the six Phillies games, and not one of the Ranger games. The Giants simply dominated the post-season, going 11-4. Brian Wilson was on the mound for all four clincher games - game 162 vs. the Padres, game 4 vs. the Braves, game 6 vs. the Phillies and game 5 vs. the Rangers. Three of those series ended in strikeouts. Ryan Howard standing motionless trying to argue with the umpire whilst the Giants dogpiled in the center of the diamond is an image of contrasts I'll never forget. Swing, Ryan, swing! Tim Lincecum won game 1's of the NLDS, NLCS, WS and the WS clincher. Matt Cain had a 0.00 ERA in 3 starts, and Brian Wilson was lights out. The Texas Rangers, who had the best offense in baseball, were shutout once at home all year. The Giants shut them out twice, and came one pitch from doing it a third time. The Rangers totalled one run and six hits in the last two games, and only one Texas player even as much as touched third base. AL MVP Josh Hamilton was a deer in the headlights and Vladimir Guererro swung not like a madman, but like a little leaguer. Nelson Cruz whiffed and Cliff Lee was spanked.
Madison Bumgarner, Johnathan Sanchez, Juan Uribe, Buster Posey, Edgar Renteria, Javier Lopez, Aubrey Huff. Kruk, Kuip, Miller and Flem. Dave Flemming's cracked voice. Enough names to remember forever. I hope I didn't forget anybody. Bruce Bochy, and the million man march down Market Street. "Swing and a miss. And that's it!" What a season. The replays are great and will be forever.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Tim Lincecum and the List of Giant Victims
This post-season, Tim Lincecum emerged as the dominant pitcher in baseball. Or did he? He was 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA, walked 9 and struck out 43. He went head-to-head with and beat three pitchers who were supposed to beat him a total of four times. Derek Lowe in the NLDS, Roy Halladay (the "best" pitcher in baseball the last three years) and Cliff Lee twice (the unbeatable post-season pitcher). If you could have any pitcher on the mound to clinch the World Series, who would it be? Well, I certainly wouldn't pick Lowe, Halladay or Lee. Lincecum won game 1 of each post-season series, plus the clincher in the World Series. What more could you ask for?
But before I brush this off, I want to look at the rest of the Giants staff. Matt Cain started three games, went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 21.1 innings, putting him in the category with all-time elites. Madison Bumgarner went 2-0 in three starts and a relief appearance with a 2.18 ERA. He pitched the NLDS clincher and a key shutout of the Rangers in the WS. And although Johnathan Sanchez went 0-2 in the post-season, he had a 4.05 ERA. He tossed a shutout in the Giants' game 162 clincher over the Padres, and started the game 6 NLCS clincher against the Phils. Javier Lopez was an unsung hero out of the pen, and Brian Wilson was on the mound in all four Giants clinchers, game 162 vs. the Padres, game 4 clincher vs. the Braves, game 6 clincher vs. the Phillies and the game 5 World Series clincher against the Rangers.
Overall, the list of Giants victims is amazingly impressive. Mat Latos (the ace of the best pitching staff for most of the year), Derek Lowe, Derek Lowe again, Roy Halladay, Cole Hammels, Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee, CJ Wilson, Tommy Hunter and Cliff Lee again. Now that's domination.
But before I brush this off, I want to look at the rest of the Giants staff. Matt Cain started three games, went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 21.1 innings, putting him in the category with all-time elites. Madison Bumgarner went 2-0 in three starts and a relief appearance with a 2.18 ERA. He pitched the NLDS clincher and a key shutout of the Rangers in the WS. And although Johnathan Sanchez went 0-2 in the post-season, he had a 4.05 ERA. He tossed a shutout in the Giants' game 162 clincher over the Padres, and started the game 6 NLCS clincher against the Phils. Javier Lopez was an unsung hero out of the pen, and Brian Wilson was on the mound in all four Giants clinchers, game 162 vs. the Padres, game 4 clincher vs. the Braves, game 6 clincher vs. the Phillies and the game 5 World Series clincher against the Rangers.
Overall, the list of Giants victims is amazingly impressive. Mat Latos (the ace of the best pitching staff for most of the year), Derek Lowe, Derek Lowe again, Roy Halladay, Cole Hammels, Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee, CJ Wilson, Tommy Hunter and Cliff Lee again. Now that's domination.
Monday, November 1, 2010
THE GIANTS WIN THE WORLD SERIES!
IT'S OVER! THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS HAVE WON THE WORLD SERIES! WE WIN! NOW IT'S TIME TO PARTY!
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