Giants win second World Series in 3 years

Up 4-3 in the bottom of the 10th inning, Sergio Romo fired a fastball right over the heart of the plate that froze AL Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera.  Disbelief was in Cabrera’s eyes as the umpire called strike three and the San Francisco Giants won their second World Series in the last three years.  

Until the World Series began, the Giants were forced to be inept to coming from behind.  In the NLDS, they were down 2-0 in a five-game series to the Reds and came back to win.  In the NLCS, they were down 3-1 in a seven-game series to the defending champion Cardinals and came back to win.

Once it began, however, it was all Giants beginning in Game 1 with Pablo Sandoval’s historic night.  Sandoval became only the fourth person in Major League Postseason history to hit three homeruns in one game.  Only Reggie Jackson, Babe Ruth and Albert Pujols had accomplished that feat before which is exclusive company.  

The Giants went on to win Game 1 by a score of 8-3, but  it was their pitching that carried them in Game 2 and Game 3 instead of towering homeruns.

They were able to shutout a gaudy Detroit Tigers’ lineup in back-to-back games.  The Tigers were only shutout twice during the duration of the entire season.

It certainly helps your chances when you have four former All-Stars, such as Matt Cain, Ryan Vogelsong, Barry Zito and Tim Lincecum.  Not to mention that Lincecum has won two NLC Young awards, and he was coming out of the bullpen.  Budding ace Madison Bumgarner delivered seven innings of shutout baseball while only allowing two hits as well in Game 2.  

As amazing as their pitching staff and Sandoval’s Game 1 performance were, Marco Scutaro was the most impressive player this postseason.  During Game 2 of the NLCS, Matt Holliday slid straight in to Scutaro’s leg at second base, forcing Scutaro’s exit from the game.  The slide was considered dirty by many, but that did not faze him, as he returned the next night.

He went on to hit at a .500 clip in the NLCS and carried his hot bat over into the World Series.  In the top of the 10th   inning of Game 4, he delivered a soft liner into centerfield that dropped for a hit and plated Ryan Theriot from second base.  This turned out to be the game-winning run of the series.  

Between Scutaro and shortstop Brandon Crawford, the Giants were able to get timely double plays up the middle throughout the series, two of which came against the $214 million dollar slugger Prince Fielder.

The Tigers decided to throw a whole lot of cash Fielder’s way this offseason after news of Victor Martinez’ injury.  Fielder was brought in to protect Cabrera in the lineup and drive in runs which he failed to do in the World Series.

From the day Fielder signed with the Tigers, the expectations for this team soared through the roof.  Having Cabrera, Fielder and Delmon Young in the heart of their lineup, along with the best pitcher in the game, Justin Verlander, the Tigers seemed unbeatable. On paper, that is.

They certainly seemed unbeatable as they routed the vaunted New York Yankees time and time again in the ALCS on the way to a sweep that nobody saw coming.  Looking back at it now, it seems as though the Yankees just collapsed at the right time for the Tigers allowing them to advance to the World Series.

While the Tigers certainly can mash with the best of them, they struggle to create runs on a nightly basis.  The Giants were able to feast on creating runs throughout.

They had timely hitting, good baserunning and possessed a disciplined approach at the plate which allowed them to sacrifice runs home on multiple occasions.  Simply put, the Giants won because they played better fundamentally sound baseball night in and night out.

This may be the beginning of a dynasty for the Giants.  Having won two of the last three World Series and a great core of both young pitchers and cornerstone position players, it certainly seems feasible.

Catcher Buster Posey is the best in the game at his position, and most likely will be this season’s NL MVP.  Pair him with the likes of Hunter Pence, Brandon Belt, Scutaro and Sandoval, the Giants’ lineup will remain formidable to say the least.

It may be a little early to label this team a dynasty, but they are certainly on their way.