Kuzul

In a town that really knows how to party, Giants fans are throwing an after-party by the bay, thrilled by the San Francisco Giants‘ captivating turnaround. In every sense, the city has been a lively, festive place with Halloween looming ever closer and die-hard fans wearing costumes or rowing into McCovey Cove, the waterway near the gorgeous ballpark at the bay.

Every night has felt like a party in the Bay Area, and it has been fun to watch the World Series generate action-packed drama and a beautiful tale. On another pleasant night, the Giants ignited yet another party and continued their World Series awakening with nearly every swing. It’s no coincidence that the Giants are the best ballclub to return to the Fall Classic, hitting the Texas Rangers, a ballclub that shed the misery and gruesome memories of postseason failures, harder than ever when much is at stake.

The wildest and most raucous fans in the majors waved orange pom-poms in the stands and were even more exhilarated to cheer on a 9-0 shutout over the Rangers that gave the Giants a 2-0 series lead. For once Thursday night, the Giants were taken seriously and capped one of the most lopsided wins in recent World Series history.

What we learned after this game is that Matt Cain is the latest version of Mr. October. His curly hairstyle reminds us of Larry from the Three Stooges, but his untouchable pitches remind us of a Most Valuable Player. For six-plus innings, he looked spectacular and too lethal to outduel with his usual fastball and incredible calmness on the mound. He could easily be named the next World Series MVP courtesy of his superb pitching in the postseason if the Giants win a title.

The Rangers were 0-7 with runners in scoring position against Cain, who made a vivid statement that he is the best pitcher this fall, clearly better than Roy Halladay or Tim Lincecum. As baseball’s next legend ripens before our very eyes, Cain is more than a talented pitcher, but a gifted pitcher within a franchise suddenly relishing a fascinating moment in recent memory.

As for Cain, of course, it was merely another flawless start, and he is still untouchable without allowing an earned run in the postseason. What should be memorable for the average Giants fan is that Cain has an astonishing 0.00 ERA. That is, of course, a rarity in the fall, but not when Cain is capable of throwing his fastballs on both sides of the plate, not when he wears an intimidating stare and shuts down the powerful lineup.

“We’ve put ourselves in a good situation,” said Cain. “We’ve just got to take that confidence and some of the good approaches that we’ve had into these last two games and take them down to Texas with us.”

When he left the game following 7 2/3 sterling innings, to be anointed with a standing ovation, he tipped his cap to the energized fan base, and one fan hoisted a sign that read, “Cain’t touch this.” There was even a sea of pom-poms wildly swinging to string together the craziest frenzy. Cain is barely 26, but is already close to winning his first World Series. He’s barely in his prime, but his legend is growing rapidly with a franchise that could eventually lavish him with an enormous deal.

With all the drama, he’s more valuable than Lincecum, the ace of the Giants who really isn’t the noteworthy ace but overshadowed by a more superior starter in the rotation. And finally this year, Cain, the longest-tenured Giant, is pitching a gem, not any longer relying on luck or talent. Last season, Cain was mentored by Randy Johnson, who taught him about being a starter. Cain must have listened; he is arguably the best pitcher on the Giants alongside Lincecum and the frightening closer Brian Wilson.

“He did a really good job of emphasizing to stay deep in the game…instead of trying to change the ball in different guys’ hands,” Cain said. “Not trying to say anything…but sometimes those guys might not be feeling good.”

This postseason, no one can match Cain’s resiliency and invincibility. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 21.1 innings and owns a 2-0 record in his first three postseason starts. Thirty-five year old Edgar Renteria drove a fastball off C.J. Wilson over the left-field wall for a fifth-inning solo home run. But the real damage came in the eighth inning, the one inning that seemed to be a nightmare from Hell.  As Wilson was removed from the sixth with a blister, Cain found his moment to shine.

“He’s probably been our most consistent pitcher,” said Giants manager Bruce Bochy. “He’s such a bulldog…He should be recognized.”

By now, he’s recognized.

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Few teams in MLB history have come back from a 2-0 deficit in the World Series. But maybe the Rangers have what it takes to continue their ride through new club precedents.

For a team running through new experiences with each pitch, spotting the opposition a two-game lead must seem like climbing a mountain made of wet soap bars. A serious strategy seems like the remedy, but how do you stop superb pitching and clutch hitting?

Where does a team turn after its ace implodes in Game 1 and its offense turns comatose for Game 2? 

Here are five aspects the Rangers must address to avoid embarrassment in the 2010 World Series.

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Fake bearded towel waving Giants fans watched as Matt Cain was able to deliver a crushing defeat to the heavy hitting Texas Rangers, and for many fans, the idea of capturing their first World Series since 1954 is but a stone’s throw away.

Cain kept his 0.00 postseason ERA intact going nearly eight as he dazzled and confounded the Rangers’ hitters, while postseason veteran Edgar Renteria did the rest, going 2-4 with a key home-run in the fifth inning that got things going.

And boy did they go.

Another game in which the Giants overwhelmed the Rangers with a monster inning—seven runs in the eighth inning this time—and they did it with no men on and two outs, leaving some very critical questions on the table as the Texas Rangers head back to Arlington.

This Rangers team was supposed to out hit the Giants, but instead have been out hit themselves.

This Rangers team was supposed to, at the very least, match arms with the Giants rotation, but have seen two of their best postseason pitchers literally man handled.

And that was inside a very pitcher friendly park.

Now the series moves back to an Arlington Park that is known for affording hitters with great success, and one has to wonder if this Rangers team can slow down the torture that cometh.

But it isn’t just about slowing the Giants down.

The old adage location, location, location has been the key to every team’s demise who has faced the Dirty Dozen, so every pitch simply has to be perfect. These Giants hitters are patient, crafty and have found a way to adjust to pretty much anything you throw at them.

But that’s not all.

Their defense is nearly impenetrable, their pitching is nearly unhittable, and 20 runs in two World Series games is unthinkable.

Right on par for Halloween.

So the question now is how will the Rangers reverse what has been done. It seems as if they have done all they can to win a ball game, but to no avail.

Well this is also a team that can’t be overlooked.

Much like the Phillies, the Rangers have extremely good bats in their lineup, and extremely good pitching left to be used, so the Texas Rangers’ bats will have to come alive in Game 3 if they are to believe they even have a shot at winning this thing.

The pitching is a no-brainer: stop pitching these guys inside and over the middle.

It’s almost as if everybody still wants to challenge this team’s legitimacy as a true hitting ball club. Well guess what, they are!

If you’re going to pitch to the dirty dozen, then you must dig deep for that nasty, dirty stuff.

Sloping curves to the corners, changeups and breaking balls that break to the outside and anything else you can whip up that doesn’t sail over the middle of the plate. And hang in the zone like a feather without any wind under it.

The series is quickly turning into a lopsided contest, something the Giants want. So if the Rangers want to show up, now would be a good time.

For the Giants, the only stigma left to be avoided is turning into the 1981 Yankees.

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It’s half-past midnight here in Ranger land and things are looking bleak. Cliff Lee has shown that he is human, and the Ranger bats seem to have gone into hibernation. To add insult to injury, the bullpen is pitching with the ferocity of a petting zoo, and with Halloween right around the corner, it seems as though the Rangers are dressing up as choke artists.

But before you decide to bury the Rangers remember one thing: The Series is coming to Arlington, and there’s nothing like home cooking to “cure what ails ya.”

I know what most of you are thinking, the Rangers have only won two games at home during the playoffs. True. However, there is one enormous difference that most people will overlook—The Rangers get to play by house rules now.

To say that playing at AT&T Park was hard on the Rangers would be like saying that do-it-yourself-dentistry is easy. It was that painful. But now the World Series shifts to Arlington where the Rangers have three games to get back in the race.

What is so substantial about the change of venue? Everything.

Playing by National League rules meant the Rangers had to sacrifice the DH spot in the order; as such, Ranger manager Ron Washington was forced to make a decision: to play Vlad, or not to play Vlad. If you saw Game 1 then you know the answer to that question, and consequently, you know the result: two errors that lead to three back-breaking Giant runs.

Further, because of the lack of a DH, Ranger pitchers were forced into dawning a helmet and wielding the lumber, which meant the Rangers were essentially guaranteed an out in the nine spot. Additionally—and I am not laying blame on the umpires at all—the games were called by National League umpires, and as any big league pitcher would tell you, the transition between the two strike zones is markedly different.

But now, Texas comes home to play in their park, with the luxury of a DH, and a familiar strike zone for their pitchers to work with.

Think about it like this: With the availability of a DH at their disposal, the Rangers can have Vlad’s bat in the middle of the order to protect Nelson Cruz, which also slides down guys like Kinsler and Molina, but perhaps more importantly, the DH puts Mitch Moreland back in the nine spot, a place where he has frustrated pitchers to Dustin Pedroia-like lengths.

The DH also means that the Rangers can use their platoon of David Murphy or Jeff Francoeur, who have both been decent at the plate. So by merit of one position change, the Rangers can have two meaningful bats in the line-up.

But positions and league rules aside, I get the feeling the Rangers were intimidated by the amped up San Francisco crowd. After having played at Tropicana Field, where the Rays had to give away tickets, and then on to Yankee Stadium where the Yankee faithful (I use that term very loosely) left their team for dead routinely, the Rangers didn’t really face much in the way of noise and hostility.

My hats off to Giant fans, you guys brought it.

The look on Derek Holland’s face during his own personal attempt at the March of Dimes in the eight inning of Game 2 said it all—the Rangers were scared. The noise, the energy, the beard, all of it definitely played a part in making Texas look more like the 2003 Rangers than the Claw and Antler edition that fans have come to love.

So where do the Fightin’ Ron Washington’s go from here?

It’s really anyone’s guess at this point. The Giants have pitched so incredibly well that the Rangers definitely have their work cut out for them. One would think that after Lincecum and Cain the sledding would get easier, but Johnathan Sanchez and Madison Bumgardner have proved they can get it done as well.

With Colby Lewis taking the hill, all the eyes of Texas will loom large on the battle tested righty. Can he do what Lee couldn’t? Will the Ranger bats finally come alive with a Frankenstein-like vengeance?

All of the above are unknowns, but if I do know one thing, its that nothing cures an illness quite like home cooking.

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Game 2 of the 2010 World Series belonged to Edgar Renteria, Matt Cain and the San Francisco Giants from start to finishing Thursday.

Cain tossed a scoreless gem in 7 2/3 innings of work to vault himself into some historic company, extending his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 21 1/3 innings.

But it was the 35 year-old shortstop from Columbia who absolutely stole the show.

Renteria blasted a tape-measure home run of Rangers’ starter C.J. Wilson in the fifth inning to give the Giants a 1-0 lead, then added a two-run single in the eight to blow the game open.

It ended up being another perfect night by the Bay for the thousands of Giants’ fans who gathered to watch their team creep ever-closer to a World Series crown.

Here’s a comprehensive report card for the San Francisco Giants’ game 2 win.

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Much has been made of the Giants’ Tim Lincecum and the Rangers’ Cliff Lee, and with good reason.

But after that matchup failed to produce the expected pitching duel, the Giants’ Matt Cain more than filled the ace role for San Francisco as they took a two games to none lead in the World Series, winning 9-0.

It’s about time we recognized Cain for the stud pitcher he is. After finishing the 2010 season with a 3.14 ERA and 177 K’s with 61 walks in over 223 innings, the Giants’ number two starter has been number one in the postseason.

Cain has now gone more than 22 innings without giving up an earned run.

But the game two victory took more than just the pitching of Matt Cain.

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Last night’s game was not the total shock many people think. I figured the San Francisco Giants would score a couple runs early against Lee, but was surprised the way they knocked him around.

The Giants pitchers also neutralized Mickey Mantle Jr, I mean, Josh Hamilton.

The Giants game plan with those two players were the key to winning Game 1. 

1) Cliff Lee vs. Giants Hitters

The key in getting to Cliff Lee is to be aggressive in the batters box. I have long discussed that on this site. Hitters cannot continue to take early strikes, get behind in the count and then have to react to any on of four different pitches he throws with two strikes.

Lee starts most hitters off with a fastball. He then mixes in cutters, curves and an occasional change up. He is also more likely to throw his curve ball with two strikes.  

And why not? It is harder to control that either the fastball or cutter and you do not have to throw it over the plate with two strikes, just get in low in the zone and you can be successful.

But the Giants are a very aggressive group of free swingers. They like to hack at lots of pitches early in the count, both in and out of the strike zone.

Against Lee, the Giants were aggressive, but mostly on pitches inside the strike zone, more specifically right over the middle of the plate.

They did not chase the high fastball. One of Lee’s important pitching traits is that he moves the ball around, changing the eye level of the hitters.

He works low and away, then up and in. He will throw the two-seamer or curve low, then throw a normal 91 MPH fastball up, many times out of the zone.  

But unlike the Yankees hitters, the Giants lineup did not chase the pitch up and out of the zone. The right-handed hitters also did not offer at the many pitches Lee threw just off the outside corner. That is why Lee probably threw very few changeups.

This forced Lee to work from behind in the count, and then have to come over the plate with his pedestrian fastball.

And that usually gets hit…and hit hard. While there were many hard hit balls, especially in that fifth inning, there were even more fat pitches which the Giants aggressively attacked yet fouled back.

Andres Torres, Juan Uribe and Cody Ross all missed fat fastballs over the middle. Lee threw too many pitches over the middle of the plate. The Giants hitters were also looking to hit the ball the other way, with right handed hitters hitting the ball to the right side.

That allows the ball to travel deeper and the hitter can see the ball longer. Going to right field hurts Lee’s pitching game plan. He thrives on teams like the Yankees who are looking to pull the ball, but the pesky Giants hurt him. Another reason why Lee likely threw very few changeups.

The Giants aggressive nature works well with pitchers who throw lots of strikes. That is why the Giants have beaten Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and now Cliff Lee in this postseason.

Watch for the Giants to continue to be aggressive on pitches in the zone, and their key to winning is to stay off the pitches out of the strike zone. Even Uribe took two pitches before hammering his three-run home run.

Credit the Giant shitting coach, Hensley Muelens, for putting together a good game plan for the hitters last night and will likely have another good one for tonight.

Tonight’s starter, C.J. Wilson, has one of the highest walk rates in the American League. The Giants will continue to be selectively aggressive.

2) Josh Hamilton vs. Giants pitchers

Right now Josh Hamilton has a long swing. He doesn’t have very quick hands and mostly swings with his arms. Does it have something to do with his rib injury from a month ago?

Since most teams pitch him away (like the Yankees always did in the ALCS), Hamilton continuously looks (and leans) out over the plate.

But the Giants pitches have worked Hamilton differently. They have thrown lots of off speed pitches away, but they also challenged Hamilton. 

And they challenged him inside where his long swing can not catch up even with a normal major league fastball.

In Hamilton’s first at bat, Tim Lincecum had to pitch to him with men on first and second.

But Lincecum got Hamilton to meekly ground out on pitches away.

Next time up, Lincecum jammed Hamilton on an 89 MPH fastball up and in.

Third time up, Hamilton was worked outside again and weakly grounded out back to Lincecum.

Fourth time up, Casilla blew an up and in fastball right by Hamilton then got him to fly out again on a fastball in.

The Giants pitchers got Hamilton out twice away and twice in, moving the ball around and not just trying to keep the ball away all the time.

Like the Yankees did, Joe Girardi worked scared against Hamilton. Most of the hard hit balls Hamilton had were on pitches out over the plate when the pitchers were constantly working away.

Look for Matt Cain tonight to continue to pound Hamilton inside with fastballs, but also showing him some stuff away for effect.

The Giants neutralized both of Texas’ main weapons, Lee and Hamilton, and won big in Game 1. If they continue to play smart baseball and do the same things they did in Game 1, they will have an good time in Game 2.

Except for his high walk rate, C.J. Wilson is a similar type pitcher as Lee and can be approached the same way. Wait him out to come over the plate.

And the job of Cain and the able bodied bullpen is to bust Hamilton inside.

He can’t handle that pitch, and the Giants will continue to exploit it.

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The Texas Rangers were embarrassed by the San Francisco Giants in Game One of the 2010 World Series, losing 11-7.

The “unbeatable” Cliff Lee gave up six runs in a game where the Rangers lost by four.

Freddy Sanchez was the man of the night for San Fran, hitting four doubles and driving in three.

C.J Wilson will take the mound for Texas and try to give the Rangers a chance to head home with a split series.

Matt Cain will oppose him for the Giants.

Can the Giants be the first NL team to win Game Two of the World Series since the Diamondbacks in 2001?

Stay right here to find out.

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Cliff Lee was thought to be invincible, and his postseason record proved that he just might be. He had never lost in the postseason, that is until Game 1 of the World Series.

Game 1 was a disaster for the Rangers. They allowed 14 hits and 11 runs, with Cliff Lee allowing a postseason-high of six. They made four errors, which was uncharacteristic for a normally solid Rangers team. Cliff Lee was pounded around for 4 2/3 innings.

When the dust settled in the fifth inning, the Rangers were down 5-2, and Cliff Lee was taken out of the game. By the time the inning was over, the Rangers were down 8-2, and Game 1 might as well have been over.

So much for the unbeatable Cliff Lee, so much for the Clee Facts, so much for the “I heart Clee shirts, the absurdity that was “Cliff Lee’s wife doesn’t flirt with him because no one hits on Cliff Lee” turned into anyone and everyone can hit on Cliff Lee.

Lee was unable to locate his breaking pitches and was forced to abandon those altogether. He was forced into being a strictly fastball/cutter pitcher, and that was not working either. Countless times his cutter drifted over the middle of the plate, allowing the Giants to tee-off on Lee.

If you would have told me before the game that Cliff Lee would have more hits than Josh Hamilton, I would have laughed at you, even though Cliff Lee was put up on this high pedestal. Hamilton could not produce a hit, while Lee produced a double in the second inning.

Freddy Sanchez had three doubles in his first three at bats off of Cliff Lee, and everyone was pounding the ball.

The matchup of aces Cliff Lee and Tim Lincecum quickly turned into an afterthought, as both made early exits. The Rangers, rookies in the World Series, played just like you would expect any rookie. They were jittery and nervous, and it showed in their play. Even the great Cliff Lee showed his nervousness throughout the game.

“I think it’s just baseball. That’s the only thing you can say,” Sanchez said. “This is a crazy game.”

“I was trying to make adjustments,” Lee said. “I was up. I was down. I was in. I was out. I was trying to find it, and I was never really consistent with what I was doing.”

This has been the “year of the pitcher”, but if Game 1 was any indication, it will be the World Series of the hitter.

The Giants won 11-7 in a game that was never really that close.

What does this mean for the Rangers?

The Rangers desperately need a win tonight, and they will give the ball to left-hander, C.J. Wilson. Wilson has been the Rangers most consistent pitcher this year, and has snapped Texas’ losing streaks time and time again this season. The Rangers will need him to do just that tonight.

He will be facing Matt Cain tonight, who could be difficult for the Rangers to rebound against.  Cain has allowed one run, nine hits and struck out 11 over 13 2/3 innings while going 1-0 in two starts this postseason. These are impressive stats, and the Rangers will need to produce runs if they want to go back to Texas with the series tied.

A 2-0 deficit is not insurmountable, but it will put the Rangers in a hole that I am not sure they could dig out of.

The Rangers look to rebound tonight against the Giants, and they will need a solid effort from C.J. Wilson to do so.

B/R Prediction: Texas Rangers 5, San Francisco Giants 4

For questions regarding the article, please comment or send me an e-mail.

Paul Ferguson is an intern at Bleacher Report.

Visit www.cleefacts.com

Follow him on twitter at: @paulwall5

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Expect a healthy dose of torture tonight. 

After last night’s offensive firestorm, where the San Francisco Giants ran up a week’s worth of runs in one game, tonight should be a nice reversion to the tense, nail-biting and familiar mean. 

Cue “The Machine” and bring on the thumbscrews. 

The ability of the Giants to persevere in ridiculously tight matchups, has generated a fan base mirroring the same attributes.  Fans who can maintain a pure hope for success during a one-run lead and cheer for their team just as vociferously during a two-run deficit. 

This purity within the San Francisco Giants fan base is one that I hope will be maintained and one which other notable fan bases have, unfortunately, replaced with complaining, excuses and an air of expectation.   

When I read the East Coast press endlessly describing the “luck” that went into the ascension of the “misfit” San Francisco Giants to the 2010 World Series, the more I just see a sniffling bully off in the corner, trying to explain his black eyes.   

Sometimes luck has nothing to do with it and you actually lose because the other guy was just more talented.  Not because he had a “good day” or had a bunch of “retreads” or because you “choked” or because you “lost” the series, but just because he beat you four times before you could do it to him.   

The stories portending a “ratings implosion” and “unwatchable World Series”, ring more of pure jealousy than of any kind of objective journalism.  

Did last night’s game strike anyone as unwatchable?  

And to further suggest that just because many sulking East Coast fans will not be tuning into the World Series, and that fact somehow lessens the achievement, is just sour grapes at it’s highest level.     

Nothing has come easy for the San Francisco Giants or their fans.  We’ve had line drives, earthquakes and a manager who liked to give out early souvenir balls.  As such, the loyal Giants supporters are the furthest thing from an expectant fan base and ones who will hopefully maintain that attribute, if continued success chooses to shine on this team.Fans who will be living every game like a gift versus an assumption.  

If you have ever followed the San Francisco 49ers, you are aware of the dangers that routine success can breed.

Fighting that birthright urge to place your beloved team above all others, solely on their previous, historic successes is difficult.  It remains an intense struggle to keep your objectivity and fight that temptation, even in the face of blatant empirical evidence.  It becomes very easy to close your eyes to reality and delude yourself into thinking that that your champions “just got unlucky” again.

To stubbornly refuse to give credit to the teams that beat yours. Even when all objective reason, in the form of mounting losses and aged stars, points clearly to the fact that the current team you worship only shares the same uniform colors as the one that wrote the legend. 

Fighting this is not as easy as wearing a fake beard to a game and cheering on Steve Perry in the Club Level as he leads “Don’t Stop Believin’” (which was awesome) or making a few “Ross Boss” signs.  The haze of endless winning seasons, multiple playoff appearances and championships, is where the real danger of becoming a pouting supporter lurks. 

Sometimes, you just get beaten up by the unassuming drama geek with a dynamite right-right-left-left pitching combination.  You can get watery eyes and bellyache when that happens or you can give credit where credit is due. 

Granted, maybe you didn’t see the punch coming in your cocoon of perceived dominance, but that happens in life—and it just happened to your team.   

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