Kuzul

The 2010 World Series is going to be a thing of beauty. Sure, nobody in their right minds picked the San Francisco Giants to be playing against the Texas Rangers in this year’s addition of the fall classic, but both teams reached baseball’s grandest stage in a similar fashion.

San Francisco has relied on its dominant starting pitching all season and through the playoffs to shut teams down.

Texas has a pretty potent offense to go along with a shutdown ace in Cliff Lee, who is still unbeaten in the postseason.

Josh Hamilton is adding even more memories to his storybook return to baseball, and he will probably end up walking away with the AL MVP award once the Series is over.

So, who you got? The Giants have home field advantage, thanks to the NL’s win in the All-Star game.

First pitch is Wednesday night. Tim Lincecum vs. Cliff Lee at AT&T Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7:57 p.m. EST.

Here is what needs to happen for the Giants to be victorious.

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The 2010 World Series is upon us. In the next week or two we have the chance to see baseball history, to see two teams competing at the highest level for the crowning achievement in all of baseball. Along the way, perhaps we’ll share in a collective moment that will last a lifetime.

As we prepare to watch the Texas Rangers face off against the San Francisco Giants in this year’s Fall Classic, let’s have a look back at some of the greatest moments in World Series history.

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Ladies and gentlemen, your 2010 World Series combatants—the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants.

Fox television executives may not love it, and there are loads of disgruntled Yankee and Phillie fans grumbling about the legitimacy of this version of the Fall Classic. But this World Series promises to be a thrilling affair.

The defending champions of each league were sent packing, each bitterly disappointed that their dreams of a series rematch would never be realized. Last year’s World Series entrants both swept their divisional series foes, only to run into hungry squads that refused to be intimidated by the New York and Philly postseason pedigrees.

Texas has been generally regarded as a potent offensive juggernaut, but as it proved in its thorough dismantling of the New York Yankees, the Rangers can certainly pitch with the best of them. Midseason arrival Cliff Lee and his stellar postseason resume lead the way. But C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis and Tommy Hunter form a diverse rotation capable of silencing the bats of the opposition, even the vaunted Yankee lineup.

San Francisco on the other hand, may have surprised its opposition with its offensive output, as the Giants earned their way to the World Series primarily on the strength of their pitching and, of course, their beards. Led by two-time defending Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, the Giants boast a thrilling, young starting staff that should have Bay Area fans excited about the next several years.

With Game 1 rapidly approaching on Wednesday, let’s take a look at the starting pitching rotations for each team. Since Texas hasn’t quite decided in which order it will trot out its starters and which hurler will occupy the fourth slot, we’ll profile the pitchers in contention for those roles.

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The San Francisco Giants are four wins away from their first World Series victory since the move out West, and playoff fever has infected millions of Northern California inhabitants. One may hear the din of excitement growing louder as the already-overflowing Bandwagon lumbers through the City streets, every minute absorbing new supporters.

I stand in awe at the vast number of individuals who have come out of the woodwork, eager to prove their allegiance to the home team by donning their favorite item of Giants-related paraphernalia. Several are quick to identify me as a kindred spirit and salute me with a friendly smile, a thumbs up, or a simple “Great game last night!”; and not a one will hesitate to include himself among the exclusive brotherhood of diehards.

But which of these so-called supporters has suffered and rejoiced through all the many ebbs and flows of this tortuous, torturous Giants season? How can we separate the real from the fake, the “all-seasons” from the “fair-weather,” the winnow from the chaff?

Here are five sure-fire ways to spot a Bandwagon Giants Fan.

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The Fall Classic is upon us.  The usual suspects are missing from this one though and in their place are a pair of young, upstart teams: the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers.

The talent is fantastic on both sides and this promises to be a great World Series filled with drama.  There’s a lot on the line. The Rangers are looking for its first championship in franchise history, while the Giants are looking to end a five-year drought of their own.

Many will be turned off because there are no Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies or any of the other October regulars.  No need to worry though as both of these teams belong here.

Are you a fan of great pitching?  Then you’re in luck because the Giants are pitching deep, finishing the season with the best team era in the game. 

The Rangers aren’t without their share of great arms, as they will be sending Cliff Lee to the mound in Game 1.  As Lee has proven in the past, anytime he starts in October, something special can happen.

If you’re not a fan of the young power arms and would rather see some offensive explosions, this series has that as well.

The Rangers, led by Josh Hamilton, finished the regular season as the fifth highest scoring offense in the game.

This series truly has something for everyone.  Who has the edge?

Let’s take a look.

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The World Series kicks off Wednesday, and there are few people who would have guessed it would be the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants left standing when the season came down to its final series.

On one side, there is the offensive juggernaut that is the Rangers, a team that outscored the Yankees nearly 2-1 in knocking them off and advancing to their first World Series ever. Throw in the ace of all aces in Cliff Lee, and you see why the Rangers are favored to win it all.

On the other side, there are the underdog Giants, a team that needed a win on the final day of the season just to qualify for the postseason. Their offense is nothing to write home about on paper, but they always seem to score just enough to back their stellar pitching.

So here are ten aspects of the upcoming best of seven series, and who holds the edge, as we look at every area of the Ranger vs. Giants match-up to come.

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The Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants both come into the 2010 World Series as having been heavy underdogs throughout their playoff runs.  Now, Texas is the favorite, even with starting the series in San Francisco.  

This should be a great series to follow when it commences Wednesday evening on FOX.  

Both teams are looking to prove that their respective Championship Series victories were no fluke.  Truth is though, both teams are capable of hoisting the World Series Trophy.  Only time will tell though, as always.  

But as for now, here are five ways that each team can win it all.  

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I can remember not long ago when a certain Giants fan voted against SF in the NLCS against the Phillies.

This Giants fan had lost his way, dazzled by the stats, highlights and in-depth commentary that pervaded his home before the series, all leading him to believe his beloved Giants would fight a good fight but ultimately crumble before the mighty two-time defending NL champs.

But the Giants didn’t lose. They didn’t crumble. In fact, they won four games to two, with the final win coming inexplicably in Philly against Roy Oswalt—who had dominated them in Game 2—and with their most unpredictable starter, Jonathan Sanchez, basically imploding.

That is when this Giants fan realized this team is bigger than any stats, bigger than anything on paper, and that talent alone wasn’t carrying this team—destiny was.

What this team has done this season has been remarkable, a team of castoffs many cast off as lucky to be in the playoffs, lucky to have the privilege of facing the powerful Phillies.

But this Giants fan knows better now—and he will be damned if he picks the Texas Rangers over the San Francisco Giants in the World Series.

Thus, here are 10 Reasons SF Will Win the Ring.

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Tim Lincecum: the Most Important Player in The World Series

For the Giants, that is certainly true. But of all the 50 players that will be participating in the 2010 World Series—which begins Wednesday at 7:57 p.m. in the San Francisco’s AT&T Park—”The Freak” is still the most important.

Here are 10 of the reasons why:

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The San Francisco Giants will play Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night against the Texas Rangers. It is still taking time for that to sink in.

They have seven games to prove the world wrong. This Giants team has the opportunity to do something no Giants team has done since 1954: win it all.

They can do something Willie McCovey could not do. Will Clark couldn’t. Neither could Juan Marichal.

Gaylord Perry? Nope. We all know how the Bonds era ended.

Fifty-six years for the franchise—an eternity of waiting for the city of San Francisco.

Once again, the Giants will face a team that has never been to the World Series—the 2002 Angels had never been to the Series.

The Rangers reached the World Series by pounding the ball.

The Giants, as we know, do not pound the ball. But what is it about this team that gives them the opportunity to win a World Series where the other great Giants teams have failed?

First, let’s go back and look at the Giants’ history in the World Series.

1962 San Francisco Giants (lost 4-3 to the New York Yankees)

This team had Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal and the list could go on. They had an all-star lineup and an ace for the ages. How did they not beat the Yankees?

Gaylord Perry was also on this team, but he was not yet the Hall-of-Fame caliber pitcher he would become.

They could not figure out the Yankee pitching. In the seven game series, the Giants scored 22 runs for an average of 3.14 runs per game. In fact, they scored two or fewer runs four times.

1989 San Francisco Giants (lost 4-0 to the Oakland Athletics)

Let’s face facts: The A’s were the better team that year. They had pitching, hitting and played great defense. What else could you ask for?

The Giants had a great lineup with Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell and Matt Williams. But once again, the Giants were unable to keep the Athletics off the base paths or to stop them from hitting nine home runs in the four-game series.

The earthquake may have taken its toll on players, but pitching was the difference.

2002 San Francisco Giants (lost 4-3 to the Anaheim Angels)

Can you say “choke?” That is what the Giants did in this World Series.

Giants fans know the story: With a five-run lead going into the seventh inning of Game 6, they had the World Series wrapped up. Parties were being planned. The champagne was already on ice. The massive parade in San Francisco had been scheduled.

Then the bullpen failed. Tim Worrell, Felix Rodriguez and an injured Robb Nen gave up the lead and the momentum going into a tragic Game 7.

The rest is history. That Giants team had the hitting, and in the end, the pitching failed them.

2010 San Francisco Giants vs. Texas Rangers

This brings us back to the series that begins on Wednesday.

What do the Giants do well? Pitch—and now, get timely hits. They are the true definition to the word “team.”

This bunch of misfits, cast-offs or whatever you want to call them have made it their mission to prove to each of those teams who gave up on them that they shouldn’t have. We know the names, and as we continue to hear, they truly do pull for each other.

Take a look at the Giants’ wins in the NLCS. Who was key?

Game 1: Cody Ross’ HR.

Game 3: Matt Cain (you can make a case for Ross again), Aaron Rowand.

Game 4: Juan Uribe, Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval.

Game 6: Uribe, Aubrey Huff, Madison Bumgarner, Jeremy Affeldt.

The saying goes, “It takes a village,” and it sure has with the Giants.

What do the Rangers do well? They hit the stuffing out of the ball and rely on solid, not great pitching with the exception of Cliff Lee. They, too, are a “team” and are carrying the hopes of the state of Texas which has never won a World Series.

As was described in the previous World Series trips for the Giants, the difference has been pitching. The Giants had the best ERA in all of baseball this season, and they carried it into the postseason.

They shut down the Atlanta Braves and the Phillies. Now, this pitching staff is four wins away from baseball immortality.

Wouldn’t it be fitting in the “Year of the Pitcher” for the team with the best ERA to win it all? I think so.

The saying goes “good pitching beats good hitting.” For the Giants to win this series, the statement has to ring true more than ever.

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