World Series Game 4 Discussion Thread

[nborton]

People will knock every series that has an AL central team in it. As a Tigers fan, I know no one wants to see them play. Let alone lay a huge egg on top. Even if it was a close series I doubt many people would have watched with Detroit involved.

With all the turmoil in NY and Bos, and the potential loss of big names in Tex, and LA, I bet the boring Tigers with Martinez coming back are favorites for next year out of the AL.

I wonder what would be considered the worst possible matchup for ratings.

 

[darocker80]

Most of Giant's key players are returning. We won the WS two of the three times this decade. Are they favored to return to the WS or at least the NLCS right now? Or was it just 'luck' like how people claimed it in 2010?

 

[Austin]

Most of Giant's key players are returning. We won the WS two of the three times this decade. Are they favored to return to the WS or at least the NLCS right now? Or was it just 'luck' like how people claimed it in 2010?

I think they'll be a mini-dynasty, like the Yankees were in the late '90s-early '00s.
The Giants' stars are all under 30. Posey, Panda, Pence, Cain, Lincecum, Volgelsong, Bumgarner, Romo... and Brian Wilson, who's only 30, will be back.
Their pitching, from starters to relievers can dominate. Great starters and Romo and Wilson back to back in the 8th and 9th.
And most of all, the team has no huge egos and all the players really seem to get along and genuinely like each other, along with Bochey. Team chemistry is hugely important.

 

[markakis8]

Most of Giant's key players are returning. We won the WS two of the three times this decade. Are they favored to return to the WS or at least the NLCS right now? Or was it just 'luck' like how people claimed it in 2010?

This year was not luck, the Giants were one of the best teams in baseball. I'm not surprised they won this year. 2010, the Giants got hot at the right time and it was an anomaly that they won the WS. It was a complete surprise they got past the Braves, let alone the Phillies and the Rangers. Their pitching was good, but let's compare lineups from 2010 and 2012.

2010 World Series:

Andres Torres
Freddy Sanchez
Buster Posey
Pat Burrell
Cody Ross
Aubery Huff
Juan Uribe
Edgar Renteria

2012:

Angel Pagan
Marco Scutaro
Pablo Sandoval
Buster Posey
Hunter Pence
Brandon Belt
Gregor Blanco
Brandon Crawford

One person remains from 2010 - Buster Posey. 2012 lineup is clearly better than 2010, you had four aging players on their way out the door that LUCKILY provided clutch moments for you throughout the playoffs (Sanchez, Burrell, Huff, and Renteria) and a mediocre hitter that became your savior at the right time vs. the Phillies (Cody Ross). Combine that with the great pitching the Giants had and you got yourself a championship.

2012 lineup was a lot more youthful and powerful and they will be around for a couple years. Still have the great pitching (replacing Sanchez with Vogelsong doesn't hurt). There weren't any "wow" moments from any particular player on the Giants in 2012 outside of Pablo hitting 3 home runs, but even then, Pablo is the second best hitter on the Giants - he's no Adam Kennedy.

Plus in 2012, you had MVP candidates each half of the season (Melky in first half, Buster Posey in 2nd half). Having Marco Scutaro hit over .360 the 2nd half didn't hurt and be the NLCS MVP didn't hurt either. Who did you have as an MVP candidate in 2010? Nobody, the Giants offense was terrible almost all year. Posey and Huff had nice seasons but the rest of the squad was mediocre at best - further proving the point that their clutch hitting throughout the entire playoffs was nothing short of magic.

2010 was a magical, lucky year for SF fans. 2012 was more expected. Their lineups are completely different.

 

[ronfromfresno]

I still find it hilarious that people think 2010 was some sort of fluke, or that the Giants just had magical luck. In the second half of 2010 the Giants lead the NL in home runs, in September the pitching staff had the 4th lowest ERA in history for a month, they made up 10 games in the standings over the last month and a half. Nothing about that team said they would head into the playoffs and fail, except the pundits who looked at the age of the team and their dismal first half. I agree that this season the Giants were expected to do well compared to 2010. This season the Giants clinched their division early, despite Magic spending all his money for the Dodgers, and won 94 games during the regular season. They went into the playoffs matched up well with the new format and of course they provided Giants fans with "torture" by facing elimination in the first two rounds of the playoffs. I actually felt less confident about this team compared to 2010 because of their lack of power and how the pitching staff had struggled going into October.

 

[ronfromfresno]

Funny video for Giants fans