I'd say their hitting is stronger but defensively SF are very good. Will the 3 extra games they have played hav an affect? Possibly but you have to remember it might not always be a positive that the Tigers have been sitting waiting to find out who they will play.
Congrats San Fran. Thoroughly deserved: out-Cardinalling the Cards. Terrific rookie season for Matheny. Should be a terrific WS - Giants to win it in 7.
Shame somebody had to lose. Felt sorry for the the SL relief pitcher Kelly who had to come in after Lohse lost it in the 3rd. Poor guy looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Pitcher is the loniest job in sport when things are going bad....
Not sure I will take sides for WS. Detroit as a city needs a boost, SF is a very cool city. Action starts tomorrow night!
Barry Zito drove in a run, the 4th consecutive post season game a giants pitcher has done so, no team has done that before....apparently. Sandoval, big guy, the first homer off Verlander looked effortless off a high fastball, no idea how he got his bat on it. Verlander, who had looked invincible up to this point, got roughed up. Sets the series up nicely!
It is curious (and counter-intuitive) that longer rest appears to be unhelpful. As this year, in 2006 and 2007 the World Series was contested by a team that had won their pennant with a sweep and one that had won theirs in Game 7. 2006: Tigers swept Oakland before losing 4-1 to the Cards, who had beaten the Mets in 7 to win the NLCS 2007: Rockies swept the D-Backs before being swept by the Red Sox, who had won the ALCS having trailed 3-1. I still reckon it will go the distance this time.
The particularly curious thing about this with baseball is not only that it isn't (seemingly) a positive to have extra rest but it also hasn't been a negative not to have your ace pitching Game 1. Zito's obviously a class act but it must be one a hell of a blow to the Tigers to get beaten behind Verlander last night - the Cards did him in Game 1 in '06 aswell (winning pitcher Anthony Reyes!...in Detroit!)
I think the fact there's about a billion games a season in the MLB suggests there isn't much need to rest between matches in order to stay competitive.
Even though I am a Red Sox fan, I will always have a soft spot for the Giants. First baseball stadium I ever visited years back - they were pants then (saw them get thumped by the Padres if memory serves me right) so it is great to see them doing so well.
Also - is there any better setting for a stadium than on the shores of San Francisco Bay?
Comments
I did say my Cards prediction was with my heart ; - )
Good summary of it all here:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/baseball/mlb/10/22/world-series-giants-tigers.ap/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t11_a4
Hadn't realise they had never played each other in the post season
Terrific rookie season for Matheny.
Should be a terrific WS - Giants to win it in 7.
Not sure I will take sides for WS. Detroit as a city needs a boost, SF is a very cool city. Action starts tomorrow night!
As this year, in 2006 and 2007 the World Series was contested by a team that had won their pennant with a sweep and one that had won theirs in Game 7.
2006: Tigers swept Oakland before losing 4-1 to the Cards, who had beaten the Mets in 7 to win the NLCS
2007: Rockies swept the D-Backs before being swept by the Red Sox, who had won the ALCS having trailed 3-1.
I still reckon it will go the distance this time.
I agree though I think this series will go the distance.
Also - is there any better setting for a stadium than on the shores of San Francisco Bay?