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Th Detroit Tigers will get on a plane today and head for San Francisco to begin the 2012 world series.  This match-up seemed improbable last Thursday when St Louis took a 3-1 lead in the NLCS.  But St Louis went from looking like world series champions to looking like the playoff version of the 2012 Yankees.   You have to think that the start by Barry Zito was the key turning point for the Giants.

It's good that Marco Scutaro gets to play in a world series.  Scutaro came into his own here in Toronto and has played very well since.



Detroit are fully rested and have their ace lined up for game one.  San Francisco just pitched their ace and it looks like Barry Zito will start game one and either Tim Lincecum or Madision Bumgarner game two.  Vogelsong and Cain can start games three and four.  All of that makes Detroit the favourite for the series.  But baseball is a funny game.  Maybe San Francisco will come into the series beat up and fall behind 3-1 again.  Then they will have the Tigers exactly where they want them.

Who will win?  Does anybody have the Giants?

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The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
bpoz - Tuesday, October 23 2012 @ 10:18 AM EDT (#264750) #
I wonder if Detroit's IF defense will be a factor.
jerjapan - Tuesday, October 23 2012 @ 04:30 PM EDT (#264769) #

I think Detroit takes this in six - Verlander, Fielder and Cabrera are elite players and San Fran's lineup was badly weakened with the Cabrera suspension.  Interesting that they kept him out of the playoffs - I wonder if he'd be a good buy-low option for the Jays in the offseason.

I also agree that it's great to see Scutaro in the WS - I love the scrappy games who plays his way into a regular gig later in life.  Here's hoping Aviles can follow the same career path - neither were regulars until their late 20s and both earned solid defensive reps as they gained playing time.  Scutaro's offense wasn't consistent for several years but he's a solid number 2 hitter and and even better bat in the bottom 3 - if Aviles can manage that, I'd be thrilled with the Farrel deal. 

I'd also be thrilled if we re-signed Scutaro, although his value will have spiked with the NLCS MVP.  Congrats Marco!   

dan gordon - Wednesday, October 24 2012 @ 02:33 AM EDT (#264782) #

I thought my Giants were toast, down 3-1 with Zito starting game 5, but he managed to find some of his old magic.  Going to be tough against a Detroit rotation that is clicking on all cylinders.  First 2 games will be a pitching mismatch with the Giants 2 best starters of late, Vogelsong and Cain, unavailable.  Still, they seem to be finding a way to win, and badly outplayed a pretty solid Cardinals team over the last 3 games.  Some poor infield defense really hurt the Cards and maybe Detroit will show the same problem.  Valverde in the closer role is another potential weakness that could be exploited.  The Giants need Posey to get untracked.

Agree about Melky Cabrera as a potential pickup for the Jays in the offseason if the Giants don't resign him.  Came into his own last season at age 27, and sure, his numbers were likely inflated this year, but even if you knock off 10-20%, you've still got quite a season once you allow for that great pitchers' park he played in this year.  I think the Giants will resign him, though.  I think he's not playing now because he's been out for so long, and who knows how his timing would be affected, his frame of mind, etc.  Better to have a fresh start next year.

vw_fan17 - Wednesday, October 24 2012 @ 01:08 PM EDT (#264793) #
Agree about Melky Cabrera as a potential pickup for the Jays in the offseason if the Giants don't resign him.  Came into his own last season at age 27, and sure, his numbers were likely inflated this year, but even if you knock off 10-20%, you've still got quite a season once you allow for that great pitchers' park he played in this year.  I think the Giants will resign him, though.  I think he's not playing now because he's been out for so long, and who knows how his timing would be affected, his frame of mind, etc.  Better to have a fresh start next year.

Actually, I don't think SF will resign him. The reactions around here (I live in the Bay Area) were pretty strong, after the whole Bonds/PEDs thing that lingered on and on.They don't want another circus like that. Of course, sign-and-trade might make sense.. Then again, that's just a gut feeling.. and my gut feelings are usually wrong :-)
Chuck - Wednesday, October 24 2012 @ 01:37 PM EDT (#264795) #

Of course, sign-and-trade might make sense..

I believe that free agents cannot be traded the year they are signed until June or so, unless they consent to an earlier trade. So the NBA sign-and-trade model doesn't apply here.

hypobole - Wednesday, October 24 2012 @ 01:54 PM EDT (#264796) #
"Valverde in the closer role is another potential weakness that could be exploited."

Leyland removed Valverde from the closer role after his last 9th inning blowup. However, insert Phil Coke (or whoever else Leyland picks to close) for Valverde and the statement you made would be correct.
dan gordon - Thursday, October 25 2012 @ 01:08 AM EDT (#264807) #

Heard an interesting stat before the game tonight.  Since baseball instituted a playoff system, rather than just the 2 league winners meeting in the World Series, there have been 3 cases where 1 team won their LCS 4 games to none and the other team took the full 7 games to win their LCS.  You would think that the team that won in 4 straight would be a more dominant team, and would have the better chance to win the World Series, but in fact, exactly the opposite has happened.  The 4-3 winners have pasted the 4-0 winners every time, winning the Series 4 games to 1 twice, and 4 games straight the other time.  Total score in games is 12-2 for the teams that took 7 games to win the LCS.  Well, 13-2 now after tonight's game. 

Sounds like the other team got rusty with the all the time off.  Their pitchers lose their feel for the strike zone, their hitters' timing gets a bit off.  Sure enough, that's exactly what the Tigers' mgr said when asked about Verlander's performance tonight.

In the Giants' last 4 games, they're now outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 28-4. 

They had an interesting analysis about Lincecum's delivery on the broadcast, too.  He's pitching out of the stretch to keep his torso back.  Apparently, he was letting his upper body get out in front, and it was costing him velocity and control.  He looked a lot like his old self tonight, not like the stiff who was wearing his uniform during the season.

John Northey - Thursday, October 25 2012 @ 06:24 AM EDT (#264808) #
This is something that was thought of for decades but I've yet to hear of a team doing the logical thing - set up games between your regulars and non-regulars (mix in a few AAA guys) during the break to help keep guys sharp. Not as intense as real games, but a good way to keep focused. The marginal guys on your roster will be sharper as they'll get AB's vs live pitching, your management gets a closer look at some kids, and the guys can keep their batting eye and pitching arms ready. Strong pitch limits of course, but it could work.
James W - Thursday, October 25 2012 @ 08:39 AM EDT (#264810) #
The Tigers went to Florida and played against the instructional league players.

Leyland also thought of it for 2006, but without the trip to Florida. He ran into poor Michigan weather in late October, shockingly!
John Northey - Monday, October 29 2012 @ 07:21 AM EDT (#264882) #
So, no more baseball. Giants sweep the Tigers with ease. Appropriate I guess that Mr. Triple Crown, Miguel Cabrera, is the final out of the season. Two titles in 3 years for SanFran after waiting decades for their first.

In NY the Giants had 5 official titles plus 2 more in the 1880's vs American Association winners (those were viewed as exhibitions, not quite the same as today, they played the full series even after a team won thus under those rules we'd still have 3 games to go). In SF they made the WS 3 times before 2010 losing all 3 (twice 4-3, once swept covering 2002, 1989, and 1962). Funny that with Willie Mays they won just one title but with Buster Posey & Pablo Sandoval (the only everyday players on both) they have 2.
greenfrog - Monday, October 29 2012 @ 10:39 AM EDT (#264887) #
Brian Sabean used to get mocked a lot for being a poor GM, but two WS championships gives him a lot of bragging rights.

Congrats also to Marco Scutaro for getting a WS ring.
Mike Green - Monday, October 29 2012 @ 11:27 AM EDT (#264890) #
I see that the weather forecast for San Francisco is for sunny, nice days for about 2 weeks.  Good time for a victory parade.  Enjoy it, Dan Gordon and other Bay area Bauxites.

Sabean has done a nice job over the last five years.  It surely helps that ownership has supported him with above-average payrolls.  He did have an advantage- when the Giants started winning in 2009, their payroll was near the Dodgers (who were spending $100 million).  They were not competing with the Yankees and Red Sox spending $140-$200 million on average.  Nonetheless, the Giants' success is surely a bit of a lesson for Rogers (if they cared at all about winning). 

dan gordon - Monday, October 29 2012 @ 06:14 PM EDT (#264913) #

Thanks, Mike Green.  After a long wait, 2 championships in 3 years is very nice, indeed.  I just hope they don't repeat the Blue Jays' pattern of a long drought after 2 Series victories.  With Crawford and Belt just beginning to scratch the surface of their abilites, and young or youngish guys like Posey, Sandoval, Bumgarner, Cain, Romo, and hopefully, a rebounding Lincecum and a healthy Wilson, I think the Giants might be around the post season for a while.  There will be greater payroll flexibility soon, as Zito's deal is almost done - nice to finally get some return on that contract this year - although some of the young guys will start to get expensive in a few years.  Will be interesting to see what happens this offseason with their free agents.  BTW, I'm not from the Bay area, I'm a GTA resident, but have been a Giants' fan since long before the Blue Jays were a gleam in anybody's eyes.

Gerry - Monday, October 29 2012 @ 08:34 PM EDT (#264919) #
Congrats to the umpires too, I think they got the vast majority of the calls right.
bpoz - Tuesday, October 30 2012 @ 11:19 AM EDT (#264938) #
To the Giants fans, Congratulations.

As their season started, how did they deal with Zito (long term disappointment), Linecum sub par 2012, and Voglesong very pleasant surprise. What were the details with their egos. I incorrectly assumed that Zito was bad. Healthy but not the results of an ACE.

OK my question still stands, sort of. Their 5 starters all made 30+ starts, with Linecum being the #5.
WOW their recent history has a very healthy SP and their supposedly 5th starter Vogelsong has been very good.

So now I know. With a strong rotation getting you to the 7th+ inning that would make your pen perform better & timely hitting late in a game ie HR will win you a lot of games according to P Hentgen & D Ward.
World Series 2012 | 15 comments | Create New Account
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