The city of San Francisco has plenty to cheer about in the world of sports. The famous Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise Giants have recently punched their ticket to the 2012 World Series. The Giants are now playing to clinch a World Series Championship for the second time in three years. The final series stretch of seven games features the Detroit Tigers’ all star pitching and the Giants’ potent fast hitting. Although, San Francisco is in the final series, the journey leading up to the championship was not as easy as one might think.
The journey for the San Francisco Giants began with the pre-season predictions. Experts had picked the Giants to finish second just behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West standings. Analysis polls forecasted the Diamondbacks capturing a division title for the second year in a row. No one thought the Giants would maintain the top spot since Arizona is backed by one of the best solid pitching staffs in the league. It is solely up to San Francisco to write their own history and make 2012 a dream season or just another concluded bust.
As the season began for the Giants it was taking shape to be one of the best in recent memory. The first game of the season was against the Diamondbacks. In that game they lost nine to six. Though the Giants never faltered the loss never set the tone for what was to come the rest of the season. The Giants managed to finish the regular season with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses. A batting average percentage of .269 with is fifth overall out of all the teams in baseball and as well as an on base percentage of .327 which is eight overall. The Giants knew that the games in September and October would mean the greatest importance if they wanted to make a run at a Championship.
The postseason play from the Giants was nothing short of entertaining. A series of seven games to name the National League Champion, in which would go on to face the American League Champion Detroit Tigers in the World Series finale. However, the St. Louis Cardinals were not beginning to give up nor go down easy. The seven games the Giants were going to play against the Cardinals came off a little stressful to most of the guys. They all wanted to win so bad that they could taste it! Starting at the beginning of the seven games the Giants came out looking for wins and with that attitude won the first two games! After that though they seemed to become a little big headed thinking that they automatically had these games in the bag. The series was split three wins apiece and came down to the final seventh game. San Francisco took care of business with a monumental 9-0 victory over the Cardinals.
For San Francisco the journey has been long and arduous. From the pre-season hype, to the long, yet successful season, to the triumphant postseason the Giants are at last in the Championship series with the Tigers. The Giants have so much to play for and so much pride instilled in them to give up. These last seven games should prove to be unforgettable in determining the 2012 World Series Champion simply because it is baseball after all and a champion can be crowned with just a swing of a bat.
photo credit: artolog via photopin cc
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