The Giants win the Pennant and the World Series!

2014 the San Francisco Giants are a most unlikely team to win the Series. Some of their most trusted players, the reliable core where stricken near the end. Replaced and sent on their way by the pride of the Giants minor league and some skilful trades for experienced pitchers.

The Giants were the team that had to play through the pressure of winning the one game wildcard against a formidable Pittsburgh Pirate team that almost won their division. The Giants had to win this game in Pittsburgh. But as happened throughout the season this team seemed to be almost better on the road that at home so no account. What some considered the best team in the National league was up next. They faced the Washington Nationals. In the mean time Saint Louis was taking out the might LA Dodgers... thank goodness. The LA Dodgers had set themselves up in this season to be the west coast version of the Yankees. But alas to no avail. They went down.

The San Francisco Giants St. Louis Cardinal series was a tough one. Both teams took losses at home. One of the games went 18 innnings. But in the end the Giants with a low home run total came through in the end. They demonstrated a way to generate runs without a hit. Walks work. No matter how hard the pitcher throws the ball, they ball must go pretty close to the strike zone to limit the damage.

When the Giants met the KC Royals who also worked themselves up the ladder from the wildcard slot the form of each league with the designated hitter allowed in the American League but not allowed in the National league challenged each manager to set their team to do the best they could with each game. The American League had won the All Star Game which allowed the last games to be played in the American League with the designated hitter. But as a truism in this game and in most others, good pitching will defeat good batting every time. The winner of game seven while on the record is Jeremy Afelt, the MVp for the World Series was the humble cow rancher from Hickory North Caolina, Madison Bumbgarder.

The games were exciting throughout. Most runs were made through infield hits or infielder errors. This allowed for the games to be pretty tense through most of its length. The Kansas City Royals were very much like the Giants in their make up. They usually relied on their speed on the bases as a equalizer. In the world series this did not happen as much.  I feel that the arms the Giants had in the infield and the outfield defensively limited this action.

So all hail to the hometown heroes. The Giants are the World Series Champions once more.  They have had this honor for the last three out of five years. Will they wait a year and win in 2016 or will they repeat next year.  This decision will basically happen when the players contracts who are up for free agency are settled and many of them are sure to go find better money on other teams. So is there any more gas in the minor league teams to support the player crunch that occurs through injury and free agency.. Time will tell and that is why they play the game.