Smoak and Mirrors

By Kshell

The Seattle Mariners are struggling once again in the Jack Zduriencik regime which shouldn't come as a shock since they have lost 196 games the last two seasons.  The Mariners struggles have become so bad that I stopped writing or caring about this team. With the second half of the season approaching this is a critical time for the Mariners young core. Now I'll talk about Dustin Ackley, Kyle Seager and Jesus Montero for a later time. For now I'm going to focus on Texas Rangers former top prospect and current Seattle Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak. Smoak who will be 26 years old in December is having for the third straight year in the major leagues a terrible season. Smoak has actually regressed from last season and his having his worst season of his career so far. With Smoak struggling this really puts the rebuilding into question and more importantly for Jack Z his tenure in Seattle could be ending.

So far Smoak's claim to fame was he was the guy traded to the Mariners from the Rangers for Cliff Lee. Now when the Lee deal broke I was out floating the river so one of my writers broke down the trade at the time with this thoughtful piece . At the time everyone loved the trade and I'll admit so did I since the Mariners were acquiring Smoak who was the 13th rated prospect in the majors. The Mariners just grabbed a top tier prospect from a division rival for a rental player. Instead what ended up happening was Cliff Lee helped the Rangers reach their first every World Series in 2010. Lee in the ALDS series win over the Tampa Bay Rays was 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA having thrown 16 innings with 21 strikeouts. Then in the ALCS win over the New York Yankees Lee won his game three start going eight shutout innings allowing only two hits with 13 strikeouts. Lee would bolt in the off-season but the Rangers were able to pick up two first round draft picks. The Rangers also became a legitimate franchise with that World Series appearance which allowed them to sign all-star third baseman and former Seattle Mariner Adrian Beltre. That trade actually helped the Rangers more than anyone could have imagined at the time while to date has hurt the Mariners.

Justin Smoak was a highly touted prospect for the Rangers. He was the Rangers first round pick(11th overall) in the 2008 draft out of South Carolina. He was the #23 prospect in the minors in 2009 and #13 in 2010. Smoak was seen as the next Mark Teixeira type who was a switch hitter with great defense. In the minor leagues he was rushed through the system as he only had 773 plate appearances which he hit .283/.401/.458 with 24 HR's and 93 RBI's. In triple A though he has only had 477 PA's where he has hit .253/.379/.414 with 13 HR's and 53 RBI's. In the minors he should decent power with a good eye. Still one had to think if he truly was this great prospect why would the Rangers even risk trading him to a division rival for a rental player? At that time that was something that didn't quite pass the smell test. As we are finding out now with Smoak perhaps he wasn't that good to begin with which is why the Rangers rushed him through the system. By rushing him through the system that enhanced his value as he was drafted in 2008 and was on the major league roster in 2010 having played in 70 games for the Rangers. The Rangers in 2011 used that World Series momentum from 2010 and went back to the World Series, while the Seattle Mariners lost 95 games after losing 101 the previous year.

So far in Smoak's major league career in 1,214 PA's he is hitting .220/.302/.370 for a .672 OPS with 39 HR's(HR/27.5 AB's). He has struck out 265 times(21.8%) and walked 127 times(10.4%). He has a negative 0.9 WAR in three seasons and a negative 2.0 WAR defensively(every year has been negative). To say Smoak has been a disaster would be an understatement. Sure those at Mariners Nation may think he is "slumping" but they are also the laughing joke of the Seattle sports scene. Smoak this year is having his worst season to date in 328 PA's he is hitting .203/.265/.332 for an OPS of .597 which is pathetic. He has 11 home runs(HR/27.3 AB's) with 69 strikeouts(20.4%) and 26 walks(7.9%) on the season. He currently has a negative 0.8 WAR which ranks last among all everyday first baseman. He isn't walking at all like he did in the minor leagues and his power is very average. Plus defensively he is bad as every year in the majors he has been a negative WAR defensively. As time is moving forward it is becoming more and more clear Zduriencik isn't a good general manager. It is becoming even more obvious that Smoak isn't the future either. The sooner the Mariners cut their losses on him and ship him while he still has a little bit of value the better.

The Rangers hustled the Mariners like all good teams do to bad teams. They had the Mariners thinking they were giving up a top prospect for a rental which would hurt their franchise and help the Mariners franchise for a decade. Instead just the opposite happened the Rangers used that trade to land Lee which landed them in the World Series. They then used that momentum to go back to the World Series while the Mariners are on pace to go 67-95 which would be the first this franchise has lost 95 plus games three years in a row since their expansion days when they lost 95 plus their first four years of existence from 1977-1980. Zduriencik was supposed to clean up this mess that Bill Bavasi left him instead he has made this mess even worse. Justin Smoak is the poster boy of why this franchise's hope from 2010 to now has disappeared. Smoak was supposed to be that switch hitting power hitting first baseman that was made for Safeco Field. Instead the Rangers are laughing at the Mariners misery as they are going to win their third straight division title. Yes come to find out Justin Smoak was simply a "Smoak and Mirrors" prospect all along.

Game five World Series recap

By Kshell

The game of baseball is a wonderful game. This is the only game where an unknown has as much to do with his team success as the best player. The ninth batter has as many at bats as the number three batter. Your best pitcher only pitches one in five days so you are just as dependent on the other starters. The surprise element is so great anyone can emerge and become the hero on that night. Any star can have a meltdown when you least expect it.

The San Francisco Giants have a chance to clinch their first World Series championshp since moving to San Francisco back in 1958. The last time the Giants won the World Series was back in 1954 when Willie Mays was just a youngster in New York City. In 1954 a gallon of gas was just 21 cents compared to over three bucks today. The Giants are also sending their ace and two time Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum.

Standing in the way of the Giants is the Texas Rangers who feature a pretty good pitcher themselves. Cliff Lee perhaps making his last start as a Texas Ranger pitching in his home ball park for the first time this postseason. Heading into the World Series Lee had been dominant in the playoffs. Posting numbers such as in 8 GS, 7-0, 1.26 ERA, 64.1 IP, 40 H, 7 BB, 67 SO. Yet in game one he was roughed up for seven runs in 4 2/3 innings showing just how unpredictable baseball can be. Tim Lincecum beat him in game one although he lasted just 5 2/3 innings allowing four earned runs.

This pitching matchup ended up being the duel we all expected in game one. This is why baseball is so amazing it came down to one pitch. One team capitalize on that pitch and won another close game.

Lincecum helps Giants win first World Series in 56 years!

The San Francisco Giants became one of the most unlikely teams to ever win a World Series in recent memory. The Giants rode their pitching staff and that staff shut down the mighty Phillies and now shut down the mighty Rangers. The Giants are of course led by their ptiching and in particular Tim Lincecum who was the Pac-10 pitcher of the year in 2006 with the Washington Huskies. Lincecum was dominate yet again as the Giants shut down the Rangers mighty offense.

The Rangers ace Cliff Lee rebounded from his rough game one start and was dominating through the first six innings. Going into the seventh inning the game was tied at 0-0. The Lee-Lincecum duel was what we all thought it would be heading into game one. Then in the top of the seventh the game started to change. After allowing back to back hits for the first time all game Lee had found himself in a jam. Bruce Bochy knowing that Lincecum was on top of his game decided to bunt with Aubrey Huff who hadn't layed down a bunt all season long. With second and third and one out that set up Pat Burrell who was in a huge slump. Burrell would strike out and would up 0 for 13 on the series with 11 strikeouts.

That would set up Edgar Renteria who won the World Series game seven in 1997 for the Florida Marlins. Renteria also made the last out of the World Series in 2004 against the Boston Red Sox. Lee had a decision to make to walk Renteria or not. Renteria had been red hot in the series hitting over .400 and going 3 for 4 yesterday. Renteria turned on the Lee pitch and belted it to deep left centerfield for a three run home run. The Giants clubhouse was going crazy and so was the city of San Francisco watching the game in the city center. Cliff Lee would retire the last batter to end the seventh. Lee's night would be done he would pitch 7 innings, gave up 6 hits, 3 runs, had struck out 6 Giants hitters while walking none. He made one mistake and it cost him.

The Giants found themselves just nine outs away from their first title since moving to San Francisco. After retiring the first batter Lincecum gave up a home run to Nelson Cruz who has had a great postseason. Then Lincecum walked Ian Kinsler bringing the tieing run to the plate. After falling behind 2-0 on David Murphy, Lincecum battled back to strike out Murphy then he struck out old catcher Bengie Molina.

The Giants ace had some terrific stuff retiring the Rangers easily in the eighth. Bochy would make a controversial move by pulling Lincecum for all-star closer Brian Wilson. Lincecum had just pitched 8 innings, gave up just 3 hits, walked just 2 and struck out 10. Bochy decision was pretty easy he handed the ball to his closer who was terrific in this postseason. Wilson was again dominant retired the hitters in order striking out two including the last batter Nelson Cruz.




The Giants for the first time since 1954 are World Champions. Bruce Bochy who has been involved with baseball for 35 seasons finally wins a World Series as manager. The Giants became just the second team since 1995 to clinch all three series on the road(2005 Chicago White Sox). Edgar Renteria was named World Series MVP hitting .412 with two home runs and six RBI's while scoring six runs. Renteria also became just the fourth guy ever to drive in the winning runs in two separate World Series clinchers. The other three guys you might have heard of Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, and Yoggi Berra. Save to say Renteria isn't in that class but he came up huge once again.

The Giants young ace was terrific in his first postseason. Tim Lincecum as I mentioned earlier is a former Husky. He becomes the first Husky pitcher who actually pitched in the World Series to win a World Series title. He was 2-0 this series with a 3.29 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 13 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings. For the postseason Lincecum was 4-1 with a hold, pitched 37 innings, struck out 43 batters and had an ERA of 2.43 and a whip of 0.92. Lincecum was money in his first postseason.

The Giants didn't win the title because of just Tim Lincecum though. They received great pitching from Matt Cain as well. Matt Cain was 2-0 this postseason with an ERA of 0.00 in 21 and 1/3 innings while striking out 13. He also sported a nifty whip of 0.94. The Giants staff set a record in the month of September with 1.78 ERA which was the fifth best month in baseball since 1920. In 90 years where they play April-September only four times has a team had a better pitching month than the Giants. The Giants also had great pitching from closer Brian Wilson who was 1-0 with six saves and pitched 11 and 2/3 innings while allowing zero runs, striking out 16 batters and sporting a whip of 0.77.

The Giants have a young nucleus that wont' be going away. The top four pitchers are all in their 20's and young catcher Buster Posey is only 23 years old. Posey became the first rookie catcher to win a World Series since 1966. Yes these Giants accomplished something that Willie Mays or Barry Bonds could never do which is bring a World Series championship to San Francisco. These Giants won despite nobody thinking they could. Just don't think the Giants are a one year wonder this team will be in the hunt for years to come as long as they can keep this young pitching staff together.

Game four World Series recap; former president Bush throws out first pitch

By Kshell

This World Series game had a special feel to it. First of all the winner of this game would control the series. If the San Francisco Giants win they are up 3-1 with Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain going in the next two days. While if the Texas Rangers win they'll steal back momentum, even the series at 2-2 then have Cliff Lee go in game five. This game was indeed a special feel to it.

Another reason this game had a special feel to it was before the game. Two former United States presidents took the pitchers mound to throw out the first pitch. The 41st US president George Herbert Walker Bush(1989-1992) who played in two college world series for Yale in 1947 and 1948 was there along with his son. George Walker Bush(2001-2008) the 43rd president in US history was also owner of the Texas Rangers in the early 1990's. In fact George W. Bush was the only owner to vote against the Wild Card. His first pitch in game three of the 2001 World Series was probably the highlight of his presidency given the circumstances. Well George W. Bush threw out the first pitch as his dad watched(Who is a huge Astros fan by the way). The crowd cheered and that is when everyone realized this is more than just a normal baseball game.

The problem is somebody forgot to tell rookie 21 year old Madison Bumgarner. Bumgarner of the Giants has had a good solid postseason facing a lineup that is ready to bust out who chased another lefty starter the day before. The Rangers had Tommy Hunter who was not good in his first two postseason starts. At the end of the day we saw yet another low scoring game which featured a shutout.

Rookie Bumgarner shuts out Rangers 4-0; take series lead 3-1

The Texas Rangers in 81 home games in the regular season and then an additional six playoff games were shutout a grand total of one time the entire year. So the odds of them getting shutout when facing a rookie number four starter were probably a thousand to one if not higher. Well Madison Bumgarner pitching in the World Series on the road after two former presidents were throwing out the first pitch seemed unfazed. In fact he was quite dominant. He shut the Rangers out in eight innings and puts the Giants one win away from their first ever World Series title since moving to San Francisco over 50 years ago.

The Giants offense despite on paper not looking to be very good finds a way to get the job done. In the third inning Aubrey Huff hit a two-run homerun to put the Giants on the board 2-0. Huff who played in over a thousand games in his career before finally reaching the playoffs this season had to feel good on that blast. The Rangers starter Tommy Hunter could only last 4 innings but allowed just those two runs.

In the seventh inning the Giants scored again when leadoff hitter Andres Torres who slumped in September but scored earlier in the game on Huff's homerun delivered a big hit. Torres hit the ball to deep right as the ball kept traveling and the ball hit the wall and didn't go over which allowed Edgar Renteria to score from first base to extend the lead to 3-0. In the bottom half of the inning offered the only drama for the Rangers. With Hamilton on at first base who reached on an error. Vladmir Guerrero came to the plate and on a full count Bumgarner threw a change up to strike Guerrero out for the third time. He then allowed a base hit to Nelson Cruz bringing in the potential tieing run in Ian Kinsler. Bochy gambled and left Bumgarner in there and Kinsler line out to left field. That would be the only time all game Texas would have a runner on second base.

In the top of the eighth Buster Posey would hit a homerun that would appear to be an easy out only the ball kept traveling to centerfield and was gone. That was Posey first career postseason homerun to give the Giants a commanding 4-0 lead. Bumgarner would again continue to cruise through the eighth. Bumgarner final line was 8 innings, 3 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. In the ninth inning closer Brian Wilson who hasn't had a save opportunity this series retired the Rangers in order and struck out two batters.

The Giants the team of misfits as they call themselves are just one out away from a World Series championship. In August they trailed the San Diego Padres by six games, then punched their postseason ticket on the very last day of the season. After the Giants blew game two in the NLDS at home many thought the Braves would eliminate them, nobody gave them a chance to beat the Phillies and in this series nobody thought they could contain the bats of Texas.

This pitching staff is the best staff we have seen the 90's Atlanta Braves which featured Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and some years Steve Avery, Pete Smith, Kevin Millwood, and Denny Neagle. The Giants top four starters are all under the age of 28 so expect this team to last a while. They have a good young bat who you'll see in All-Star games for years to come in Buster Posey who became the first catcher to catch a shutout and hit a home run in the World Series since 1983. Madison Bumgarner who was just their fourth starter is only 21. He became the third youngest pitcher to win a World Series game.

Now the Giants have been here before back in 2002 they were up 3-2 and winning that final game is always the toughest. It is not out of the question with Cliff Lee and C.J.Wilson pitching that the Rangers can still force a game seven. The Giants will do everything they can to avoid that since Sanchez has struggled this postseason. The Giants will turn the ball to their ace Tim Lincecum who failed to win the clinching game in the NLCS has a chance to have the city of San Francisco go crazy. The Giants have a chance to go crazy tomorrow with a victory. The Rangers will have their last chance to see their team play for the 2010 season. This could also be the last time they ever see Cliff Lee pitch for their team again.

Game three World Series recap

By Kshell

The San Francisco Giants are feeling pretty mighty after scoring 19 runs on the Texas Rangers go on the road trip to Texas with a 2-0 series lead. The Rangers will be hosting their first ever World Series game. This is a huge game for obvious reasons. If the Giants win the Series is pretty much over while if the Rangers win there is a Series again. There was some noticable faces in the stands. As you saw in my picture I uploaded former United States president George W.Bush was at the game. Team president Nolan Ryan threw out the first pitch.

The Rangers are hoping the shift to an american league ball park can change the series. The Rangers are hoping to get their offense going after being shut out in game two. The Giants will be pitching struggling pitcher Jonathan Sanchez while Texas will be pitching Colby Lewis who defeated the Yankees twice. One team got a bit of offense early and then hung on for the victory.

Colby Lewis shuts down Giants in 4-2 victory

The Rangers needed some pitching in game three to stop the Giants sudden offensive explosion. Colby Lewis who was pitching in Japan the last two seasons has now won his last three postseason starts. Lewis had shut down the Giants for much of the evening. He also got some early support early on from the home run ball. The Rangers who didn't hit a single home run in the first two games in San Francisco finally busted out with some offense.

The Rangers got on the board early with two outs in the second inning. Ron Washington going against the manager odds started lefty Mitch Moreland against lefty Jonathan Sanchez. Moreland responded with a three run home run to get the crowd fired up and give the Rangers a 3-0 lead. Their biggest lead of the series.

The home runs kept coming out for the Rangers. When ALCS MVP Josh Hamilton belted a two out home run in the fifth to give the Rangers a commanding 4-0 lead. The Rangers were finally getting some pitching and giving the Giants a taste of their own medicine with the two out runs. They also chased Giants starter Sanchez who pitched just 4.2 innings giving up 4 runs. The Giants have scored 13 runs in the first two games with two outs. The Rangers were led by Colby Lewis who was shutting down the mighty Giants hitters.

The Giants offense mainly the top of the order were shut down. The Giants offense was held to just five hits and Pat Burrell continueing his awful World Series struck out four times and has struck out eight times in nine at bats this series. Coly Lewis had them shut out through six innings.

The Giants finally got some offense when NLCS MVP Cody Ross went deep in the seventh then in the eighth leadoff hitter Andres Torres hit a home run off Lewis to cut the lead to 4-2. All of a sudden the crowd was getting scared as the game was slipping away from the Rangers. Colby Lewis day was over but not after receiving a standing ovation from the crowd. Lewis like he did against the Yankees pitched deep into the game and shut down his opponent. Lewis pitched 7.2 innings allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.

The Rangers bullpen finally got the job done retiring all four hitters they faced. Closer Neftali Feliz pitched a perfect ninth including two strikeouts to save the first World Series win in franchise history. In front of the former president and all-time strikeout king the Rangers have made this a series again.

I still think the Giants are in great shape. If a team is decent at all they always win game three at home when down 2-0. Now my favorite game in the series is always game four. If the Giants win they are up 3-1 with their three aces left in the series, while if the Rangers win it's 2-2 and Cliff Lee pitching at home in game five. The Rangers offense is still struggling they got all four runs off of home runs with two outs. That is why baseball is great because it is so unpredictable. The Rangers won this game with their 9th hitter hitting a three run bomb and a pitcher who was pitching in the Japan Leagues the past two seasons shutting down the Giants.

Game two World Series recap

By Kshell

Yesterday baseball proved to us just how strange the game can be. In a pitching matchup that featured Tim Linecum vs Cliff Lee nobody expected 18 runs to be scored. The San Francisco Giants scored just 20 runs in six games against the Phillies in the NLCS yet erupt on a pitcher who had a career playoff ERA of 1.26. Cliff Lee can shut down the Yankees the last two years, the Rays twice but couldn't even last five innings against the weak hitting Giants in a National League ball park which is a pitchers ball park.

That is why we tune in for baseball games because it truly is unpredictable from a game to game basis. The Rangers were hoping to rebound today with C.J.Wilson as in baseball momentum is all about the next days starting pitcher. The Rangers can't afford to go down 0-2 with throwing their two best lefty pitchers. While the Giants sent to the mound a pitcher in Matt Cain who has yet to allow an earned run this postseason. Both pitchers were great, one was just amazing like he has been all postseason.

Cain continues scoreless streak as Giants shutout Rangers 9-0, up 2-0

The Giants took a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Texas Rangers behind the pitching of Matt Cain. Matt Cain shut down the Rangers giving up zero runs and just four hits through 7 2/3 innings. Cain proved to be to much for the Rangers mighty bats and then with two outs the Giants erupted in the eighth inning off the Rangers bullpen who has had issues with getting that third and final out.

The Giants in a pitchers duel got on the board first when Edgar Renteria who won a World Series way back in 1997 with the Florida Marlins hit a homerun to deep left field down the line to give the Giants a 1-0 lead. With the way Cain was pitching that was all that was needed. Tim Lincecum gets all the publicity for the Giants and he deserves it but fans forget about Matt Cain. Cain doesn't get the big win totals as his bullpen either blows wins for him or the offense doesn't score enough.

The Giants would scratch out another run in the seventh. After Ross reached base, C.J.Wilson had to leave the game with a blister. Then game six of the NLCS and game one of the World Series hero Juan Uribe ripped a base hit up the middle off Rangers reliever Darren Oliver to give the Giants a 2-0 lead. C.J. Wilson day was done he kept his team in the game allowing only three hits and two runs through six innings.

The Giants would explode in the eighth for the second straight game with two outs. The inning began nicely for Rangers reliever Darren O'Day who struck out the first two Giant batters recovering nicely from his outing the day before when he allowed a three run homerun to Uribe. Buster Posey would begin the rally with just a meaningless two out base hit. Washington would pull O'Day and bring in lefty Derek Holland who was great against the Yankees. Holland would walk the first two batters he faced in just eight pitches. Despite the walks there was no mound visits or even a pitching change. Holland would then walk the bases loaded when he walked Aubrey Huff giving the Giants a 3-0 lead. Holland threw 13 pitches and 12 of them were for balls. Washington would pull him for former Mariners pitcher Mark Lowe who had a rough outing the day before.

The wildness of the Rangers bullpen continued as Lowe walked Uribe allowing another run to score giving the Giants a 4-0 lead. Renteria who homered earlier in the game got a base hit scoring Cody Ross and Aubrey Huff putting the game away at 6-0. The Giants weren't done yet as Aaron Rowand hit a two run triple in the gap off of Rangers new reliever Michael Kirkman giving the Giants an 8-0 lead. Andres Torres would cap the rally with a double scoring Rowand. When it was all said and done the Giants scored seven runs on four hits, and four walks in that eighth inning that saw four different Rangers pitchers allow a run.

The Giants would finish off the mighty Rangers shutting them out 9-0 in game two. In what was a close game turned out to be a blowout in the eighth inning. The Giants scored just 20 runs in six games in the NLCS have now scored 19 runs against the Rangers in the first two games. The Giants will head on the road up 2-0 knowing at the very worse they'll return home in game six.

When the series shifts to Texas the Rangers hope to regain some offense. The Rangers after winning their first five postseason games have now lost three in a row on the road. The Rangers have to hope a change of scenary will turn these games into American League like slugfest. I still believe the Giants can't out hit the Rangers but they certainly have the pitching. The pitching carried the Giants in September and in this postseason has carried them so far already pitching three shutouts.

At the end of the day nobody espected the Rangers who were throwing Cliff Lee and C.J.Wilson to return home down 0-2. I hope the Rangers can make this a series and I suspect they will. The Giants will be throwing Jonathan Sanchez who was shaky in both starts against Philadelphia after pitching terrific in game three of the NLDS against the Braves. The Rangers will hand the ball over to ALCS hero Colby Lewis who shut down the Yankees twice. The Rangers return home for three games hoping to grab momentum back. While the Giants simply hope to just win one game in Texas, two is simply a bonus. Should be fun to see what franchise ends over 50 years without a championship.

Game one World Series recap

By Kshell

This year the World Series features two unlikely teams. From the American League the Texas Rangers are the representatives having defeated the Tampa Bay Rays who had the leagues best record and then defeating the New York Yankees who were the defending champions. The Rangers began this postseason as the longest shot to win the World Series at 14 to 1 odds now find themselves favored over the San Francisco Giants because the Rangers feature the games best postseason pitcher in Cliff Lee.

The National League representatives are the pitching rich San Francisco Giants. The Giants are a team who reached the postseason on the very last day winning the National League west division title over the San Diego Padres. The Giants in the playoffs defeated the Atlanta Braves then the two time defending National League champion Philadelphia Phillies. The Giants in their seven postseason victories have won by a single run in six of those games. They feature their young ace Tim Lincecum who has won the last two Cy Young awards.

With Lincecum facing Lee many expected this game to be low scoring. With both teams pitching former Cy Young award winners runs would be at a premium. Then again sometimes even staff aces have off nights. Today was a game that nobody could have predicted. It's not that the team who won is shocking just the way the game played out with neither starter lasting more than six innings.

Giants hand Cliff Lee first career postseason loss 11-7 to take game one

The San Francisco Giants were hosting their first World Series game since 2002 when they lost to the Angels in seven games. The star of that team and of that series Barry Bonds was again in attendance. The Giants were taking on the Texas Rangers playing in their first ever World Series game in history. The Giants offense erupted in the fifth inning giving the Rangers a rude World Series awakening.

The Giants Tim Lincecum started the game off pretty shaky for the Giants. In the first inning after allowing an RBI single to Vladmir Guerrero that skipped off Lincecum making the game 1-0. Then with first and third and only one out Nelson Cruz hit a ball up the middle but Lincecum made a great stop on the ball. Lincecum then ran towards Michael Young but instead of throwing the ball to Juan Uribe Lincecum just held the ball which loaded the bases. Fortunately for Lincecum that blunder didn't cost him on the very first pitch Kinsler grounded it to Uribe who stepped on third then threw to first for an inning ending double play.

With Cliff Lee on the hill for the Rangers the Giants couldn't afford to give up early runs. In the second inning after allowing a base hit to Bengie Molina; who began the year with the Giants and will receive a World Series championship ring no matter; Cliff Lee came to the plate and faking the bunt he swung away ripping a double in the game giving the Rangers a second and third and one out. As Joe Buck pointed out Lee became the first American League pitcher to get an extra base hit in the World Series since Chad Ogea of the Cleveland Indians in 1997. Elvis Andrus would get a sacrifice fly to drive in Molina to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. Normally 2-0 isn't that much but seeing how Lee has a 0.75 ERA this postseason that appeared to be the ball game.

The Giants tied up the score in the bottom of the third off of the postseason invincible Cliff Lee. Freddy Sanchez got the Giants on the board first with his second consecutive double scoring Edgar Renteria to cut the lead to 2-1. Then rookie sensation Buster Posey ripped one to left center allowing Andres Torres to score to tie the score up at 2-2. The Rangers had let Lincecum off the hook and Lee finally for the first time in his postseason career looked hittable.

The Giants exploded in the fifth inning scoring five of the six runs with two outs. Freddy Sanchez became the first guy in World Series history to get three straight doubles to begin his World Series career as he ripped an RBI double scoring Andres Torres who had doubled previously. After striking out Posey, Lee had a rare walk to Pat Burrell. Cody Ross the NLCS MVP singled to shallow center scoring Sanchez giving the Giants a 4-2 lead then Aubrey Huff singled up the middle scoring Burrell giving the Giants a 5-2 lead. That would end Cliff Lee's night in just 4.2 innings. Darren O'Day came in to relieve Lee and on the first pitch game six hero Juan Uribe belted a home run to deep left field for a three run home run giving the Giants an 8-2 lead. The crowd went nuts as the game was broken open. Lee final line would be 4.2 innings, 8 hits, 7 runs, 6 of which were earned and struck out 7.

The Rangers would rally the very next inning off Lincecum. Bengie Molina the former Giant would have an RBI double scoring Ian Kinsler then David Murphy pinch hitting for the pitchers spot had an RBI single cutting the lead to 8-4. That would also end Tim Lincecum's day at 5.2 innings. Bochy would go with Santiago Casilla who would get the Giants out of the jam and end the Rangers rally. Lincecum would leave to a standing ovation despiting pitching 5.2 innings, giving up 8 hits, 4 runs, walking 2 and struck out just 3. The pitchers duel turned into a slug fest.

The Giants would put the game away once again in the eighth inning off of former Mariners setup man Mark Lowe. The Giants would score three more runs in the eighth to extend the lead to 11-4. The Rangers would rally in the ninth scoring three runs but ultimately would lose 11-7. The game which had the over/under for runs scored was 5.5 ended up with 18 runs scored. Now in game two Matt Cain who has yet to allow an earned run this postseason will square off with C.J.Wilson of the Rangers.

The Giants are the team of destiny it appears. When their Cy Young award pitcher gives up four runs in less than six innings and still win by four runs is pretty unlikely. The Giants didn't appear to have the offense to explode as most of this team was guys you have never heard of guys you didn't want heading into the season. Don't sleep on the Rangers just yet Cliff Lee will get another start this series and I have a feeling he won't get rocked again. When the series shifts to Texas offense will be featured and I don't see the Giants winning to many slugfest type games. This series will most likely still end in six or seven games.