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| Bringing the House illustration |
In just five games, the San Francisco Giants ended the misery of a tortured but dedicated base. In what was perhaps the most surprising World Series matchup and outcome in the past ten years, the Giants decisively defeated a potent Texas Rangers club four games to one. While there were many factors that contributed to the Giants' victory, a handful of those stood out. More specifically, the Giants' first title since the franchise moved to San Francisco results directly from the team's ability to follow five keys to success as described at Bringing the House. How fantastic! Let's take a look.
Objective No. 1: Limit Josh Hamilton
Objective No. 1: Limit Josh Hamilton
Grade: A
After the American League MVP candidate dominated the Yankees in the ALCS, Bringing the House identified Josh Hamilton as the single biggest threat to the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. Sure, the Rangers have Cliff Lee (more on this later). But a starting pitcher can only affect the games in which he pitches in a seven-game series. A position player, however--and a dominant one at that--can affect each game in dramatic fashion. If the Giants had any shot at defeating the Rangers' vaunted offense, they needed to limit Josh Hamilton.
The Giants successfully shut Hamilton down, and made it look rather easy. The Texas slugger struggled at the plate and turned in a final line of 2-for-20 (.100 average) with only a single and a solo home run to his credit. Not only did the Giants' pitchers silence his thunderous bat, but they did not even have to walk him to do so; Hamilton walked only one time in the series. He also struck out three times and was caught stealing once. Any time a dangerous offense contains a key cog like Texas' contains Hamilton, you have to make sure to limit that person's production, and the Giants did just that.
Objective No. 2: Patrol the Bases
After the American League MVP candidate dominated the Yankees in the ALCS, Bringing the House identified Josh Hamilton as the single biggest threat to the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. Sure, the Rangers have Cliff Lee (more on this later). But a starting pitcher can only affect the games in which he pitches in a seven-game series. A position player, however--and a dominant one at that--can affect each game in dramatic fashion. If the Giants had any shot at defeating the Rangers' vaunted offense, they needed to limit Josh Hamilton.
The Giants successfully shut Hamilton down, and made it look rather easy. The Texas slugger struggled at the plate and turned in a final line of 2-for-20 (.100 average) with only a single and a solo home run to his credit. Not only did the Giants' pitchers silence his thunderous bat, but they did not even have to walk him to do so; Hamilton walked only one time in the series. He also struck out three times and was caught stealing once. Any time a dangerous offense contains a key cog like Texas' contains Hamilton, you have to make sure to limit that person's production, and the Giants did just that.
Objective No. 2: Patrol the Bases
Grade: A
We thought the speed of the Rangers did not get enough publicity going into the World Series. They get a ton of press for being a power-hitting team, and rightfully so. But the speed of the Rangers really made a difference against an older and slower Yankees team in the ALCS. If the Giants had any hope of winning close, pitching-dominated games, they would have to neutralize the Rangers' speed by limiting leads and secondary leads and throwing out base runners.
The Giants defense did a great job at patrolling the bases. Not only did the Giants throw out two base runners on stolen base attempts, but they only allowed two successfully steals in the series. Furthermore, neither of those two base stealers came around to score. In essence, those steals were meaningless. What was a huge worry going into the series became completely irrelevant by the end.
Objective No. 3: Win One Game Against Cliff Lee
We thought the speed of the Rangers did not get enough publicity going into the World Series. They get a ton of press for being a power-hitting team, and rightfully so. But the speed of the Rangers really made a difference against an older and slower Yankees team in the ALCS. If the Giants had any hope of winning close, pitching-dominated games, they would have to neutralize the Rangers' speed by limiting leads and secondary leads and throwing out base runners.
The Giants defense did a great job at patrolling the bases. Not only did the Giants throw out two base runners on stolen base attempts, but they only allowed two successfully steals in the series. Furthermore, neither of those two base stealers came around to score. In essence, those steals were meaningless. What was a huge worry going into the series became completely irrelevant by the end.
Objective No. 3: Win One Game Against Cliff Lee
Grade: A+
Entering the series, Lee's playoff history was the stuff of legends. If the Giants hoped to win, or even compete for that matter, they would need to defeat the Rangers in at least one game of which Lee started.
In unquestionably the most shocking development of the World Series, the Giants not only defeated Lee once, but they defeated Lee twice. Emphatically.
In Game 1, the Giants chased Lee off the mound, in front of his own fans, after just 4.2 innings. The Giants smacked him for 7 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk. And in the deciding Game 5, the Giants touched Lee up for 3 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings. While the latter performance wasn't so much of a beating, let's put everything into perspective.
Lee was arguably the most dominant postseason starting pitcher ever. The Yankees, a team that boasted the best offense both last season and this season, could not even touch him over the course of two consecutive playoffs. But the Giants, a team that everyone believed swung chopsticks at the plate, defeated Lee twice, in Texas, in the two most important games of the series, the opener and the clincher.
The only comparison that comes to mind is in the world of mixed martial arts. If you're a fan of the UFC, consider Cliff Lee the B.J. Penn of baseball. Like Penn, Lee is one of the best in the sport and shines on the biggest stage. He completely dominated great lineups (Yankees, Rays, Rockies) like Penn dominated strong contenders (Joe Stevenson, Diego Sanchez, Kenny Florian). It got to the point where you wondered if anyone would ever defeat Lee. He was automatic and indestructible.
But then Lee stumbled upon the Texas Rangers just as Penn stumbled upon Frankie Edgar. In the first encounter, the Rangers defeated Lee and Edgar defeated Penn and both results left you speechless. You literally did not believe what you had just witnessed. But the bigger illusion was what was left to come. In the second and last encounter, just when you thought and expected that Lee and Penn would both return to form and regain that mystique, they both stumbled again. It was shocking and breathtaking at the same time.
Objective No. 4: Other Bats Must Help Cody Ross
Entering the series, Lee's playoff history was the stuff of legends. If the Giants hoped to win, or even compete for that matter, they would need to defeat the Rangers in at least one game of which Lee started.
In unquestionably the most shocking development of the World Series, the Giants not only defeated Lee once, but they defeated Lee twice. Emphatically.
In Game 1, the Giants chased Lee off the mound, in front of his own fans, after just 4.2 innings. The Giants smacked him for 7 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk. And in the deciding Game 5, the Giants touched Lee up for 3 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings. While the latter performance wasn't so much of a beating, let's put everything into perspective.
Lee was arguably the most dominant postseason starting pitcher ever. The Yankees, a team that boasted the best offense both last season and this season, could not even touch him over the course of two consecutive playoffs. But the Giants, a team that everyone believed swung chopsticks at the plate, defeated Lee twice, in Texas, in the two most important games of the series, the opener and the clincher.
The only comparison that comes to mind is in the world of mixed martial arts. If you're a fan of the UFC, consider Cliff Lee the B.J. Penn of baseball. Like Penn, Lee is one of the best in the sport and shines on the biggest stage. He completely dominated great lineups (Yankees, Rays, Rockies) like Penn dominated strong contenders (Joe Stevenson, Diego Sanchez, Kenny Florian). It got to the point where you wondered if anyone would ever defeat Lee. He was automatic and indestructible.
But then Lee stumbled upon the Texas Rangers just as Penn stumbled upon Frankie Edgar. In the first encounter, the Rangers defeated Lee and Edgar defeated Penn and both results left you speechless. You literally did not believe what you had just witnessed. But the bigger illusion was what was left to come. In the second and last encounter, just when you thought and expected that Lee and Penn would both return to form and regain that mystique, they both stumbled again. It was shocking and breathtaking at the same time.
Objective No. 4: Other Bats Must Help Cody Ross
Grade: A
If you take out a solo home run in a losing effort in Game 3, the Rangers shut down CodyRuth Ross. Bringing the House correctly saw this coming and knew that the Giants needed their others bats to step up if they wanted the crown.
The other batters picked up Ross' slack and then some. Check out the following numbers:
If you take out a solo home run in a losing effort in Game 3, the Rangers shut down Cody
The other batters picked up Ross' slack and then some. Check out the following numbers:
- Five different Giants had at least 5 hits
- Six different Giants hit a home run
- Eight different Giants drove in at least 2 runs
- Five different Giants recorded a slugging percentage over .500
- Eleven different Giants scored a run
As you can see, the Giants not only had a lot of production, but the production came from a lot of different players. On the game's biggest stage, the entire offense showed up.
Objective No. 5: Unleash the Beard
Objective No. 5: Unleash the Beard
Grade: A
The Rangers feast on bullpen pitching, so we thought that the Giants would need to get the ball to Wilson and Wilson would need to pitch lights-out for them to win this series. It turned out that the Giants offense performed so well that there weren't many save opportunities for Wilson. That being said, manager Bruce Bochy gave Wilson three appearances and The Beard delivered the following line:
2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Fittingly, the only save chance that Wilson received was in the clinching Game 5. Not surprisingly, Wilson threw a perfect ninth inning, struck out two batters in the process, and locked up the team's first championship since 1958.
Congratulations to the San Francisco Giants!
The Rangers feast on bullpen pitching, so we thought that the Giants would need to get the ball to Wilson and Wilson would need to pitch lights-out for them to win this series. It turned out that the Giants offense performed so well that there weren't many save opportunities for Wilson. That being said, manager Bruce Bochy gave Wilson three appearances and The Beard delivered the following line:
2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Fittingly, the only save chance that Wilson received was in the clinching Game 5. Not surprisingly, Wilson threw a perfect ninth inning, struck out two batters in the process, and locked up the team's first championship since 1958.
Congratulations to the San Francisco Giants!
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