2010 World Series National League Team: The San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants won the National League Championship series and is headed for the World Series. They were the underdog team in this whole National League Post Season Tournament. After a one game playoff, winner goes to the post season; the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres to have a spot in the battle of October. The Giants have proved to baseball fans everywhere that they are more than just an underdog team.  They were able to defend off the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series to earn a spot to take on the defending world champs, the Philadelphia Phillies. Many thought that the Giants would not be able to make it past those tough Phillies, but they were able to climb their way to the top and earn a spot which every team in baseball covets, the World Series.

Loaded with young, strong pitching and a good mix of young and veteran talent, the Giants had the right formula to make it to the big show. Before the end to the July 31^st Major League Baseball trade deadline, the Giants added much needed offense to their struggling line-up, and it paid off.

Cody Ross and Pat Burrell were the two big bats that they decided to pick up to give the team a boost. Pat Burrell played with the Tampa Bay Rays and was released in the early part of the season. The Giants signed him up and though he isn’t a threat to pitchers like he was a few years ago, he still managed to help the Giants cause. A former World Series champion, Burrell provides much needed leadership. Cody Ross was claimed on waivers after being waived by his former team, the Florida Marlins. Cody Ross added some punch in the line-up too, but it was what he did when the Giants made it to the post season. He was a hitting machine. He hit 3 homeruns and drove in five runs and scored. He had a .350 batting average and provided an offensive spark that earned him the National League Championship Most Valuable Player award.  Another veteran bat that was added at the beginning of the season was for Detroit Tiger, Aubrey Huff. Coming off of a poor season, Huff made up what he failed to do last year. He led the team in homeruns and runs batted in. He has managed to hit .290. Not to mention, his defense at first base was spectacular.  

I wasn’t all offense for the Giants at all. They leaned more on their ever so dominating pitching. And with the young guns they have pitching for them, it made it hard for both the Braves and Phillies to score runs. Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Madison Bumgarner anchor down one of the most feared pitching rotation in all of baseball.  They are all no strangers to the strike zone. Not to mention, the Giants have one of the best bullpens in all Major League Baseball. Brian Wilson has also earned a lot of respect for his dominance as closer. Another young player who emerged as a star is their young catcher Buster Posey. Playing in only 108 games, managed to hit .305 and hit eighteen homeruns and drive in sixty-seven runs batted in. His defensive skills also improved as the season went on.

A good mixture of young and veteran talent, the Giants have a strong recipe for success. Winning the World Series is not going to be easy by no means. They are going up against the Texas Rangers, a team that is also well equipped with strong pitching and a stacked line-up. Baseball fans, this World Series is going to be a great one. First game is this Wednesday night.