SF Giants Win 2014 World Series In Seventh Game! Royals Go Down Swinging. #WorldSeries #SFGiants #Royals

Madison Bumgarner,
Greatest Pitcher Ever?

It took seven games, but the San Francisco Giants finally squeaked to victory in Game 7, winning 3-2 over the Kansas City Royals.  The Giants lost three games in this World Series, mainly because their pitching collapsed.  The Royals batters must have intimidated most of the Giants better pitchers, because those pitchers fell apart early, allowing the Royals to score many runs.  Tonight pitcher Tim Hudson disintegrated early, was replaced late in the second inning by Jeremy Affeldt who did a creditable job, until Madison Bumgarner took over pitching in the 5th.

When Bumgarner took over, the score was 3-2, Giants.  Bum kept it that way through five innings of shut-out baseball, allowing the Giants to win their third World Series in five years, and their eighth World Series in franchise history.  The Fox News announcers opined that the Giants are now a baseball dynasty, and have earned a place in sports history.  They also raved about Madison Bumgarner, who they say is one of the best pitchers to ever play the game.

The loss has to be tough to swallow for Kansas City fans.  Their team fought its way down a very long, hard road to reach the 7th game of the World Series, only to lose it all by one run.  The Royals are a fantastic team in my opinion, and I admire and respect them.  I would like to see them win a World Series soon, just not against the Giants.

The Royals last won a World Series 29 seasons ago, in 1985.  I know how that long drought feels.  Before 2010, the Giants had not won a World Series since 1954 -- a wait of 56 years.  I doubt that the Royals will have to wait that long.  They are too good of a team.

Royals Humiliate Giants in Game 6; Final Game of 2014 World Series Tonight #worldseries, #SFGiants #Royals

Back on their home turf and surrounded by dedicated, cheering fans, the Kansas City Royals looked like sure winners on Tuesday night.  They ran up a score of 10-Zip before the final out.

The major cause of their victory, however, was a dismal pitching performance by SF Giant Jake Peavy, the worst of his career (or so say the pundits).  He did terrible in Game 2 as well, for the same reason:  walking batters, loading the bases, then allowing singles and doubles to bring in the runs.

Why Manager Bruce Bochy started Peavy is odd, considering the Game 2 fiasco.  In Game 6, Peavy was pulled after 2 innings.  His replacements were not much better, allowing hits (but fewer walks), and the infield made some dubious defensive plays that allowed runners to reach base.  So Peavy was not the only problem, the entire Giants roster was lackluster.

The Royals started a young pitcher from the Dominican Republic who throws 98 MPH fastballs, and his pitching frustrated Giants batters.  The long and short of it is that the Giants crashed and burned, all to the staccato of Royals bats, who began to sound like a Japanese drum troupe as they laid down a barrage of singles, doubles and one home run.

An announcer stated that of the last World Series ten teams who were 3-2 but lost the 6th game, eight were defeated and only two survived the 7th game.  So it appears statistically probable that the Royals will win their second World Series ever this evening.  They last won in 1985.

I am hoping that the Giants will rally to win Game 7, but if I were a betting man, my money would be on the Royals.  Prove me wrong, Giants, puh-leeze.

Reflections of a Giants Fan: The World Series 2014; Hunter Pence, Hero #worldseries, #SFGiants

Hunter Pence

I've been following the major league baseball playoffs with interest this year.  My favorite team is the San Francisco Giants, because I live in the Bay Area and associate the team with home and family.  The last thing I ever did with my father, the week he died, was to watch the Giants play the Cardinals one Sunday afternoon.  The Giants won 2-0.

The San Francisco Giants are trying for their third Wold Series Win, though it will be the 8th World Series win for the franchise, if it happens.  The Giants won five World Series as the New York Giants, and have appeared in the World Series 20 times, which includes 2014.  The Giants beat the New York Yankees twice, in the World Series of 1921 and 1922.

The Giants won the World Series in 1905, 1921, 1922, 1933, 1954, 2010 and 2012.  Baseball is an American tradition dating back more than a century.  It is very American, and it is very special.

Last night I watched the 4th game of the 2014 World Series, and when the Royals went ahead 4-1 in the 4th inning, I feared the Giants were doomed.  The Royals appeared on their way to their third win of the series, which would put the Giants' backs against the wall.  However, the Giants rallied with a flurry of hits in the 5th, 6th and the 7th, and ran up the score to 11-4, holding on to it until the game ended.  The series is now tied at two games each.  The team that wins 4 games out of a possible 7 will win the series (duh).

This series is evenly matched.  Both the Royals and the Giants make heroic hits, impossible saves, pinpoint throws and precision teamwork, with a never-say-die determination that makes each game wild and exciting.

For my money, Giants outfielder Hunter Pence is the hero of the Giants' efforts this year.  Early in Game 4, he stole 2nd base, then stole 3rd base, and finally got home to score the first run of the game.  He was determined that the Giants should score first.  Pence is from Texas.  That makes him doubly likable in  my book.  My father was from Texas, too.

UPDATE:  In Game 5 tonight, Madison Bumgarner, the ace picture of the Giants, threw a nine inning shutout of the Royals, leading the Giants to a 5-0 win and a lead in the series of 3 games to 2.  Game 6 and 7 (if needed) will be played in Kansas City on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.  The Royals need to win both those games to win the World Series; the Giants have to win only one more game to win the World Series.  The energy and momentum of the Giants makes it clear that the Royals have their work cut out for them.