Fansided

How the Giants can win the NLCS… again.

By Jeff Weisinger

October 7, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt (9, left) celebrates in the clubhouse after defeating the Washington Nationals 3-2 in game four of the 2014 NLDS baseball playoff game at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
October 7, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt (9, left) celebrates in the clubhouse after defeating the Washington Nationals 3-2 in game four of the 2014 NLDS baseball playoff game at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Francisco Giants are in position and can win the National League Championship series again

Before we begin, let us remember that, as recent MLB history as shown, the San Francisco Giants have been successful in even-numbered years.  They won their first World Series in 2010, followed that up in 2012 with their second title since moving to the Bay Area.  With that said, the St. Louis Cardinals have had a similar streak, except their best years have been in odd-numbered years: won a World Series in 2011 and reached the World Series in 2013.

For those of you who haven’t looked at a calendar, its 2014, an even-numbered year.

While that may just be a “weird baseball thing,” these Giants do seem to have the look of a team that could go all the way – again.  The question is, will they?

If it’s anything that we’ve learned this postseason, it’s that the best teams aren’t exactly built for a World Series (looking at you Oakland, Washington and L.A.) and if that theory continues to hold true, the Giants should expect to find themselves in another Fall Classic.

Just don’t expect a perfectly clean run.

“Our way is torture I think,” manager Bruce Bochy said.

While the Giants have gotten men on base (35 hits in the NLDS), San Francisco struggled to score runs while defeating the Nationals 3-1 in a gritty series that went down to the wire in each of the four games (including an 18-inning near stalemate in game two).

The Giants scored just nine runs against the Nats pitching staff, a complete drop from the eight run spot they dropped on Pittsburgh at PNC Park in the Wild Card.  That lack of run production should improve with the return of outfielder Michael Morse who missed the NLDS with a strained oblique.  Morse was the Giants’ second-best hitter in the regular season, hitting .279/.336/.475 with 16 home runs and 61 RBI in 131 games.

Their best hitter, Buster Posey hit .311/.364/.490 with 22 homers and 89 RBI.  Throughout the playoffs so far, Posey’s bat has stayed hot, as he’s hit .391 (9-for-23) in the five postseason games so far.

Oct 7, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval reacts after popping out with the bases loaded in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals during game four of the 2014 NLDS baseball playoff game at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 7, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval reacts after popping out with the bases loaded in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals during game four of the 2014 NLDS baseball playoff game at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Pablo Sandoval had a key game-tying double in Game 2 in Washington in the NLDS, however with the bases loaded and a chance for the Giants to possibly start to put the game away in the fifth inning of Game 4, he popped out for the second out of the inning and the Giants failed to score, keeping it a close 2-1 game.  Sandoval hit just .211 in the NLDS with that double in Game 2 as the lone extra-base hit.

However, the star of the Giants run has been their pitching staff.

“The true story is that pitching and defense are the foundation of this club,” Hunter Pence said after Game 4.

San Francisco’s starters are 2-1 in the postseason so far with a 1.04 ERA, second behind the Nationals starting staff that recorded a 0.73 ERA.  The difference is that the Giants starters have place less pressure on the bullpen, going 34.2 innings to date.

In comparison, the Cardinals’ starting staff has tallied just one decision, a win, in four games and has recorded a 4.30 ERA in just 23 innings, allowing a .308 BAA.

Three of the Giants four starters that have pitched in the postseason so far have held hitters to under .170 at the plate while allowing just five total runs (four earned) and have struck out 31 batters.  Yusmeiro Petit gave the Giants the best performance out of the bullpen in Game 2 of the NLDS, pitching a one-hitter through six innings in extras in the Giants 18-inning, 2-1 win.

St. Louis has home-field advantage and their pitching staff is well-rested going into Saturday’s NLCS opener.  The last time these two teams faced off, San Francisco came back down 3-1 in the series to advance to the World Series in seven games.  Both the Cardinals and the Giants are the only teams to represent the National League in the World Series since 2010.

There’s no question that this series has the makings of being another postseason classic.  The Cardinals offense has come through when they needed to advance to this point while the Giants pitching staff and defense have made one clutch play after another throughout the postseason.

This series could go seven games once again.  If it counts for anything, let’s just remember one thing: it’s an even-numbered year.

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