Giants Try To Continue Dominance Over Dodgers
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It doesn't happen often: In fact, it's only been done by two clubs in MLB history. Winning three straight World Series is an amazing task, and only the New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics can lay claim to the achievement. The 1974 A's were a crazy team, of course, but they proved themselves on the field ... again.
There wasn't a lot to celebrate between 1971 and 1987 for the San Francisco Giants, as the team endured a 15-season absence from the National League playoffs. One of the biggest highlights for long-suffering fans, however, was Joe Morgan's home run in the seventh inning of Game 162 in 1982 that buried a rival's playoff chances.
Tim Lincecum is pitching like his old carefree, confident self, and the San Francisco Giants are once again generating timely hits.
After moving to the West Coast in 1958, the Giants baseball organization wasn't very successful. They'd lost the 1962 World Series in seven games to the New York Yankees, but it was almost a decade later before San Francisco made the playoffs again. Willie McCovey was 33, and Willie Mays was 40. So, it was a young star—Bobby Bonds—who led this Giants squad to the first National League West division title in team history.
Many current San Francisco Giants fans won't remember the team's first appearance in the World Series after moving from New York City, but the 1962 team was something special: Willie Mays was just one of many iconic players on this squad that took the mighty New York Yankees to the ninth inning of Game Seven before coming up just short.
An 11th-round Draft choice by the Dodgers out of high school, Los Angeles knew it was taking a risk by drafting Joc Pederson, as he had pretty high bonus demands and had already committed to play baseball at USC. But the Dodgers were OK with the risk that late, and OK with giving him a hefty bonus, and now five years later it looks as though it's all going to pay off.
There's a contemporary push to place starting pitchers in the same realm as everyday players, which is confusing as it is annoying.
The high-spending Cardinals, Giants and Phillies have won the last six National League pennants. The Cardinals or Giants will win it again in 2014.
The Cardinals eliminated the Dodgers to advance to the NLCS for the fourth straight year. They will face the Giants, who topped the Nationals.
Aside from a seemingly generous strike zone, Scott also appeared to clap when Yasiel Puig was struck out during the third inning.
All four League Division Series are well underway now in the 2014 MLB Playoffs, and as usual, there are plenty of surprises.
The National League Division Series feature some of the wealthiest teams in the league. Will the results justify the expense?
