Fluke or Dynasty?

By Katy Williams

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

For baseball fans, especially those in San Francisco, the image of the Giants hoisting the World Series trophy earlier this week is still fresh in our minds.

This Giants team was nothing short of remarkable. They were down to the Reds 0-2 and came back. They proved themselves again when they were down to the Cardinals 3-1. And then, through a remarkable turn of events that could not have been predicted, the Giants swept the mighty Detroit Tigers right out of the World Series.

The Tigers were led by their bats all season, complete with a lineup featuring Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. The Giants meanwhile hit fewer homeruns in the regular season than any other team, and their best hitter, Melky Cabrera, was suspended for the second half of the season.  On paper, this series shouldn’t have even been a contest. Or was it?

For San Francisco residents, the black and orange victory parade earlier this week wasn’t anything that they hadn’t seen before. Just two years ago, the team marched down these same streets, hoisting the same trophy for their loyal fan base.

A good, but not great, team can win one World Series through a combination of luck, timing and good fortune. But they can’t win two in a three-year span. This feat pushes a team almost to dynasty status, and dynasties don’t happen on accident.

So could this Giants team be a dynasty? They certainly have the pitching to back up that claim. Hardly anyone can argue against the combination of Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, and Ryan Vogelsong. And if Tim Lincecum is able to restore even some of his old two-time Cy Young self next season, this team will continue to be lights-out on the mound.

The Giants also have a manager and team leader capable of taking them through the season with the focus on winning at the right time, like they did this season. With Bruce Bochy at the helm and Buster Posey behind the plate, the Giants are more than capable of overcoming adversity and making smart decisions in tough spots.

Are the Giants a dynasty? Not just yet. But don’t sleep on them next season.

Go Big or Go Home

Should the Giants roll the dice with Carlos Beltran in 2012? Austin Mirmina channels his inner Brian Sabean before rendering a decision.

(SD Dirk/Flickr)

Carlos Beltran has never been the most vocal player in clubhouse.  But in 2011, he let his bat do most of the talking.

Despite receiving plenty of criticism for his inconsistency in a New York Mets uniform, the six-time all-star turned in one of his best efforts in recent seasons.  Beltran was statistically solid all-year–in 98 games with the Mets, Beltran drove in 66 runs, smacked 15 home runs and batted .289, all while manning the right field position in the massive Citi Field confines.  He then played 44 games with the San Francisco Giants after being traded in late-July, where he had a solid .323 batting average.