San Francisco Giants rookie catcher Buster Posey has won the 2010 National League Rookie of the Year Award from Major League Baseball. Posey becomes the first San Francisco Giant player to win the Rookie of the Year since pitcher John "The Count" Montefusco took the award in 1975.

Besides catching what is perhaps the best pitching staff in baseball, Posey put up some serious numbers in only 108 big league games with the Giants this year: .305 avg., 67 RBI, 23 doubles, 2 triples, and 18 home runs. He helped lead the Giants to their first San Francisco World Series title, and the first franchise Series win in 56 years. 

Posey was followed in the Rookie of the Year voting by Phillies outfielder Jason Heyward (.277/72 RBI), St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia (13-8, 2.70 ERA), Florida Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez (.273/85 RBI), and Pittsburgh Pirate second baseman Neil Walker (.296/66 RBI).

Fireballing closer Neftali Perez (42 saves) of the Texas Rangers won the 2010 American League Rookie of the Year Award.
  
Buster Posey was called up from Triple A Fresno by the Giants front office on May 29, 2010, after hitting .349, with a .442 on-base percentage and a .995 OPS with the minor league team. Many observers were stunned when Posey was not part of the Giants team following Spring Training 2010, when he batted .315 with a .351 OBP. The Giants selected Posey in the first round (5th pick overall) of the 2008 amateur draft. no comments

Major League Baseball has inspired so much of American culture that at some point it became one of the essential foundations of the culture. All other professional sports together have not come close to inspiring the sheer volume of literature, analysis and historical examination that baseball has-- from it's inception in 18th century America to this morning's online sports news sites.

In the words of Howard Bryant, a senior writer for ESPN, "baseball looks forward and backward better than any other sport." In an absolutely brilliant piece published on November 12, 2010 at ESPN.com, Bryant takes a hard look forward to what Major League Baseball will likely become after the San Francisco Giants' unexpected and amazing 2010 World Series championship.

In that insightful essay, Howard Bryant writes, "the 2010 season will be remembered wistfully as historic, for the game quite likely will never be the same."

It is a story as old as the game itself-- team owners and commissioners focused not on the glory of the game, not on baseball's colorful history, and certainly not on the intensely personal relationship fans have with the game, but on revenue. On money, or more specifically on making more money.

From 1902 until an independent legal arbitrator struck it down in 1975, the reserve clause was baseball's driving financial machine. Players were forced to remain employed with their teams until ownership either traded them or released them. Since the players couldn't market their services to other teams, salaries were kept low and superstar players were essentially kept hostage by their owners for years.

Since 1975, although player salaries have soared, another revenue-generating monster has made the reserve clause look like spare change: television. While network and cable contracts are not the only revenue stream for each of baseball's 30 teams, it has become the dominent source of money for team owners over the past thirty years.

In 1973, George Steinbrenner bought the New York Yankees for $10 million. In April 2010, Forbes Magazine put the New York franchise's worth at $1.6 billion. In 1976, San Francisco businessman Bob Lurie led a group that bought the Giants from Horace Stoneham for $8 million. In 1993, a Peter Magowan-led group purchased the Giants for $100 million. In April 2009, Forbes estimated the San Francisco franchise was valued at $471 million (including AT&T Park). That's a 371% increase in value in just 16 years.

And TV's contributions to baseball's piggy bank? In 2009, Fox Sports paid Major League Baseball $2.5 billion as part of a five year contract broadcast a variety of games, including the World Series each year. If evenly divided, that's $8 million per team each year, or $40 million. Individual teams also have local broadcast contracts for television and for radio. Forbes put the Yankees' local TV and radio licensing income alone at $30 million a year; New York's overall yearly revenue was estimated to be $302 million! And while the Pittsburgh Pirates will certainly see smaller income streams, they also have them.

What does all this have to do with the San Francisco Giants winning the 2010 World Series? Television income is ultimately based on ratings; higher ratings mean more money can be charged for advertising, and more profits can be made for the television networks and for baseball. The Giants-Rangers Series tied the all time lowest broadcast ratings ever, because the sports media is an East Coast citadel that only promotes East Coast teams and (at times) the Chicago Cubs and the LA Dodgers. Period.

Which, as Howard Bryant succinctly points out, means unless the Yankees or Boston make the World Series, the ratings are pretty much guaranteed to drop.

The Baseball Commissioner's solution? Add more teams to the playoffs, which is simply another way to ensure the high spending Red Sox and Yankees will both likely make the post season every year. And the deeper those teams go into the playoffs, the more money baseball makes-- an easy decision that has nothing to do with what's best for Major League Baseball.

For some MLB fans, the importance of a Major League bullpen sometimes gets lost in the excitement of more sexy discussions: the top five hitters available in the free agent market, constructing the best possible line-up, trying to predict the final 2011 standings, whether or not to switch from the $12.00 imported beer to the $9.00 domestic in the 5th inning.

Somewhere way down on the list of fascinating baseball conversations is the one about having an effective relief corps. 

If thinking about relief pitching makes you nod off, let me give you Dyer's First Rule of Major League Baseball: the biggest obstacle between a baseball team and its ability to get wins is the quality of its bullpen. (Dyer's Second Rule of Major League Baseball involves the number of double mojitos and deep fried habaneros one should consume after an exciting Giants win. But I digress.)

Nothing better demonstrates the importance of a big league bullpen than what happened to the San Francisco Giants in 2009 and 2010.

In 2009, the Giants were in the process of finishing 3rd or worse in the NL West for the fifth year in a row (OK, in 2006 they finished in 2nd place but that was because two teams tied for 1st place). The Gigantes scored a paltry 657 runs in 2009-- 26th best out of 30 MLB teams. But, amazingly, they finished the year with a 88-74 record. How could this be?

Turns out Giant relievers posted the second best bullpen ERA in all of baseball in 2009-- 3.49 (the Dodgers' bullpen had a 3.14 ERA). Lefty Jeremy Affeldt recorded a 1.73 ERA and appeared in 74 games. The performance of the 2009 bullpen was the biggest difference maker in salvaging a potentially dismal season.

In 2010, Giant relievers again posted the second best bullpen ERA in the Majors-- 2.99 (second to the Padres' 2.81). Flash back to July 2010, when several injuries and poor performances threatened to sink the bullpen. Giants General Manager Brian Sabean made the resurrection of the bullpen his prime objective, picking up key relief pitchers Ramon Ramirez from Boston and Javier Lopez from the Pirates. That, in addition to the emergence of Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner, is what turned the 2010 season around.

So what will the Giants front office be looking at to reconstruct their 2011 bullpen? Of the seven relievers the Giants took to the 2010 playoffs, only two are signed through next year, Brian Wilson and Jeremy Affeldt.

The Bullpen
Brian Wilson-- signed in January 2010 to a 1 year $4.437 million contract to avoid arbitration. Two months later, signed a two year extension 2011-12 for $15 million. At 28, Wilson is already among the elite closers in the game and hasn't even entered his prime years as a ballplayer. Sometime after the end of the 2011 season (one year from now), the front office should be mulling another contract extension in the four year range.

A fascinating comparison here is how the Yankees handled closer Mariano Rivera's contracts over the years. For the first six years of his Yankee career, Rivera signed a series of one year contracts, 1995-2000. At age 31 in 2001, Rivera signed a 4 year deal; in 2005 the 35 year old Rivera signed a 2 year contract; in 2008, at 38, Rivera signed a 3 year deal for $45 million (or $15 million a year).

In 2010, 40 year old Mariano Rivera had a tremendous season: 33 saves, 1.80 ERA, .83 WHIP. Rivera's current contract ended this month. Brian Wilson, who had 48 saves and a 1.81 ERA, will be 30 years old when his current Giants contract ends.

Sergio Romo-- signed a 1 year contract for $416,500 in March 2010. His 2010 numbers were excellent: 2.18 ERA, 70 strikeouts, and 46 hits in 62 innings pitched. The 6 home runs were a bit high, but that's the nature of his breaking ball, off-speed pitching style. Led the team with 22 holds. Should be time for a raise and a multi-year deal.

Ramon Ramirez-- only had time to pitch 27 innings during the regular season but put up a nasty 0.67 ERA and .89 WHIP. Had a tough post season at 0-1, 4 innings pitched, 6 earned runs. His 2010 $1.15 million Boston contract will not be the preferred starting point for Giants GM Brian Sabean.

Javier Lopez-- his tremendous success as a lefty specialist is illustrated by Lopez's regular season numbers: 77 games, 57.2 innings pitched-- or about 2/3 of an inning per appearance, and a great 2.34 ERA. But it was in the post season that Lopez became a lefty legend: 5.2 innings pitched, 1 hit allowed, 6 strikeouts, a 1.59 ERA, and a 1-0 record.

Came to the Giants with a 1 year $775,000 contract from Pittsburgh, via the Red Sox and Colorado. Absolute gold for San Francisco's bullpen, and at 33 Lopez should be a shut-down machine against the the National League's elite left-handed hitters for the next five years.

Jeremy Affeldt-- in the middle of a 2 year $9.5 million deal, with a club option in 2012. Injuries made 2010 forgettable, with a 4.14 ERA and 24 walks in 50 innings. Look for a solid bounce back year in 2011.

Santiago Casilla-- another one year contract at $420,000. The good news for the Giants is that 2011 will be Casilla's second arbitration year and he will not become a free agent until 2013. Provided serious heat from the bullpen all year and posted a 1.93 ERA in four 2010 post season games. Will likely get another single year deal.

Guillermo Mota-- the big dog contract-wise with a $750,000 2010 deal. Hardly used in the post season (2.1 innings) and a so-so 2010: 1.31 WHIP, 4.33 ERA. What Mota brings to the party is the ability to jump into games gone bad and horse out three innings. If someone goes missing from last season's bullpen, it will be Mota.

Chris Ray-- coming over from Texas in the Bengie Molina deal, Ray brought a $975,000 contract. Good sinkerball specialist who can induce doubleplays when needed, but if Ray remains on the staff his role will likely dictate a pay cut.

Dan Runzler-- making the MLB minimum and under the Giants' control for a long time; not arbitration-eligible until 2013, no potential free agency until 2016. Runzler has the potential to be a dominant pitcher in the National League-- either as a closer or starter (depending on which way the team goes with him). One way or another, Runzler will be a major factor in this team's future, possibly as a valuable trade chip.

Giants' management has all the puzzle pieces here to create a powerhouse 2011 bullpen and continue the high performance standards set by the 2009 and 2010 San Francisco bullpens.

On paper, the 2010-11 hot stove season looks warm and inviting to the San Francisco Giants front office. The starting rotation that dominated the 2010 playoffs looks to be locked up for several years, the closer is signed through 2012, and it appears the majority of the team's outstanding bullpen will be re-signed. Key position spots already locked in for 2011 include catcher and second base.

What else was recently on paper? Well, the Atlanta Braves were favored to take the 2010 National League Division playoffs, the Phillies were locks to rampage their way through the National League Championship Series, and the Texas Rangers' fearsome offensive (combined with the greatest pitcher in the history of human sports) was picked to totally dominate the World Series.

Other things that can be found on paper include the droppings in your parrot cage and several items related to personal hygiene. So let's tip-toe away from all the paper and take a realistic three part look at the challenges facing the Giants ownership and front office in preparing for the 2011 season. That would involve: 1) starting pitching, 2) the bullpen, and 3) position players.

Starting pitching
Tim Lincecum-- a two year contract for $23 million, 2010-11. Starting in Spring Training next year, the pressure will build big time for the Giants to re-sign Lincecum to a longer multi-year deal. If they do not, he will be the biggest free agent in the 2011 post-season market.

Matt Cain-- a three year deal for $27.25 million, 2010-12. As a result of his incredible playoff performance Cain entered the top tier of National League pitchers: 3 starts, 2-0, 13 hits in 21.1 innings, 7 walks, 13 strike-outs, 0 earned runs/1 unearned run, a .94 WHIP. Cain's recent performance, and his delivery and body type, make him a prime candidate to have his contract extended before the 2012 season.

Jonathan Sanchez-- signed to a one year $2.1 million contract for 2010, arbitration-eligible. Look for the Giants to avoid even the hint of an arbitration hearing with Sanchez; he will sign a multi-year contract in the $4-5 million range as soon as the team can get it done.

Barry Zito-- 3 years left on a 7 year, $126 million contract. Hard to believe Zito would want to stay with the Giants after being left off the 2010 post season rosters, but all parties know San Francisco would have to prepare, bake, and consume the majority of Zito's remaining contract to move him. While the team could do a lot worse in a #5 starter (see Wellemeyer, Todd), it remains to be seen if it becomes a team chemistry issue. I personally hope Barry Zito stays and continues to contribute to this team.

Madison Bumgarner-- made the MLB minimum of $400,000 after being called up from Triple A Fresno in June. Received a $2 million signing bonus after being drafted by the Giants in 2007. This is a magic moment for the Giants front office; Bumgarner should be signed to a two year deal in the $2+ million range to start the long term lock-up process. The lefty starter is good enough to have the potential to be the #1 or #2 starter on a large number of MLB teams.

Other options-- Zack Wheeler, the #1 pick in the 2009 draft, had injury problems at Single A Augusta, going 3-3 with a 3.99 ERA in 58.2 innings. Doing much better at Augusta this year was Jorge Bucardo: 9-4, 2.21 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 95 strike-outs in 114 innings pitched. At AA Richmond, Clayton Tanner went 9-9 with a 3.68 ERA, and David Mixon was 11-7 with 112 SOs in 156.2 innings and a 1.19 WHIP. At Triple A Fresno, Henry Sosa did some starting and relieving, going 7-8, 4.07 ERA, and Eric Hacker was 16-8 with a 4.51 ERA.

So the minor leagues do not look like they will produce a viable starter in the next year or two. The Giants have discussed converting lefty reliever Dan Runzler (3-0, 3.02 ERA, 37 strike-outs in 32.2 innings) to a starting role, but this could just be positioning prior to contract talks with Jonathan Sanchez.

The San Francisco Giants' starting pitching looks dazzling, and once Sanchez is locked up this staff should be play-off bound in 2011.

It was an event at which the Governor of California made reference to an S&M acquaintance of Giants' closer Brian Wilson, and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom offered a quote from Grateful Dead icon Jerry Garcia to best describe the 2010 World Series champion Giants.

This amidst a surreal combination of the wildest Mardi Gras and a dozen New Years Eves rolled into one uninhibited celebration to honor the 2010 San Francico Giants winning the World Series.    

On Wednesday the city of San Francisco hosted a victory parade for it's beloved Giants which quickly became the biggest public event in the city's 160 year history. City officials and Giant executives estimated the crowd at well over one million people, as the World Series champs followed a 1 1/2 mile parade route first traveled in 1958 when the Giants moved to San Francisco from New York City.

Hundreds of thousands of people converged in the early morning hours along Montgomery Street and Market Street to claim a spot along the parade route, while over a half million more fans crowded into Civil Center plaza to await the arrival of the team and watch the official ceremony. It was a distinctly family affair-- the massive crowds made up of everyday fans from throughout Northern California, but an amazingly large number of parents and kids of all ages with a rare chance to experience a truly historic moment.

Apparently there was a regional epidemic of sore throats and runnny noses which forced thousands of Bay Area school children to miss classes Wednesday. But they didn't miss this.

The parade consisted of cable cars on wheels, vintage cars, and floats pulled by everything from electric cars to a UPS truck. Giant greats Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, and Willie McCovey joined the Series champions, coaches, Giants radio and TV broadcasters and front office executives as the parade slowly moved up Market Street to City Hall. Also marching in the parade were the team's employees: ticket takers, security people, front office staff, and seat attendants. The Giants' sassy mascot, Lou Seal, cavorted along the route.

The City Hall ceremony was an opportunity for fans to see their 2010 team one more time before the post-season party ended. The world champions were introduced one by one and took a seat on the huge stage in front of City Hall facing hundreds of thousands of energized fans who cheered and chanted at the top of their lungs.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger congratulated the team and the city, then looked over at Brian Wilson, sporting his trademark mohawk haircut and dark-dyed beard. During a televised media interview at Wilson's apartment conducted before the Series, a scantily clad, leather-hooded individual appeared briefly in the background, who Wilson later mysteriously identified as "The Machine". Governor Schwarzenegger ended his remarks by saying, "I thought I was the only machine as the Terminator, but now you also have a machine on your team..." "...so congratulations also to The Machine...".

Mayor Gavin Newsom succinctly summed up the uniqueness of this championship team by paraphrasing Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia. "They are not the best at what they do, they are the only ones who do what they do."

Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff alternatively waved, and wore, his trademark red thong throughout the parade. At the podium during the ceremonies Huff dramatically pulled the thong out from inside the front of his jeans and triumphantly waved it to the crowd. Wilson addressed the rally by saying, "I'm kinda having a mini-heart attack, I don't really know the cause... ...maybe the electricity in the crowd, or maybe the smell of Prop 19", in reference to California's failed marijuana ballot referendum.

In a wave of good feelings a host of Giant players addressed the rally, Tim Lincecum, Buster Posey, Juan Uribe and others expressing their love for their teammates and appreciation for the fans amid cheers and applause. Giants Manager Bruce Bochy summed up the selfless attitude that defined the achievements of this San Francisco Giants team: "They wanted to win it for you as bad as they wanted to win it for themselves."

On Wednesday November 3, 2010 the city of San Francisco will host a victory parade for their World Series champion San Francisco Giants. The parade will follow the historic route taken by Giant players and coaches to celebrate their move to San Francisco from New York City in 1958.

In the pantheon of Giants history, there is an iconic photo every Giant fan knows well: a smiling, waving Willie Mays sitting atop the back seat of a convertible next to infielder Hank Sauer amid a parade of cars driving down Montgomery Street, a huge sign high above them celebrating "Welcome SF Giants". It was 1958, and San Franciscans came out by the thousands to welcome their new Major League team to the West Coast.

On Wednesday, the Giants will replicate the 1958 route, starting at 11:00 AM at the corner of Washington and Montgomery Streets. The parade of champions will go southbound on Montgomery to Market Street. right (west) on Market to Civic Center Plaza. On the steps of City Hall, Mayor Gavin Newsom will present the team with key to the city. Giants front office executives, Manager Bruce Bochy and his coaches, and all the winning Giant players are expected to be on hand.

After their Monday night World Series win over the Texas Rangers at Rangers Stadium in Arlington, Giants fans throughout San Francisco celebrated their team's victory well into the night. Thousands of people gathered at AT&T Park at 3rd and King Streets, then marched down 3rd to Market Street stopping at sports bars and any establishment that served adult beverages along the way. In the Marina District, and at the corner of Market and Castro Streets, thousands more fans spilled into the surrounding neighborhoods as the party that waited 56 years to happen exploded in happy celebration. Because the San Francisco Giants have won the 2010 World Series!

                        

The San Francisco Giants have won the 2010 World Series, taking four games to one from the American League Champion Texas Rangers. Giants starter Tim Lincecum beat Rangers' star starter Cliff Lee by a score of 3-1 in a second face-off between the two aces during this intense World Series.

Lincecum went 8 innings, giving up three hits, one run, and two walks, getting ten Ranger hitters on strike-outs. Giants' closer Brian Wilson shut the Rangers out in the 9th to get the save. World Series MVP Edgar Renteria hit a three run home run in the top of the 7th inning to break a double shut-out by both starting pitchers.

Tim Lincecum was at the top of his game from the first inning on, and was ahead of Ranger hitters throughout the entire eight innings. Lincecum got two of the Giants four Series wins. In the five game Series, the San Francisco Giants out scored the Rangers 29-12.

This ends a 56 year span of the Giants franchise not winning a World Series title. Since moving from New York City to San Francisco in 1958, this is the team's first World Series win after going to the World Series in 1962, 1989, and 2002 without winning.

The San Francisco Giants have won the 2010 World Series, beating three of the best teams in baseball to get it done: the Texas Rangers, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Atlanta Braves!
 

                                                                                 

First, let me disclaim all of what I am about to say here.

The San Francisco Giants have played the 2010 post season like one of those massively powerful circular tunnel digging machines, with twenty-five diamond drill bits, relentlessly cutting through the toughest rock, making a path where no one said they could go. And Manager Bruce Bochy has made not just the right moves, Bochy has made moves like he's working in a different dimension, a chess master playing the game five moves ahead of the guy sitting across from him.

And my most recent blood test, taken by outsourced medical staff employed by my off-shore HMO, has proven once again that I actually do bleed orange and black. Do I believe the Giants will win the 2010 World Series? In the words of Charles Bronson in his final scene in "The Magnificent Seven"....   "you're damn right...".

But something has just popped up. A small piece of shell in the middle of an expensive lobster feast; an AT&T Park pigeon leaving a small white gift on the roof of my new 2011 Land Rover Continent Cruncher; my beloved great grand uncle passing away, and it turns out he owes money. You know what I'm talking about?

I'm talking about the 2002 World Series. The Giants were leading the Series over the Anaheim Angels 3 games to 2. Then came Game 6, the bottom of the 7th inning, Giants leading 5-0. After one out, Giants' Manager Dusty Baker walks out to the mound to take starter Russ Ortiz out of the game and bring in reliever Felix Rodriguez. Before Ortiz leaves the mound, Baker does something totally anti-baseball (and possibly un-American). He gives Ortiz the game ball. Instead of taking the game ball from Ortiz and giving it the reliever, he gives it to Ortiz who walks off the mound with it and trots into the dugout.

And that's not all Ortiz took into the dugout. The Angels proceeded to put on a s-storm of a rally and won the game 6-5. Then they won Game 7, and the Giants lost the World Series.

Bruce Bochy has announced his line-up for Game 5 of the 2010 World Series. Aaron Rowand is playing. And center fielder Andres Torres is playing in right field. This feels a little like Bochy is giving the game ball to Aaron Rowand, celebrating a wee bit too early, not playing Nate Schierholtz with his awesome defense, moving Torres out of his normal position. I guess the idea is to give Rowand a start in the World Series, but...

Will someone please talk me through the open window and back into the building? Can anyone find that damn ball from the 7th inning in 2002 and cover it with chocolate sprinkles so Pablo will think it's a doughnut hole? Rowand will go 2-4, right? Burrell will have 2 walks and a double, OK? Lincecum will spin a complete game shut-out, yes?

Someone...  anyone?

The San Francisco Giants multi-tasked nicely in World Series Game 4: they put on an all-world defensive clinic, became only the second team in 2010 to shut out the Texas Rangers at home, and introduced yet another young phenom pitcher to the baseball world.

They also won Game 4 by a score of 4-0, taking a dominating 3-1 lead over Texas in the 2010 World Series.

The hard-charging Texas Ranger offense batted .276 in the 2010 regular season-- the highest of any MLB team. In Game 4 Sunday night, the Rangers were shut out for the second time in four World Series games, as their mighty bats hit the ultimate immovable object: Giant pitching. Rookie starter Madison Bumgarner made Series history as he shut out the Rangers for 8 innings, giving up 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 6.

Closer Brian Wilson took just 11 pitches to complete the team shut-out in the 9th, striking out Rangers Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton in a 1-2-3 inning.

For those baseball afficiandos who wondered just who Madison Bumgarner is, it may be time to put down their Baseball Digests and start paying serious attention to the game. Bumgarner was the first pick by the Giants in the first round of the 2007 Amateur Draft, and the 10th pick overall. From 2008 to the first half of 2010, his minor league stats were outstanding: 34-6 with a 2.00 ERA. After a short stint at the end of the 2009 season, the Giants brought Bumgarner up for good last June-- his first start was a June 26, 2010 loss against the Boston Red Sox.

In World Series Game 4, Bumgarner showed the same mental discipline and focus he demonstrated throughout the second half of the 2010 season. His signature sling-shot delivery and ability to move his fastball up and down around all corners of the plate had Ranger hitters off balance throughout the game. Bumgarner is 21 years old, but think about this: in July 2009, he was 19 years old.

It has been noted throughout the media, but it's worth repeating: the Buster Posey-Madison Bumgarner tandem was the first all-rookie World Series battery since 1947, and Bumgarner is the 5th youngest pitcher in the history of the World Series.

The epic pitching battles of the 2010 post season continue tonight, as the Giants try to wrap up their first World Series victory since moving to San Francisco in 1958, and their first as a franchise since 1954. It's Tim Lincecum versus Cliff Lee and it should be, as the great Yogi Berra once put it, "a real cliff dweller."

Game 3 of the 2010 World Series was all about the Texas Rangers pulling up the reins on the San Francisco Giants post season runaway stagecoach, and Giants' starter Jonathan Sanchez once again failing to put his brand on a Giants victory. More importantly, from this point on there will be no further use of cowboy references in this blogpiece.

The Rangers' well-played 4-2 victory in Game 3 was a must win scenario and starter Colby Lewis delivered their deliverance by giving up 2 runs in 7.2 innings pitched. And give Texas first baseman Mitch Moreland a hard slap on the butt for punching out a three run homer with two outs in the 2nd inning. It would be all the offense the Rangers would need.

On the Giants side, it is a story of failing to execute on all fronts. Sanchez managed to only deliver 4.2 innings of work, giving up all four Ranger runs. Offensively, the big story is left fielder Pat Burrell's dismal performance at the plate: four at-bats, four strike-outs. Burrell's 2010 World Series resume features a nasty 0 for 9 with eight strike-outs, this from the player the Giants rely on for raw stampeding power.

The critical questions raised by the Giants' Game 3 loss have quickly overwhelmed the need for excessive postgame review and analysis. And let's get to them pronto:

 1. The Pat Burrell offensive vacuum. Burrell will be on the bench for Game 4, and Nate Schierholtz gets a start in right. Can Burrell work through an ill-timed World Series slump in one off day? The Giants need his power and tremendous ability to work counts to present their best offensive package against the Rangers.

2. Who will pitch for the Giants in a possible Game 7 now begins to loom large out of the San Francisco fog. It would be Jonathan Sanchez's turn, but there is no way Bruce Bochy starts Sanchez at this point. Madison Bumgarner on three days' rest? A variety of starters and relievers in a mixed stew of pitching? Stay tuned.

3. Can the Giants get their hitting attack rebooted? This team lives on the edge of winning and losing as a matter of routine, and either you double your medication and enjoy the ride, or you live in a shadow world of terror and angst.

Game 4 will be the pivotal contest in this Series. Enjoy the ride!