Giants brush aside Lilliputian A's to claim 2010 World Series Title

“Trader Bri” and the Giants became the first team in Redwood SOM history to claim a sixth championship by defeating the A’s, 4 games to 2, in the 2010 World Series.

Giants first baseman Adrian Gonzales was named MVP for hitting many, many home runs during the series, including in his first two at bats in Game 1 off A’s ace Chris Carpenter.

The series may have turned for good in Game 4. The A’s carried a 2 game to 1 lead into the contest, and enjoyed a 6-2 lead going into the top of the ninth inning. Their depleted bullpen forced the A’s to stay with fatigued reliever Angel Guzman, but as A’s manager Dick Johnston described the thinking of the A’s brain trust, “we thought any idiot could get three outs before giving up four runs.” The Giants, however, torched Guzman for four runs to tie the game, won in extra innings to tie the series at 2 games apiece, and never looked back.

Johnston suggested Guzman would be available in trade talks immediately.

In Game 5 Giants starter Tim Lincecum made history when he struck out eight consecutive A’s “hitters.”

The Giants limped home in Game 6 despite a rash of injuries which had forced them to employ shortstop Jack Wilson at catcher in Game 5, and second baseman Brian Roberts at catcher to start Game 6. The A’s, however, were unable to capitalize, and in fact were thrown out stealing on more than one occasion by makeshift Giants catchers.

In retrospect the Giants saved their season with their controversial mid-season trade with the Pirates, in which they landed ace Lincecum while somehow retaining Brian McCann and Adam Wainright, the players they “traded” for Lincecum, for the remainder of the 2010 season. The trade raised eyebrows around the league, and the word “shyster” could be heard in many locker rooms and front offices. Nonetheless, the Office of League General Counsel, while expressing grave concerns about the ethical boundaries stretched by the trade, ultimately approved the deal. After the Lincecum trade the Giants finished the regular season by winning 20 of their last 27 games, and stormed through the post-season with a combined 8-3 record against the Mets and A’s. Despite the widespread criticism of the trade, which “Trader Bri” had called the “take on the lake” in an unguarded moment, Johnston observed after Game 6 that it had been “Trader Bri’s” astute drafting in previous years, in particular the selection of Buster Posey, that put him into a position to offer a quality catcher like McCann in trade in the first place. “No other team,” said Johnston, ”had the horses to make an offer which would cause the Pirates to part with Lincecum.”


Final Standings:

Curly Division

1. Mets (42-30), .583, 0.0 GB
2. Red Sox (36-36), .500, 6.0 GB
3. Cardinals (33-39), .458, 9.0 GB
4. Pirates (31-41), .431, 11.0 GB
5. Cubs (27-45), .375, 15.0 GB

Shemp Division

1. Reds (45-27), .625, 0.0 GB
2. Giants (42-30), .583, 3.0 GB
3. A's (38-34), .529, 7.0 GB
4. Yankees (34-38), .472, 11.0 GB
5. Rockies (32-40), .444, 13.0 GB


Playoffs:

Elimination Round (best of 5):
Red Sox vs. A's
A's win series 3 games to 0

Semi-Finals (best of 7):
Mets vs. Giants
Giants win series 4 games to 1

Reds vs. A's
A's win series 4 games to 3

World Series:
Giants vs. A's
Giants win series 4 games to 2

2011 Draft Order:
1. Cubs
2. Pirates
3. Rockies
4. Cardinals
5. Yankees
6. Red Sox
7. Mets
8. Reds
9. A's
10. Giants





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