San Francisco Giants chances of defending their World Series Title
It is very rare to see a team successfully defend their Championship in any sport, let alone baseball. Since only eight teams out of 30 make it to the playoffs the competition is stiff and the percentage for success is low, all around. Outside of the New
York Yankees who have defended their Championship successfully time and again, only the Toronto Blue Jays have accomplished this. Below are some reasons why the Giants will and won’t win again this year.
The first reason would definitely have to be world class pitching. If there is one thing that other teams need to learn for the Giants, it’s their pitching. No one can come close to being as great as them and since pitching is one of the important factors
influencing the game, this definitely gives them the upper hand. The Giants would have Lincecum, Bumgarner, Ramirez, Cain, Sanchez and Lopez at their disposal which gives them a great advantage.
While team chemistry alone cannot win a game, it definitely takes you there. Last year we all saw a great display of team trust and confidence within the Giants and that definitely helped them become the Champions.
Two words, Brandon Belt. Many baseball analysts believe him to be the second best prospect in all of baseball and that is saying something. His flawless performances have led him to be considered for promotion to the Majors.
Pablo Sandoval had an incredible 2009 season which led him to hit 25 brilliant home-run with an average of .330. He has been undergoing intense workout sessions and eating regimens and has successfully shed a lot of pounds. If his comeback resembles anything
like what he played in 2009, the Giants don’t have much to worry about. The Giants line-up of 2011 is supposedly better than that of 2010. With Posey, Ross, Torres, Burrell and Sandoval in the team, it provides a good balance.
But it is not all good news, as there are factors that may lead the Championship to slip from their hands. Factors like the fact that Giants depend on their pitching way too much. They definitely have the best line-up of pitchers but that’s not really enough
to make them win. The Giants pitched more a lot last year and that may have taken a toll on their hands. The offence isn’t built to give a lot of numbers and everyone would be cashing in on that fact.
Many other teams have improved their own line-ups and stepped up their game. The Los Angeles Dodgers added Giants’ Juan and SP Jon Garland to their camp. The Phillies signed on one of the top ten pitchers in the game, Cliff Lee. As he along with Roy Halladay,
Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels create a team that should not be underestimated.
Lastly, luck may not be on their side anymore. Last year proved very lucky for them with no injuries, which is quite surprising in a game like this. The biggest threats like the Dodgers and Rockies sustained many injuries which made it easier for the Giants
to carry on. They barely won the NL West Division by one game and the fact the Padres lost 10 games straight definitely worked to their advantage. They barely conquered the Phillies and it may be because they took them too lightly. Looks like the Giants will
have to start looking for some luck as the 2011 regular season begins and they try to defend their Championship.
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