San Francisco Giants Tickets - Giants And The Playoffs

The San Francisco Giants were in a knock-down

, drag-out fight with the Colorado Rockies for the National League Wild Card spot in the playoffs. With the NL East, NL Central and NL West pretty much decided (the Phillies, Cardinals and Dodgers all have over 92% statistical odds of winning their divisions respectively, according to the stats at Baseball-Prospectus online) and other potential Wild Card teams like the Marlins, Braves and Cubs still back a couple games, it seems as though it's really all down to the Giants and the Rockies to make an interesting playoff race this year.

As of September 5, 2009, the Colorado Rockies had a one game lead on the San Francisco Giants. Colorado (75-60, .549) is clearly the favorite to win the Wild Card spot at this point. In fact, according to the postseason odds calculated by BaseballProspectus online, the Rockies have a 62.8% chance of winning the Wild Card spot in the National League, compared to the Giants' 21.2% chance of winning the Wild Card spot. Las Vegas seems to be siding ever so slightly with the Rockies, as well. According to the betting futures data at Vegas website, Colorado is currently fetching odds somewhere around 12/1 to win the National League Pennant. The Giants are fielding odds of about 15/1.

But there are quite a few games left to be played. San Francisco (74-61, .509) is not going to give up easily. In fact, they just recently made a move to acquire yet another big-name pitcher to their already star-studded rotation. Brad Penny, picked up as a free agent after he was let go from the Boston Red Sox's roster, is already making the Giants a better team. Acquired for literally pennies, ([no pun intended] Boston has to pay the bulk of Brad Penny's five million dollar salary this season, whereas the Giants will only have to pay a few hundred thousand), Penny pitched beautifully in his first start with the Giants. Penny hurled eight shutout innings against the powerful defending champion Philadelphia Phillies, earning another win for the Giants.

Penny will join Tim Lincecum, currently the No. 2 starting pitcher in terms of ERA in the National League (2.34), Matt Cain (2.50 ERA), Barry Zito (2.00 ERA in his last nine starts), Jonathan Sanchez and Randy Johnson in the Giants' rotation. Currently the Giants have the lowest team ERA and have allowed the fewest runs and hits, plus have the most total strikeouts of any team in the National League. Based on his excellent play lately, Barry Zito became the third most added pitcher in fantasy baseball this week. Basically, the Giants have the pitching to win a World Series.

But having the best pitchers in the league is one thing. Having a nice schedule to close out the season is quite another. The Giants actually have a favorable closing lineup of games. Beginning September 7th with their series against San Diego, the Giants will play 16 of their next 25 games at home in San Francisco. This bevy of home games also includes a home game series against the Colorado Rockies on September 14, 15th and 16th. If you don't already have San Francisco Giants tickets to see those games, you'd better head online to get tickets, because these matchups will likely sell out!

by: Brent Warnken

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