San Francisco Giants Redefine Baseball's Winning Formula

If 2010 was special, then 2012 was special-er.

The ultimate smack in the face is the San Francisco Giants going into every round of the 2010 playoffs as underdogs, then going into the playoffs two years later as underdogs once again.

In 2012, the Giants smacked back and won their second World Series title in three years --  a feat not accomplished by a National League team since the Cincinnati Reds' Big Red Machine.

Major League Baseball, take notice -- the Giants know something the rest of you do not.

If 2010 hinted at the new winning formula in baseball, then in 2012 it made its definitive case.

2012 World Series: Bumgarner Deals in San Francisco Giants’ Game 2 Victory

The greatest offense the MLB had to offer in 2012 has been completely shut down through the first two games of the World Series.

            They’ve been shut down not by the top pitching staff in all of baseball, but by a team whose biggest weakness heading into the World Series was arguably their starting pitching.

            A left-for-dead Barry Zito and a struggling Madison Bumgarner have sent the favored Detroit Tigers into a 2-0 hole to start the World Series.

            Bumgarner did the damage in Game 2 on Thursday night.

2012 World Series: Sandoval in the Zone in San Francisco Giants’ Game 1 Win

            In a strange way, the San Francisco Giants shocked the world on Wednesday night.

            They took Game 1 of the World Series, and proved a lot of critics, analysts and experts wrong in the process.

            The storyline centered on the based god Justin Verlander?

            Non-existent.

            However, Pablo Sandoval was very much existent -- approaching Babe Ruth status with three home runs, two of which were off probable Cy Young winner Verlander.

            The Giants played Wednesday night’s Game 1 exactly how they needed to. No one expected them to win with Verlander on the mound and a week lineup to boot in a pitcher’s ballpark. Yet, San Francisco got the job done 8-3, taking a 1-0 series lead.

Berkman Calls Hunter Pence Broken Bat Hit 'Illegal,' Thinks Tigers Will Win World Series

Mark this one under "bitter player on the losing team."

After the St. Louis Cardinals were defeated for the third straight game in a row on their way to giving up a World Series birth, injured Cardinal Lance Berkman shared his thoughts on Hunter Pence's all-out strange base hit past shortstop Pete Kozma on Monday night.

2012 World Series: Exploring the San Francisco Giants’ DH Possibilities

Through grit and determination the San Francisco Giants are headed to the World Series, although those two characteristics could easily be replaced with luck and sheer magic that every World Series contender holds this time of year.