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.

San Francisco Giants: 5 Reasons Barry Zito Will Not Make the Postseason Roster Again

It is borderline silly that we are talking about a baseball player that signed a seven-year, $126 million contract, and is having a hard time making a team's playoff roster, albeit for the second year in a row.

However, Barry Zito is just that man, and San Francisco knows all too well why the lefty will be hard-pressed to make the 25-man playoff roster.

It has just never clicked for Zito. Signing the richest contract in MLB history for a pitcher at that time is something that player must live up to. The 33-year-old has never even sniffed living up to that contract.

Five years into that lucrative contract, Zito's record is 43-61 and he's has had trouble staying in the Giants starting rotation.

Decisions Aplenty As the San Francisco Giants Get Healthy

San Francisco Giants' manager Bruce Bochy will have some decisions to make in the coming days and extending for the next several weeks.

The Giants are finally getting healthy again.

The injuries started back on Opening Night when Andres Torres got injured and ended (knock on wood) with Pablo Sandoval's injury two weeks ago.

On Tuesday, both Torres and Mark DeRosa were activated off the DL and available to play the field. But where?

San Francisco Giants: 5 Question Marks Heading Into The 2011 Baseball Season

With Spring Training now in full swing, the San Francisco Giants have unofficially began their journey to repeat as World Series Champions.

After their improbable run to become baseball's 2010 World Champions, it is hard to say whether this team has yet to come down from that high.

A pretty mediocre and quiet offseason from the Giants' front office has this team against the odds once again.

Until you look at their pitching staff, when you quickly remember why this team won it all last season.

Still, there are question marks aplenty for this team.

Can they repeat? Will Brian Wilson's beard rule the world? Who is 'The Machine?'

Here are my 5 biggest question marks for the San Francisco Giants heading into the 2011 MLB season:

Giants Frustrated, But Zito's Spot Secure

Bruce Jenkins's column in the San Francisco Chronicle this past week has sent waves throughout the San Francisco Giants community. Jenkins' report? Barry Zito may be released. So now an offseason where the team had no distractions and could focus on repeating, now has turned into a game of 'What If?'

The report, bogus in itself, was that the Giants were frustrated with Zito because they only made the playoffs by one game, and it wouldn't have been that close if Zito had given them a just a few better outtings. Huh?

Jenkins is credible and very respected in the industry, but this isn't supposed to be serious, right?

That's baseball, Bruce.

I don't doubt that the Giants are frustrated with Zito. $126 million and barely any production. Plus, he was left off the playoff roster. Yeah, they should be disappointed. He's not quite the investment they were hoping for.