NL West

There are moments, often times in the postseason that legends are born and stories are written, when a team is most noticeable for assembling a spectacular sequence in October. Just a few weeks ago, the San Francisco Giants were seen in a tight, tense race with the San Diego Padres, but clinched a playoff berth and since then the club has been a magical story in a wonderful reemergence.

The San Francisco Giants are where few thought they would be at the beginning of the season...hell, at the beginning of the postseason. They are one win away from representing the National League in the World Series.

The Giants came into this series as heavy underdogs to the reigning two-time NL champion Philadelphia Phillies.

After shocking the world and hitting around Roy Halladay in Game 1, they have taken care of business so far at home and throw out the winner of the last two Cy Young Awards in Tim Lincecum.

The San Francisco Giants are up 3-1 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series and are one win away from a trip to the World Series.

If I would have told you in March that this would be reality, you would have looked at me and laughed. You might have thought the Giants picked up a big time hitter while trading away Madison Bumgarner or Jonathan Sanchez.

Well, there is no big hitter, but the pitching got even better.

Here are the options I am guessing Ted Lilly was faced with. He could test the free agent market, make a little more money but risk not being in an ideal situation.

The AL and NLCS are halfway through, and the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants are both leading their series 3-1 and 2-1 respectfully.

Add another momentum-shifting RBI to Cody Ross' stellar postseason résumé.

A fourth inning single by the Giants right fielder opened up the scoring in Game 3 of the NLCS, giving Matt Cain (7 IP, 0 R) the only run support he would need in the Giants' 3-0 home victory.

San Francisco has found lightning in a bottle with Ross, who was only claimed off waivers by the Giants to block the Padres from acquiring him.

This writer ascribes to the life philosophy that states, "When things get hard—Quit!"

Things are much harder in the 2010 playoffs for the Philadelphia Phillies than they have been in the previous two years.

Should Charlie Manuel and the Philadelphia Phillies start Joe Blanton or Roy Halladay in Game 4 of the NLCS? 

After the San Francisco Giants won Game 4, the Phillies are in danger of losing the series in San Francisco.   

The Giants will most likely stick to their scheduled starter, Madison Bumgarner.  

San Francisco could now possibly have Tim Lincecum pitching at home in Game 5 with the chance to advance to the 2010 World Series. 

The San Francisco Giants just took Game 3 from the Phillies, and they have to be feeling pretty good about themselves right about now. 

Growing up a Dodgers fan, I have to say I feel a bit queasy right about now.  It's because I have a feeling.  It is a wincing pain in my gut that this might be it.  Recent developments have me thinking this could be the year the San Francisco Giants clinch their first World Series. 

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Sometimes when making an effort to rebuild a team, many general managers make the mistake of choosing the best player available on the market rather than addressing one particular area where the squad is weak.

Instead of paying millions for a superstar, then trying to find out how or where a certain player will mesh with the team, the good general managers will first break down the specific needs of the club and make a checklist, then when considering any new additions, they check to make sure that each prospective player meet the required criteria.