HOW TO WATCH
TV: KTVU Channel 2 for Comcast subscribers in San Francisco
Radio: KNBR 680 AM in the Bay Area.
Online: ESPN Radio and mobile app
Twitter: #SFGiants, #postseason, #OrangeOctober
HOW THEY GOT HERE
The Giants are coming into the World Series on a roll, having overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NLCS with a 9-0 defeat of the St. Louis Cardinals in a dramatic Game 7. It was the sixth time the team faced elimination and won in this postseason. The Giants also won 30 of its last 44 games to take the NL West title. Detroit, meanwhile, has already beaten one Bay Area team in the postseason - it dispatched the Oakland A’s in the division series. The Tigers then swept the New York Yankees to win the AL pennant. Detroit finished the regular season as the AL Central champions with an 88-74 record.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The Tigers’ starting pitcher Justin Verlander perfectly captures the national media's narrative of an Elite Pitcher leading his team to World Series glory. He throws 98 mph fastballs and his wicked curveballs vex hitters. Another Tigers threat is their fantastic hitter, Miguel Cabrera. And those two might be why Detroit is favored to win.
But the Tigers have their weaknesses too. As Marty Lurie, Giants pre-game and post-game host for KNBR 680, said on Forum, Verlander is talented, but he can't pitch every game, and the Tigers' bullpen can be shaky. The Giants will try to grind out wins in their typical fashion – starting pitching that rises to the occasion, great relief work, solid defense, and an underestimated offense that seems to score runs in bunches.
HOW TO SCORE TICKETS
If you’re looking to buy World Series tickets from the Giants now, you’re already about two weeks too late. The deadline to enter the team’s random drawing for the opportunity to buy tickets was Oct. 10. However, for those willing to pay a price, standing-room-only tickets currently run on Craigslist for about $350 each; the most expensive ticket on StubHub is $638, though most are around $400.
WHERE TO WATCH
If you can't make it to the actual games, the next best thing is watching with your fellow fans. We put a call out to KQED’s Facebook fans and Twitter followers and asked them where to go to watch the series. Here are their suggestions, as well as some of the better-reviewed bars for watching baseball from Yelp and other sources.
Yancy's Saloon: 734 Irving St., San Francisco. Several of KQED's Facebook fans recommend Yancy's, which also is described as a prototypical sports bar on Yelp. "This is a place to hang out with your friends and everyone is casually dressed. No attitudes or snottiness to be found here," one reviewer wrote.
The Double Play: 2401 16th St., San Francisco. Suggested by Facebook fan Chad Wagner, The Double Play is an old-school sports bar which has five televisions and 12 beers on tap.
Ace’s: 998 Sutter St., San Francisco. This suggestion came from Facebook fan Kimberly Crawford. Ace’s has oversized leather couches and five flat screen televisions and it defines itself as a neighborhood bar.
The 540 Club: 540 Clement St., San Francisco: Facebook fan Ryan Schubert made this suggestion, saying it “was packed (for Game 7) and was absolutely awesome back in 2010.” It’s worthwhile to note that the club prides itself on having some of the city’s crankiest bartenders, so tread lightly.
High Five Pizza: 171 Branham Lane, San Jose: High Five calls itself “the friendliest restaurant in the San Jose area.” The bar and restaurant has more than 14 televisions and is family-friendly.
The Old Pro: 541 Ramona Street, Palo Alto. Twitter user @sweetd_cali suggested the Old Pro, which has been around for nearly 50 years. The Old Pro has been called one of Palo Alto’s best sports bars; a Yelp review notes it has “Plenty of large screen TV's, seating at the bar and communal dining tables And yep, they have a mechanical bull.”
McGee’s Bar & Grill: 1645 Park St., Alameda: Based on the Yelp reviews, McGee’s might be worth the trip over the bridge or through the tunnel if you’re seeking a no-frills viewing experience. “It's dark, dingy and smells like beer. It's really all you can ask for in a bar,” states one review.
McCovey’s Restaurant: 1444 North California Boulevard, Walnut Creek. Named one of ESPN’s top 10 baseball bars, the memorabilia-filled McCovey’s is designed to look like AT&T Park. More importantly, it has 40 televisions.
George & Walt’s: 5445 College Ave., Oakland. George & Walts has been around for more than 80 years, and it prides itself on being a neighborhood sports bar. One of the most popular words used to describe the establishment on Yelp.com is “friendly.”
