Two playoff starts, two mediocre performances. That’s been the story thus far for the Giants’ Matt Cain, who draws the tough assignment today of trying to shut down the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series in front of their rabid fan base. After a dazzling effort in 2010 in which he didn’t allow a single earned run in 21¹⁄³ postseason innings — shutting down one potent lineup after another — much was expected of Cain when the calender turned to October. Read More

The most significant story line for the Giants heading into Game 2 of the National League Championship Series was, without question, their heralded starting rotation’s failure to post a “quality start” to that point in the postseason. Read More

When the Giants reached the postseason two years ago, there was not a seat in AT&T Park that wasn’t occupied by a long beard, a mohawk or even a panda as fans cheered on their favorite team of misfits. In this postseason, the stands have been more toned-down, but some fan favorites could still be spotted. Read More

For those who think Carlos Beltran is the Band-Aid to their offensive woes, they should have bought the insurance package, too. Just ask the Giants. While Beltran put up good numbers after coming over to San Francisco in a July 28, 2011, trade with the New York Mets for prized pitching prospect Zach Wheeler, he also missed time with nagging injuries that kept the Giants from returning to the playoffs following their 2010 World Series championship. Read More