The SF Giants won the 2014 World Series 10 years ago today

It has been 10 years since the SF Giants won the 2014 World Series. Madison Bumgarner turned in one of the most legendary performances in World Series history and cemented the Giants' dynasty on October 29th, 2014.

Game 7 of the 2014 World Series has to be one of the most nerve-racking games of the 2010 championship era. Everything was on the line and the game came down to the wire. I remember being a freshman in high school at the time and being nervous all day just thinking about the game.

SF Giants were on top of the baseball world 10 years ago today

If you have not watched the entire game recently, it is worth watching it which you can do here. During the pandemic they replayed the game on MLB Network and I picked up on all sorts of details that I had completely forgotten about. For instance, Salvador Perez got hit by a pitch so badly in the bottom of the 2nd inning in the game that it seemed like he was going to have to exit because he was in so much pain. Keep in mind he got drilled in the knee with a classic Tim Hudson sinker. With how much movement Hudson could put on that pitch it certainly hurt even more. Perez powered through, but who knows if he could have put together a better at-bat at the end of the game if he was not hobbled.

On the flip side of that coin, Pablo Sandoval barely got grazed by a pitch in the top of the 2nd inning that set up the 2-run inning for the Giants to give them a lead.

It is also remarkable how dominant Bumgarner was in the game. We all know that he came in and pitched 5 shutout innings to end it, but the way in which he did it was remarkable. It seemed like the Kansas City Royals simply had no chance against him and he did it on just two days of rest.

He only gave up two hits and then there was a ball hit to center field in the 9th inning but my memory gets fuzzy after that. Somehow Alex Gordon was on third base when Salvador Perez popped out to Pablo Sandoval to end the game, but I can't seem to remember how he got there. It's possible it was the result of something so stressful and traumatic that my brain refuses to process it even 10 years later.

All jokes aside, it was a Herculean effort by Bumgarner. Who would have guessed that 10 years later Bumgarner would not even be in MLB and Buster Posey would now be making personnel decisions for the Giants? Oh yeah, and the Dodgers are a juggernaut and seem poised to win a World Series.

But back to the good times for a second.

Bumgarner gets all the credit and deservedly so, but we cannot forget the hit by Mike Morse to give the Giants the lead nor can we forget Joe Panik and Brandon Crawford's insane double play. We especially cannot forget that Jeremy Affeldt came up super clutch pitching 2 and 1/3 innings to act as the bridge between Tim Hudson and Bumgarner.

It was Giants baseball in the 2010's at its finest. Phenomenal pitching, very sound defense (the box score says Gregor Blanco made an error that I can't seem to remember...), and just enough offense to get the job done.

Even if the Giants go a very long time before they win another World Series, us fans fans who were alive for those championship years can feel incredibly fortunate that we were treated to such indelible memories. Let's hope that Buster can bring those good times back in his new role.