Sports

Updated: Patch's Guide to the World Series

The San Francisco Giants are in the World Series, and we've got all the info you need to cheer them on

Updated Thursday, 1:20 p.m. Giants fans are flying after last night's defeat of the Texas Rangers. Don't miss the second game of World Series, which begins tonight at 4:57 p.m. at AT&T Park. Whether you've just hopped on the Giants bandwagon, or you've been a season ticket holder all year, Patch has all the information you need to take in San Francisco's first World Series since 2002.

How to Go

If you already have tickets, well, I'm sure your firstborn child understands. If not, you're probably out of luck. Tickets are sold out for both Games 1 and 2 aganist the Texas Rangers, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday at AT&T Park, and the ticket reseller website StubHub lists the cheapest ticket at $361 for standing room only, with a seat costing up to $32,000. Craigslist is booming with creative offers for tickets, ranging from beach houses to dental work to marijuana.

Truly dedicated fans can try to watch three innings of the game for free through the "knothole," an arched opening in the right-field wall at AT&T Park where up to 100 people can see into the park. Vigilant park attendants limit each viewer to no more than 3 innings, and there are reports that people had begun lining up as early as 8 a.m. this morning for the prime freebie spot. If you want to be one of the lucky few to see a World Series for free, leave now. Or five minutes ago.

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Where to Watch in San Francisco

If you don't have tickets, but still want to be close enough to the World Series to hear the crowd, head to Pete's Tavern, one of the best sports bars in the city located directly across the street from AT&T Park. Pete's has several large televisions, including a projection screen, and you can bet they won't be playing NBA games tonight. They also have a full menu and wide selection of drinks, and recently opened up a second Mexican themed bar next door, Pedro's Cantina. But get there early. For the last game of the National League Championship Series in San Francisco aganist the Philadelpia Phillies, the wait to get in was over an hour by first pitch. Same goes for the Public House, a bar and restaurant attached to AT&T Park where TV and radio broadcasts are often set up. Other SOMA haunts near the ballpark include 21st Amendement Brewery (good food, but not as many TVs), Tres Agaves (smaller venue, longer wait) and MoMo's (a bit overpriced for my taste.)

How to Get There

If you're going into the city for the game with or without tickets, take either Caltrain or BART. Parking near AT&T Park can go as high as $50 for a regular season game, and the postseason has pushed prices even higher. Some of the nearby garages can be a little sketchy too (I came back from a game once and after handing the attendant my claim ticket, he told me "the keys are in the car." Luckily, my car -- and keys -- were still there.) 

Find out what's happening in Foster Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to BART, longer trains will run on all lines before and after the games and special event trains will also be kept on standby in the event that additional capacity is needed. Officials suggest that to avoid waiting in lines at ticket machines after the games, riders should buy roundtrip tickets or use their Clipper cards. For many Peninsula fans, Caltrain is the ride of choice and a shorter walk from the station to Willie Mays Plaza. Schedules can be found on Caltrain's website here, and BART's trip planner can help you coordinate your trip with MUNI.

Where to Watch on the Peninsula

Hover over the starred points on our interactive map to see locations

  • In Foster City, the Clubhouse Bistro boasts a large array of televisions and a lengthy menu, with a more upscale atmosphere than your average sports dive bar.  Nearby in San Mateo, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse is a prime spot for Giants fans, with a large bar area, televisions throughout the restaurant and happy hour deals throughout the evening.
  • Ausiello's Tavern in Belmont is a classic sports pub, with deep wood paneling and walls heavy with memorabilia. Their several bars face multiple televisions, and the kitchen serves up an array of sports bar far and beers on tap. 
  • In Burlingame,  Steelhead Brewing Company is a spacious bar and restaurant with big screens, a billiard room and award-winning microbrews. Behan's Irish Pub is a lively Irish Pub, complete with Guinness on tap and framed soccer jerseys along the ways. For hecklers and Texas expatriates, the American Bull Bar & Grill is expected to draw a large crowd of Rangers fans. The Burlingame Public Library Main Branch will be hosting a World Series Watching Party starting at 4:30 with the pregame show.
  • Finn McCools in Millbrae is a fun and laid back bar with both large flat screen TVs and an arcade, and drink specials throughout the night.
  • Houlihan's in South City is located in the Holiday Inn by the airport, and tonight its eight televisions will be showing the Giants.  Its happy hour from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. is just in time for the game, with a dollar off drinks and $6 appetizers. Another Irish bar, Molloy's Tavern, has two large screen televisions and serves Guinness, Smithwick and other beers.  They'll be barbecuing hot dogs, sausages and hamburgers for the game.
  • In Pacifica, Winters Tavern is a favorite watering hole of metal and beer pong enthusiasts and is expected to draw a large crowd of Giants fans.
  • Big Mouth Burgers in San Bruno is always a great place to watch a big game on a big screen. The restaurant has a 42-inch TV that can be see from any one of its tables inside or outside. Another fun place is Sweet Connections, which has a spacious dining area and a large selection of sundaes to choose from during the seventh inning stretch.

How to Watch

For many fans, FOX's national broadcast team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver have been a disappointment. Want the hometown call? Mute your television and tune your radio to KNBR 680 to listen to Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper (Kruk and Kuip) call every pitch. Hall of Fame Broadcaster Jon Miller will also be on hand in between his broadcasting duties for ESPN Radio. Sure, there's a 10 to 15 second delay on the radio, but you can adjust that if you have a DVR. Deadspin.com offers a few suggestions for syncing up your TV with the radio broadcast. FOX's pregame show begins at 4:30 p.m., with the official game start time set for 4:57 p.m.

What to Wear

Your black and orange best, of course. If you want to take it to the next level, rock a Pablo Sandoval "Panda" hat. But for the truly committed (or soon to be committed) fan, it's all about the hair. Throughout the playoffs, Giants fans have been wearing Tim Lincecum-style black wigs and most importantly, beards. Closer Brian Wilson is quickly becoming a household name for both his pitching and his facial hair, having sported a bushy, jet black dyed beard for the past month. Other Giants players have followed suit with beards of their own, including Sergio Romo, Jeremy Affeldt, Mike Fontenot and Buster Posey (well, Buster is trying. The Georgia boy has some peach fuzz on his neck, but it may take until Spring Training for him to sprout an actual beard.) In turn, fans have grown bushy beards of their own or worn fake beards to games, with signs that say "Fear the Beard." For Giants fans, black and orange is key, but the hairier the better.

Who to Watch

Wednesday's Starting Pitchers: After Giants legend Willie Mays throws out the first pitch, Giants Ace and two-time Cy Young Winner Tim Lincecum will take the mound tonight against Rangers stud Cliff Lee, whose performance in last year's World Series remains one of the best of his generation. In Game 1 of the National League Division Series, Lincecum blew the Braves away with 14 strikeouts, and has been rolling ever since. But Lee's numbers aren't too shabby either, with a career postseason record of 7-0 and a razor thin 1.26 ERA. Expect a pitching duel of epic proportions with these two on the mound.

Thursday's Starting Pitchers: After using seven pitchers in Wednesday's game, the Giants will look to workhouse Matt Cain to eat up a considerable number of innings. He'll go up aganist Rangers lefty C.J. Wilson, who stumbled in his second postseason start aganist the Yankees after coming out strong aganist the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series. Cain has yet to give up a run in his two postseason starts thus far.

Hitters: Giants outfielder and NLCS MVP Cody Ross has become the 2010 postseason's Cinderella story. Snagged off waivers by the Giants solely to keep him from going to the division rival Padres, he's suddenly become one of the Giants toughest outs, batting .324 through his first two playoff series with eight RBIs and four home runs. Along with Giants top hitters Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe and Buster Posey, he'll go up aganist 2010 American League batting champ and American League Championship Series MVP Josh Hamilton, who matches Ross with four home runs and eight RBIs in the postseason.

For baseball fans, this is going to be one of the best series we've seen in a while. Both teams are evenly matched, and the Giants will undoubtedly be serving up their signature torture at every turn.

World Series Schedule

Best of seven series, * denotes game will be played only if necessary. All games will be broadcast on FOX, KNBR 680 and ESPN Radio (AM 1050).

Wednesday: Texas at San Francisco, 4:57 p.m.

Thursday: Texas at San Francisco, 4:57 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 30: San Francisco at Texas, 5:57 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 31: San Francisco at Texas, 6:57 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 1: *San Francisco at Texas, 6:57 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 3: *Texas at San Francisco, 4:57 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 4: *Texas at San Francisco, 4:57 p.m.


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