Postseason sports means time for sports game developers to predict champions. Going against two heavy favorites in Philadelphia and the New York Yankees, MLB 2K10 says the Giants will win their first World Series since moving to San Francisco in 1958.


If that comes true it'll be a bona fide underdog story. Sports books right now have San Francisco the longest shot - maybe, barely, the third longest - out of four teams remaining, largely because the Giants must get through Philadelphia's vaunted starting pitching.

I ran this by Marc Normandin, a starred Kotaku commenter and a writer for Baseball Prospectus, the game's foremost journal of statistical analysis. Marc says this result is not as farfetched as oddsmakers would place it.


"Each series features evenly matched clubs, so I buy both of MLB 2K10's predictions," Marc says. "Personally, I think the Rangers can beat the Yankees in as few as five games or as many as seven. But I'm on board with the Giants defeating the Phillies in the NLCS and advancing to the World Series."

MLB 2K10's simulation says the Giants will subdue the Phillies in a six-game National League Championship Series, with the Yankees overcoming the Rangers in five for the American League pennant. Then, after falling behind three games to one, San Francisco surges back to win in seven, no doubt thanks to having home field for the final two games courtesy of the National League's All-Star triumph.

Giants outfielder Cody Ross, traded from the Florida Marlins midseason, continues his look-what-you-missed-out-on revenge tour by copping the World Series MVP, says MLB 2K10.

The ALCS begins tonight at 8 p.m. EDT, with New York's C.C. Sabathia facing the Rangers' C.J. Wilson in Texas. Tomorrow is game one of the NLCS, with Giants ace Tim Lincecum meeting Roy Halladay, who threw a no-hitter in the National League Division Series, at Philadelphia.