2012 World Series Teams
A couple of weeks ago, I remarked on Twitter that I find it coincidental that the final reverse-chronological post I made before the end of the 2022 season was about the 1962 season… exactly 60 years ago! In honor of that bit of serendipity, I’ve decided to go back decade-by-decade and look at the World Series winners for the years ending with 2. I’m using the color-coding system that I introduced on Twitter just before the World Series, but expanded on in my last post.
2012 was in the direct middle of the San Francisco’s “Even Year Dynasty,” as the Giants won the World Series in 2010, 2012, and 2014. Leading off for the 2012 version was Cancer Crabs center fielder Angel Pagan, who helped his fantasy astrology sign to their only FABL title of the 21st Century. While Pagan didn’t bat leadoff for the Crabs – that honor went to second baseman Ian Kinsler – he did take over center field from Torii Hunter, who had shifted to right field the year before. Leo left fielder Melky Cabrera got off to a tremendous start to the year… but then was suspended for 50 games in August, due to failing a PED test.
Luckily, the team still had NL MVP-winning catcher Buster Posey of the Aries Rams around to anchor the lineup into the postseason. Speaking of the Aries Rams, right fielder Hunter Pence was acquired from the Phillies during the season, likely in no small part due to the absence of Cabrera from the lineup. But Pence wasn’t the only midseason reinforcement brought in – Scorpio second baseman Marco Scutaro was acquired from the NL West rival Rockies to shore up a weak spot at the top of the lineup. Scutaro would go on to win the NLCS MVP Award – World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval did not make the starting lineup for the Leo Lions.
While winning the World Series would be the highlight of most pitchers’ seasons, Matt Cain had a personal accomplishment that must have at least come close. On June 13 of 2012, the Libra Scales ace threw a perfect game against the Astros, for the 22nd time in MLB history. His performance helped Libra take first place in the Air Division, where he was part of a rotation with three other 2,000-point scorers. The only other Giants pitcher to reach that milestone was Madison Bumgarner, who lived up to his sign’s Lion mascot with yet another heroic performance in the postseason.
Ryan Vogelsong is not exactly a household name, but his solid 2012 season was better than the average Cancer pitcher, as that sign tends to be overly reliant on offense. Barry Zito was best known for his time with the A’s, but the longtime Taurus Bulls stalwart finished his career across the Bay with San Francisco. Speaking of former Athletics, Santiago Casilla gives the World Champs three key Leo contributors, and one for each category of players: offense, rotation, and bullpen.
As is a fairly common occurrence, Aquarius finished dead last in the Fantasy Astrology Baseball League standings in 2012. But their center fielder Austin Jackson had a heck of a year, sniffing 2,000 fantasy points, and leading off for the American League Champions. 2012 was one of two years when Miguel Cabrera moved back to his old position of third base in order to make room for Taurus first baseman Prince Fielder, and he didn’t miss a beat, winning the American League MVP Award – a similarity he has with his signmate Buster Posey.
Delmon Young did not have a tremendous season, as far as year-end numbers go, but he was an important part of a Virgo outfield lacking in depth. In my “official” tally, I cheated shortstop Ian Desmond into left field, based on a positional move he would make *three years* later. But if you throw in Young’s postseason performance, where he won the ALCS MVP, we can say he ended on a high note. I actually made a similar positional shift of shoftstop Jhonny Peralta. However, in his case, the Geimini infielder already had two full seasons of playing third base under his belt. The Giants weren’t the only World Series team to bring in second base reinforcements, as Capricorn keystoner Omar Infante came over from the newly-christened Miami Marlins.
Justin Verlander not only pitched the most innings among 2012 Tigers pitchers, he also led in fantasy points by a margin of almost 1,000. The still-active Pisces ace started the All-Star Game, but did NOT lead his Fish to a league title, as they finished just behind Cancer, in both the Water Division, and the overall league point totals. And the Tigers couldn’t get enough of his sign, considering they made a midseason trade for another Pisces, Anibal Sanchez. The number two pitcher in Detroit’s rotation was not bad, especially considering that Max Scherzer’s best years were still ahead of him.
Again with an Aquarius, in starting pitcher Doug Fister… who didn’t even make the top 5, finishing narrowly in sixth place. I just don’t think it’s a positive sign, karmically speaking, when you have multiple players on a last place fantasy sign, trying to lead you to victory in the postseason. But again, in the same contrast we see at the top of Detroit’s lineup, the Tigers closer, Jose Valverde, was the top relief pitcher of the Fire Division leading Aries Rams. ACTUALLY, Valverde had the exact same fantasy points total as John Axford on the Brewers, so they would technically be co-closers on the Rams.