Panda-monium

Photo: Associated Press

If you were one of those people who thought the Tigers and Justin Verlander would be too much to handle for the slightly light-hitting San Francisco Giants last night… well, I hate to say it, but I told you so.

Oh, wait. I didn't actually write on this blog that I thought the Giants had a great shot in Game 1 because that little-team-that-can from San Francisco is riding a big rail car of momentum.

I admit, I'm not entirely convinced that momentum exists in baseball, but it sure did look like it last night, with the Giants, fresh off dismantling the St. Louis Cardinals with a three-game winning streak… a dominating winning streak, at that.

And you also have to believe the Giants feed off that frenzied AT&T Park crowd, right?

 And if you don't think that's important, ask Justin Verlander, who during a visit to the mound from pitching coach Jeff Jones in the third inning, told Jones all he was doing was getting the "crowd all riled up."

And don't tell me those Tigers weren't rusty. It doesn't matter how many so-called games you play on off days against your instructional team, it's tough to roar like a tiger again after a long lay off. Six days, my friend. Six days!

And then there's Panda! Oh, what a night for Pablo Sandoval.

Three homers in one World Series game, and two off Verlander. Only Babe Ruth (twice), Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols, who did it last year, have pulled off such an accomplishment on the big stage.

Verlander may me dating Kate Upton, but the Panda may get the ring.