A sweep in the 2012 World Series was not out of the question. Few felt San Francisco could push Detroit to six or even seven games. But it was the Giants who did the sweeping.

Buster Posey and his pals have brought two more World Series titles to San Francisco than Willie Mays and Barry Bonds did combined, inviting the big question. How in the world did they do it? What makes this team so special?

Moments after presenting the World Series trophy to the San Francisco Giants, Commissioner Bud Selig confided he never expected to see the National League team sweep the powerful Detroit Tigers.

On Saturday night, I uttered some of the truest words I’ve ever said as I drifted off to sleep: “Today has been one of the most exhausting, yet one of the best, days of my life.”

While it was a disappointing end, the Tigers did reach their goal of making it to the Fall Classic. And with their core still intact for 2013, a few offseason moves will likely make the Tigers the early favorites to repeat as American League champions.

Miguel Cabrera took a called strike three for the final out of the World Series as the Tigers lost, 4-3, in Game 4. But after a sluggish first three games, at least in this one, the Tigers had their chances and went down fighting.

Even with a three-game lead in this World Series, Giants players were finding it hard to breathe as they waited for Sergio Romo to offer up his next pitch to Miguel Cabrera.

From their historic resurgence against the Reds in the National League Division Series to their refusal to wilt against the Cardinals a round later, the Giants seemed destined to capture the World Series title. The Tigers took a bit of solace knowing they collided head-on with a steamrolling locomotive.

Consistently unjust, unfair and unkind, baseball rarely rewards those who truly deserve it. Then once in a while the game surprises, and someone like Matt Cain has a year like 2012.

San Francisco will fete its latest World Series-champion Giants team with a ticker-tape parade and civic celebration on Wednesday, beginning at 11 a.m. PT.

The joy was a familiar one, as was the celebratory mayhem that blanketed the city. Yet as the San Francisco Giants fans flooded the streets to celebrate their second World Series championship in the past three years, there was little tamed or unoriginal in their jubilant celebrations.

Left fielder Gregor Blanco was honored to give up his glove as part of a group of Giants artifacts from the 2012 World Series headed for the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

On a night that was filled with drama, Giants closer Sergio Romo did what he could to make sure there was as little as possible at the end.

The man they call “The Panda” is the 2012 World Series MVP for the champion San Francisco Giants, and this is a fact that will take a moment to settle in, even for Pablo Sandoval himself.

Javier Baez and Tony Zych are among the seven Cubs prospects playing for the Mesa Solar Sox in Arizona.

Giants fan Ashley Chavez was named the winner of the 2012 MLB Fan Cave prior to Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday night in Detroit.

Change is all around, but one basic truth remains: Some big names could be signing some huge contracts this winter.