The 2010 Giants were obviously a power pitching team, but they were also a mishmash of young players and steely veterans who could also play some really great defense. It all worked, even if it never worked smoothly; but, as good as they were, they fell from 1.5 games back of the division-leading Padres at the end of July to six games back by mid-August.
They had built up high expectations because of 2009, but after a lackluster first half of 2010 (47-41) and a large deficit it in the division, it looked like they were about to squander all that potential.