A Giants fan's guide to rooting in the 2006 playoffs, taking into account past history and past trespasses on the part of the playoff participant against us Giants.  

Tigers vs. Yankees:  About almost always pick the team other than the Yankees, plus they cost us in 1962, 1951, 1937, 1936, and 1923.  We were in the World Series 17 times, winners only 5 times, and the Yankees cost us almost half of those losses, they cost us a winning record overall.

A's vs. Twins:  Normally would root against A's if they are in playoffs but we aren't but these are the Twins, stealers of Nathan et al, winners of two W.S. championships a long while back with ex-Giants farm hands Chili Davis and Danny Gladden.  Go A's

Dodgers vs. Mets:  Obviously got to root against Dodgers and in a big way for all the obvious and various reasons.  While the Mets never did anything much to us, other than 2000, which was bad, but these are the Dodgers.

Cards vs. Padres:  Tough one.  Cards have screwed us through the years, Cepeda, 1960's 2nd place finishes, Jack Clark, 1987, McGwire popping off, with just 2002 to counteract that, plus they almost had one of the most epic chokes in September baseball history, how can you reward that? But these are the Pads, rooting for them is like kissing your sister, I've never understood the logic of rooting for your divisional rivals when you've been eliminated, if we're not in it, I don't want any of them in it.  Have to go St. Lou.

If things work according to plan:

A's vs. Tigers:  Tigers sweep!

Mets vs. Cards:  Mets sweep!

Mets vs. Tigers:  Lately the baseball gods have been blessing teams without a W.S. championship in a long time (Angels, Red Sox, White Sox), and that would point at the Tigers, last winners in 1984, whereas Mets have been away about as long, last winning in 1986, though at least they made the World Series in 2000.  The Tigers also has the stigma of blowing first place in the AL Central and lucking out with the Wild Card slot.  But there has been a Wild Card mojo going too, with Angels, Marlins, Red Sox recently winning, so that would point at Tigers too.

But as much as I normally abhor NY, I'm rooting for the Mets in this matchup, because then we can say that they bought their pennant and maybe Magowan will loosen the purse strings and spend more on the team.  

If the Tigers win, the Giants get no such urgency to spend more or to think up new ways to raise cash, like the YES or NEWS networks.  They were penurious, having atrocities of teams from 1994 to 2005 before having a good 2006, we don't want the Giants to take that example and have atrocities for teams from 2007 to 2018 before getting back to .500 in 2019, let alone making the playoffs again.