An exclusive VIP party was held on the eve of the World Series at the California Academy of Sciences (in Golden Gate Park); most media were not allowed near the event.

They went on to win three division titles in 1996, 1998, and 1999, but were eliminated by the New York Yankees in the ALDS each time, having only won one game out of all three series combined.

In the offseason, Iván Rodríguez, Marlon Byrd, Omar Vizquel, and Andruw Jones all departed due to free agency.

Josh Hamilton's MVP performance included four home runs, tying an ALCS record, and helped the Rangers reach their first World Series.

Like the Rangers, the Giants and their fans had a long history of futility and disappointment since their move from New York City to San Francisco before the 1958 season.

After moving to San Francisco, enraged Giants fans in New York allegedly placed a hex on the franchise, starting the Curse of Coogan's Bluff that would last for over 50 years.

The Giants entered 2010 with a strong pitching staff led by two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum and a solid bullpen spearheaded by closer Brian Wilson.

In August, José Guillén was acquired in a trade with the Kansas City Royals, and Cody Ross was claimed off waivers from the Florida Marlins.

The Giants spent much of the early part of the season in second or third place in the National League West standings, trailing the San Diego Padres and on occasion the Los Angeles Dodgers or Colorado Rockies.

In the Division Series, the second-seeded Giants faced the wild card-winning Atlanta Braves, who had also clinched a postseason berth on the last day of the regular season.

In the NLCS, the Giants were heavy underdogs to the two-time defending National League champion Philadelphia Phillies, the overall #1 seed in the postseason.

In the top of the sixth inning, Lincecum struck out the first two batters he faced, but walked Ian Kinsler, who scored on a Molina double.

Affeldt threw a wild pitch and walked Josh Hamilton to load the bases, and was relieved by closer Brian Wilson.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, Édgar Rentería hit a home run into left field to give San Francisco a 1–0 lead.

Texas threatened in the top of the sixth with back-to-back singles by Michael Young and Josh Hamilton, who both advanced into scoring position on Cain's wild pitch to Nelson Cruz.

The Giants added a run in the bottom of the seventh when Cody Ross walked, advanced to second base on a groundout by Aubrey Huff, and then scored on a single by Juan Uribe.

Lowe was then relieved by Michael Kirkman, who gave up a triple to pinch hitter Aaron Rowand, scoring Uribe and Rentería.

In the bottom of the second inning, Giants starter Jonathan Sánchez gave up a double to Nelson Cruz and walked Bengie Molina before giving up a three-run home run to Mitch Moreland.

Cody Ross and Andrés Torres cut the lead in half with home runs in the seventh and eighth, respectively, off Rangers starter Colby Lewis.

Texas closer Neftalí Feliz pitched a perfect ninth to secure the Rangers' first and only victory of the series.

Bumgarner and Posey were the first rookie battery to start a World Series game since Spec Shea and Yogi Berra in 1947.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Nelson Cruz had a home run that cut the deficit to 3–1 and broke an 18-inning scoreless streak for the Rangers—their longest drought of the entire season.

Édgar Rentería's three-run homer was the second World Series championship-clinching hit of his career, the first coming with the Florida Marlins in 1997.

However, many viewers in the New York City and Philadelphia markets were unable to watch Games 1 and 2 because News Corporation, Fox's parent company, pulled WNYW and WTXF from cable provider Cablevision on October 16 due to a carriage dispute.

The games were the last that Miller and Morgan (who had also been calling Sunday Night Baseball for ESPN television since 1990) would work together, as the network subsequently announced that their contracts would not be renewed for 2011.

[28] ESPN Deportes Radio also aired the Series to Spanish language listeners, with Eduardo Ortega and former Giants pitcher Juan Marichal announcing.

In the UK, the Series was broadcast by BBC Radio Five Live Sports Extra, with Jonny Gould and Josh Chetwynd commentating.

The Giants became the second team in the 2010 postseason to record two shutouts in a series since the Philadelphia Phillies shut out the Cincinnati Reds twice in the NLDS.

[33] Replaced by Buster Posey midway during the 2010 season, Bengie Molina was traded to the Rangers, reaching the World Series against the Giants.

[34] While losing Cliff Lee to free agency to Philadelphia, the Texas Rangers bolstered their line-up by signing third baseman Adrian Beltre.