The San Francisco Giants flew to Philadelphia Thursday ahead of the NLCS against the Phillies.
The team loaded several buses outside AT&T Park around 9 a.m., most dressed to the nines. Starting pitcher Tim Lincecum sported both a tie and a ponytail.
Manager Bruce Bochy said they would shed those clothes and get into baseball gear for a light workout at Citizens Bank Park once they arrived in Philly.
The Giants know they have a tall order ahead. Philadelphia is not only favored to win the series, odds makers have picked Philly as the favorite to win the World Series.
As he caught the bus, Bochy said the Phillies should be the favorite because of their record, but he added "We're pretty good too."
"It's going to come down to who can get a timely hit. That is what it is going to take and hopefully somebody can come through every day for us," Bochy said.
The players certainly don't seem intimidated.
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"You don't really fear any team," Cody Ross told the Associated Press. "As a player you always feel like you're better than teams and you have to have that sort of mentality that you can go in there and beat them two out of three during the season, but knowing in the back of your mind that they're a really good team. They've had their struggles, though. They had a tough time scoring runs throughout the year at one point. It's going to be a dog fight. Both teams have really good pitching staffs and both teams have guys who can really swing the bat. I think it's going to be an amazing series."
The other story line that is sure to get attention this weekend is the return of Pat Burrell. Burrell is key to the Giants' success this year, but he played for the Phillies from 2000-2008 and is still a fan favorite. On his first trip back to Philadelphia wearing the orange and black earlier this summer, fans gave him a standing ovation as walked to the plate.
Burrell would be quick to remind folks that he is a San Jose native. He graduated from Bellarmine High School. No one is questioning his loyalty to the Giants; a team Burrell calls a "special group."
"A lot of the guys haven't been to the postseason before, pivotal guys on our team. The way that the guys have performed under the pressure having not been there before is incredible," Burrell said.
Game No. 1 is Saturday at 4:57 p.m. California time.
