Patch's Guide to the 2012 World Series

The World Series begins Wednesday at San Francisco's AT&T Park, where the Giants will take on the Detroit Tigers in Game 1. Whether you've just hopped on the Giants bandwagon or you've been a season ticket holder all year, Patch has all the information you need to take in San Francisco's second World Series since 2012.

World Series Schedule

Best of seven series * denotes game will be played only if necessary. All games will be broadcast on FOX, KNBR 680 and ESPN Radio (AM 1050).

• Wednesday, Oct. 24: Detroit at San Francisco, 5:07 p.m. PDT
• Thursday, Oct. 25: Detroit at San Francisco, 5:07 p.m. PDT
• Saturday, Oct. 27: San Francisco at Detroit, 5:07 p.m. PDT
• Sunday, Oct. 28: San Francisco at Detroit, 5:15 p.m. PDT
• Monday, Oct. 29: *San Francisco at Detroit, 5:07 p.m. PDT
• Tuesday, Oct. 31: *Detroit at San Francisco, 5:07 p.m. PDT
• Wednesday, Nov. 1: *Detroit at San Francisco, 5:07 p.m. PDT

How to Get to the Game

What is the most you'd spend to get a World Series ticket? $100 a seat? $150? $200? More?

For those of you hoping to score some tickets, good luck. As the Giants note on their ticket website, "the ticket prices are based on current market value and will fluctuate based on factors affecting supply and demand."

If you already have tickets, well, I'm sure your firstborn child understands.

Truly dedicated fans can try to watch three innings of the game for free through the "knothole," an arched opening in the right-field wall at AT&T Park, where up to 100 people can see into the park. Vigilant park attendants limit each viewer to no more than three innings, and there are reports that people started lining up as early as 8 a.m. for the prime freebie spot. If you want to be one of the lucky few to see a World Series for free, leave now. Or five minutes ago.

Where to Watch in Mountain View (and there are so many places!)

• Sports Page has big screen TVs and a huge patio area with plenty of seating and is a good place to go to enjoy food and drinks with friends, while watching the SF Giants beat the Detriot.

• St. Stephen's Green is always a great place to watch the Giants. This Castro Street Irish pub has a huge projector screen along the back wall and a half dozen flat screens just along the bar. Get there early, and save your seat during Happy Hour.

• A few doors over on Castro, Molly Magees has several flat screens along the bar, so show up early if you want a seat!

• Bert's Alibi, located next to True Value Hardware, is a dive bar with multiple flat-screen TVs and a laid-back atmosphere. It is a go-to establishment for locals looking for a place to watch the games.

• Head to Tied House—MV's very own brewery—and enjoy a microbrew and delicious grub while basking in the glow of the orange-and-black Giants on their multiple screens.

• If you want to avoid the traffic downtown, try Francesca's on Old Middlefield Way. A dozen or so large flatscreen televisions line the walls and the bar. Try their cheesesteak and sample their great variety of microbrews on tap.

Where to Watch in San Francisco

If you don't have tickets but still want to be close enough to the World Series to hear the crowd, head to Pete's Tavern, one of the best sports bars in the city, directly across the street from AT&T Park. Pete's has several large televisions, including a projection screen, and you can bet they won't be playing NBA games tonight. They also have a full menu and wide selection of drinks and recently opened up a second Mexican-themed bar next door, Pedro's Cantina.

But get there early. For the last game of the National League Championship Series in San Francisco against the Philadelpia Phillies, the wait to get in was more than an hour by first pitch.

Same goes for the Public House, a bar and restaurant attached to AT&T Park where TV and radio broadcasts are often set up. Other SOMA haunts near the ballpark include 21st Amendement Brewery (good food, but not as many TVs), Tres Agaves (smaller venue, longer wait) and MoMo's (overpriced hangout for the snooty fans who show up when the rest of us can't afford tickets).

How to Get There

If you're going into the city for the game, with or without tickets, take either Caltrain or BART. Parking near AT&T Park can go as high as $50 for a regular season game, and the postseason has pushed prices even higher. Some of the nearby garages can be a little sketchy, too.

According to BART, longer trains will run on all lines before and after the games, and special event trains will be kept on standby in case additional capacity is needed. Officials suggest that to avoid waiting in lines at ticket machines after the games, riders should buy roundtrip tickets or use their Clipper cards.

For many Peninsula fans, Caltrain is the ride of choice and a shorter walk from the station to Willie Mays Plaza. Schedules can be found on Caltrain's website, and BART's trip planner can help you coordinate your trip with MUNI.

Who to watch

The Giants stormed into 2012 World Series Monday night by scorching the St. Louis Cardinals 9-0 behind the undaunted pitching of Matt Cain and the mind-boggling hitting performance by Marco Scutaro. The Tigers, boasting Cy Young and AL MVP candidates in Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, respectively, are an even more daunting foe.

GO GIANTS!

Don't miss a thing in Mountain View!

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