No Giants series -- even the World Series -- truly starts until they're staggering, semi-comatose and on the brink of extinction. That's the storyline of the 2012 playoffs, and why would the World Series unfold any other way, starting with Game 1 on Wednesday. It sets up precisely: Detroit's Justin Verlander, baseball's ace of aces, is pitching Wednesday; and the Giants won't throw their ace, Matt Cain, until Game 4.