The matchup is set for the 2014 World Series. After sweeping the Orioles in the ALCS, the Kansas City Royals are back in the fall classic for the first time since 1985. From the National League, the San Francisco Giants continue their every other year pattern of making it to, and maybe winning the World Series. Let’s take a look at how each team got here and what to expect after the first pitch is thrown Tuesday night.
The Kansas City Royals seem to be a team of destiny this postseason. They battled with Detroit in the second half of the regular season for the AL Central crown but eventually settled for a Wild Card berth after finishing one game behind the Tigers. In the Wild Card game they hosted the Oakland Athletics who limped into the playoffs after blowing a huge lead in the AL West.
The AL Wild Card game was everything that MLB could have wanted in a one game playoff. The A’s had what looked like a commanding, four run lead in the eighth inning. The Royals cut that lead to one in the bottom of the inning and tied the game up in the bottom half of the ninth. It looked like Oakland had it in the bag again when they scored the go ahead run in 12th but those Royals just don’t quit. Salvador Perez knocked in the winning run to propel the Royals in to the ALDS.
Facing the hottest team in baseball in the Division Series, the Angels, Kansas City continued with the formula that got them there – speed and defense. The Royals made quick work of the AL favorites and swept the series setting up a matchup with the Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS.
KC’s matchup with the Orioles was that of two teams built completely different. Baltimore led all of baseball in homeruns and finished the regular season dead last in stolen bases. The Royals finished on the opposite end of the spectrum by leading the game in stolen bases while hitting the fewest home runs. Again, pitching, speed and defense won out as the Royals swept the Orioles to earn their first World Series appearance in 29 years.
Though the Royals have continued to play lights out defense and run like madmen on the base paths, that doesn’t mean they have not been hitting the ball well. Entering the World Series, Kansas City has hit for a .259 average this postseason, slugged 8 home runs and lead all teams with 40 RBIs. Oh, and they have not lost a game and enter the series against the Giants with an eight game winning streak in the playoffs.
The biggest contributions to the Royals offensive success this postseason have come from Eric Hosmer (.448, 2 HR, 8 RBI), Lorenzo Cain (.353, 9 Runs, 2 SB, 4 RBI), Alcides Escobar (.278, 10 Hits, 5 Runs), Mike Moustkas (4 HR, 5 RBI, 6 Runs) and Alex Gordan (1 HR, 9 RBI, 3 SB). During the playoffs, Kansas City’s pitchers have combined for 80 innings pitched and a 2.93 ERA, 69 strikeouts and a .210 average against them. Their bullpen is the real MVP after throwing 35 innings and only giving up seven runs while striking out 36 with an average against them of .179.
The San Francisco Giants also made it to the postseason as one of the National League’s Wild Card teams. On the road in Pittsburg, the Giants pounded the Pirates 8-0 behind a grand slam by Brandon Crawford and a dominant pitching performance by Madison Bumgarner. The win earned them a series against the Washington Nationals in the NLDS.
The Giants pitching was stellar in the Division Series and they were able to take advantage of some Nationals’ mistakes to win the series three games to one. One of those games being an 18 inning thriller that the Giants won on the road 2-1 thanks to a late Brandon Belt homerun. The series win set up a meeting with the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS.
Bumgarner continued his dominance on the road in the postseason extending his scoreless innings streak to 26 2/3 and beating the Cardinals 3-0. Yadier Molina left game two with an injury but the Cardinals belted four home runs, including Kolten Wong’s walk off, to take the second game by the score of 5-4. The Giants took a 2-1 series lead after winning game three on a throwing error by Randy Choate. San Francisco won game four thanks to a couple of mental mistakes by Matt Adams in the field setting up a dramatic game five. Pinch hitter, Michael Morse, belted a game tying blast in the eight inning. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny sent Michael Wacha, who hadn’t pitched in 19 days, out to pitch the ninth inning of the tie game. He put two base runners on ahead of Travis Ishikawa who hit what will be an iconic home run to send the Giants to their third World Series in five years.
As good as the Royals pitching was in the opening rounds of the playoffs, the Giants’ was even better. San Francisco’s starters combined for 63.2 innings, striking out 51 while allowing 17 earned runs for an ERA of 2.40. The Giants relievers threw 35.1 innings while giving up only seven runs and striking out 30.
Game one of the World Series is Tuesday night and the matchup is the second ever between two Wild Card teams. The pitching matchup isn’t yet set but it’s safe to assume ‘Big Game’ James Shields will start the opener for the Royals. Madison Bumgarner would be able to start the opener on normal rest.
The two teams met in an interleague matchup this year and the Royals swept the Giants in Kansas City by out scoring them 16-6. The Royals should feel good about their success but you can throw regular season numbers out the window at this point.
The Royals will have five days to rest before game one which should be a huge benefit to a team that relies heavily on its bullpen. They will continue to put pressure on the defense by good base running. Whether or not they continue to hit home runs remains to be seen. Kansas City’s elite defense is not likely to make the same mistakes that the Giants were able to capitalize on earlier in the playoffs.
The Giants will have to earn their runs against the Royals, which they are more than capable of doing. The Giants ranked fifth in the National League in runs scored during the regular season and did it in their home park which, statistically, is a tough environment for offense. Their roster is full of guys with recent postseason experience, which matters at this point.
Expect a fun series in front of home crowds providing a tough atmosphere for the road team. Good pitching usually wins championships and both teams possess excellent staffs. The difference could come down to late game pitching and who makes the fewest mistakes.
As always, the more drama the better. Here’s to hoping for more magical moments and an epic fall classic.
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*featured image credit: Chris Lee/ AP
