The picture of the 2014 MLB playoffs is set—at least for now. Two single-elimination wild-card games are still to be played to determine the final matchups in the divisional series.
A reeling Oakland Athletics team had to fight off a slump down the stretch just to earn the right to play in the Wild Card Round, where they will visit the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday. The Pittsburgh Pirates will then play host to the San Francisco Giants in Wednesday's showcase.
Here is a closer look at the schedule, when and where to catch the commencement of the postseason and predictions as to which clubs will advance.
Oakland Athletics vs. Kansas City Royals
Neither starting pitcher has lost in this season's series. Athletics star Jon Lester was 3-0 in three starts with a 2.61 ERA, while James Shields was 1-0 against Oakland in two appearances.
The Royals clearly got the better end of things in the regular season with a 5-2 head-to-head advantage, but that can almost be tossed out the window in this win-or-go-home scenario.
A considerable amount of pressure is on for Kansas City to deliver the win. Otherwise, it will be only a temporary playoff foray that's been long awaited as it is, per Ben Volin of The Boston Globe:
With the importance of starting pitching that tends to come out in the postseason, it would be a shame to see Oakland bow out with the likes of newcomers in Lester and Jeff Samardzija on the roster. Lester appears ready to rise to the occasion after helping the Boston Red Sox win the World Series last year:
The A's also have superior bats and more long-ball hitters that can change the game quickly. This anecdote from ESPN Stats & Info shows how generally inept the Royals are on offense in key categories:
However, the edge on the basepaths goes to Kansas City, who racked up an American League-best 153 stolen bases in the regular season. If the Royals can get the home Kauffman Stadium crowd into the game early, small-ball tactics may allow the hosts to pull off what should be viewed as an upset.
Lester should be able to keep KC's multitude of runners in check, thanks in part to his southpaw delivery and tendency to dominate on the big stage.
This should be a gritty, hard-fought, low-scoring battle that sees the A's edge it out, earning the right to face the Los Angeles Angels.
Prediction: Athletics 4, Royals 3
San Francisco Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
These teams are as evenly matched as can be on paper, with identical 88-74 records, similar offensive production and team ERAs separated by just .03.
Madison Bumgarner gets the nod for San Francisco, while Edinson Volquez will be on the bump to start for Pittsburgh on Wednesday at PNC Park. Bumgarner stepped up to win 18 games, which was key, since Tim Lincecum posted a 4.74 ERA and Matt Cain was sidelined for the season in July.
The turnaround Volquez has had is particularly impressive, as he posted a career-low 3.07 ERA this year. And that came after seeing his ERA balloon to 5.71 in 2013.
The Associated Press' Will Graves credited Pirates pitching coach Ray Serage in helping Volquez get back on track:
So who has the edge in this matchup of capable hurlers? Ken Laird of TribLIVE Radio in Pittsburgh points out how several key Pirates contributors have had success against Bumgarner:
Pittsburgh is led by the likes of reigning National League MVP Andrew McCutchen in center field, whose presence as a franchise cornerstone has helped turn the organization around.
ESPN analyst Buster Olney highlighted how much of a tear McCutchen has been on in helping drive the Pirates more prominently into the postseason picture:
McCutchen hasn't matched up quite as well with Bumgarner, yet he's been able to hit anything in front of him over the past month. The superstar center fielder is the tone-setter and likely won't be denied, especially playing at home.
Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review noticed how well Pittsburgh began to hold down opponents toward the end of the year, too:
Although the Giants are entering with more momentum on the strength of two wins over San Diego, Pittsburgh will bounce back and pull off the victory. This Pirates nucleus was in this wild-card situation last season and defeated Cincinnati 6-2. Now they can press further and gain confidence by knocking off a recent World Series champion.
It will be a tall task to advance further for whichever club moves on, as they'll have to negotiate the best team in the NL in the Washington Nationals. If the Pirates' relievers can continue their strong form, perhaps Pittsburgh is in for a surprise run.
Prediction: Pirates 6, Giants 4
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
- Login to post comments