After all of the twists and turns we experience throughout the 2014 MLB playoffs, it's only fitting that two wild-card teams are set to face off in the World Series. SportsCenter is spot on with this tweet:
Both the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals have been playing extremely well in October, but which team has the upper hand in the big dance?
The Giants and Royals have displayed several similarities during their respective championship series victories, and while each are fully deserving of their World Series berths, only one can leave with the title of world champion.
San Francisco may not have been able to reach the World Series unscathed, but despite suffering two losses along the way, the Giants have the upper hand on the mound. While San Francisco played two more games, and pitched 19 more innings than the Royals, it still came away with better numbers.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of each team on the mound in the postseason:
Madison Bumgarner played a big role in those numbers, as he enters the World Series with a 1.42 ERA through four starts. Here's a look at how good the NLCS MVP has been in the playoffs, via ESPN Stats & Info:
Even when other Giants starters have struggles, the team has been able to rely on its fantastic bullpen to pick up the pieces. Yusmeiro Petit has been phenomenal in his role as a multi-inning reliever, and Jeremy Affeldt looks as solid as ever—neither has allowed a run in a combined nine playoff appearances.
While the Royals may not have been quite as solid on the mound, they haven't been bad in the slightest. Yes, the team's starters have struggled a bit, but a sound Kansas City bullpen was instrumental in the team's unblemished postseason record—especially with the way Wade Davis has been pitching of late.
Just how good has Davis been? Take a look at this tweet from MLB:
There may be some differences in each team's rotation, but the Royals and Giants are very similar at the plate. Both lineups feature plenty of hitters who give tough at-bats and savvy baserunners. Current playoff numbers speak for themselves:
Neither team has relied on the long ball to get the job done in the playoffs. Kansas City and San Francisco have been very good at getting players on base and producing at the plate with runners in scoring position. We should expect that trend to continue in the World Series.
Not only have both teams been steady at the plate, but they have been resilient and clutch. The Giants and Royals have been able to come from behind to win games, recording decisive runs with late-inning heroics.
The difference-maker in this series will be the ability of starters to remain on the mound long enough to keep the bullpen fresh. The team that is able to produce runs early and get relievers in the game quickly will have an advantage in the long run.
A very slight nod has to go to the Giants in this one, as they have an experienced starting rotation capable of producing more quality innings. Still, this will be a close one.
Prediction: Giants in seven
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