2014 MLB World Series Predictions & Schedule: Kansas City Royals vs. San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals will play each other in a winner take all Game 7 on Wednesday.
The two sweetest words in sports: "Game 7."
The whole season comes down to just one game, winner-take-all. There is no tomorrow, and there is no "We'll get 'em next time." The Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants will face off in that exact circumstance for a chance to win the 2014 World Series.
Let's break down the teams and see who has the edge in Game 7:
Kansas City Royals
The Royals have been a Cinderella team for the last month.
Despite being a wild card team, the Royals successfully made the postseason for the first time since 1985. The Detroit Tigers won the American League Central, but the Royals had the last laugh.
The Royals began their postseason with a bang. In the American League Wild Card Game, the Royals defeated the Oakland Athletics thanks to Salvador Perez's 12th inning hit down the left baseline. Perez has been even more impressive as the Royals catcher. Continuing to prove doubters wrong, the Royals swept the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Baltimore Orioles in the next two rounds. Both of those teams won their divisions, but neither team could get a single victory against Ned Yost's Royals.
The Royals ranked dead last this season in home runs hit, but first in stolen bases. Alcides Escobar, Omar Infante, Lorenzo Cain, Perez and Eric Hosmer have been the Royals' best hitters all season long. Jarrod Dyson isn't having a great postseason at the plate, but he is making great defensive plays in the outfield.
Jeremy Guthrie will start Game 7 for the Royals. Guthrie pitched Game 3, allowing just two runs in five innings of play.
San Francisco Giants
This Giants team is trying to become a dynasty. If they defeat the Royals in Game 7, this will be their third World Series championship in the last five seasons. Manager Bruce Bochy has inserted himself as one of the best coaches in the game today.
The Giants didn't win their division, just like the Royals. Their in-state rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, won the National League West, but the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw fell apart against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Giants, on the other hand, defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals and Cardinals to win the National League pennant.
Pablo Sandoval has been outstanding this postseason, as usual. Sandoval could very well win his second career World Series Most Valuable Player Award. Other players such as Hunter Pence and Buster Posey have been contributing at the plate, as well. By far, the best pitcher this postseason has been Madison Bumgarner. Bumgarner is 4-1 this postseason with an incredible 1.13 Earned Runs against average.
Tim Hudson will start Game 7 for the Giants. Hudson pitched Game 3, but only lasted 5.2 innings and allowed three runs.
Schedule, Where to Watch
The San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals will play each other in Game 7 on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 8:07 p.m. EST on FOX. The game will be played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. You can view a live game stream here.
Predictions
Guthrie outpitched Hudson in Game 3, so there's no reason to believe he can't do it again. The Royals bullpen has been nearly perfect, but the thought of Bumgarner playing could spell trouble for Kansas City. Bumgarner is 2-0 in this World Series for a reason. The Royals will have the edge in Game 7 because their entire lineup has been hitting, and home field advantage should play a factor.
The last time a road team won Game 7 of the World Series was 1979, when the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles.
Royals win Game 7, 4-3.
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