Despite the naysayers, this year’s iteration of the Fall Classic is poised to be one entertaining shindig. Without featuring an East Coast juggernaut, #WorldSeries 2014 has all the prerequisites for a battle of epic proportions: a latter-day dynasty faces off against a perennial underdog; two teams with special swag put their respective mojos on the line; deranged fan bases with bright shirts; Hunter Pence. What could be better?
The top story line is the emergence of the #Ginasty. Anchored by #MadBum, the boys from The Bay look to take their third title in five years. Much has been made of Bumgarner’s rise to pitching’s rarefied air (so we won’t add to the gushing here) but the supporting starters are nothing to scoff at. On the other side, KC lives to get to the #bullpen. If #biggamejames Shields and Co. can get to the sixth, Ned Yost feels good about his chances.
Speaking of Yost, the managerial match up here will be great to keep an eye on. Cutting his teeth in National League systems, Yost won’t be thrown by the NL nuances, but he’ll be hard pressed to match the #Giants’ Bruce Bochy in terms of button-pushing finesse. Plus, Yost already nearly bungled his way out of the post season in the #WildCard round.
On the field, the #KCRoyals’ running attack will face off against Buster Posey and his 30% CS rate. Giants’ hitters will look to go deep into counts, and force Yost to work his bullpen early and often. KC has to hope a resurgent Eric Hosmer remains resurgent, while the San Francisco faithful hope the #Panda repeats the heroics of the 2012. The sharps in Veags think that he can. Sites like SportsbookNavigator.com have Sandoval as the favorite to win the #MVP of the #WorldSeries, though others have the #Royals taking the series.
For me, the real draw of this Series is the passion that will undoubtedly be on display. October baseball always feels different, and the Series more so, but these two teams truly bleed blue and orange (respectively, of course). Hunter Pence is his own world of awkward exuberance and Jarrod Dyson brings take-zero-sh*ts attitude to KC. Both these teams play like kids, wear their hearts on their sleeves, and put it all on the line.
Whoever wrote that this was the worst World Series ever was an idiot. We are in for a treat. First pitch can’t get here fast enough.
Bold Prediction: Giants in 7
-Ari Glantz
Stat of the Day: There have been four best-of-nine World Series.
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