2014 World Series Preview: Momentum versus Experience

In stunning fashion, two wildcard teams have now reached the 2014 World Series.  The surprising Kansas City Royals and the budding dynasty of the San Francisco Giants will meet for the Fall Classic, and it has all the makings of an enticing competition to determine baseball’s world champion!  Neither team has exceptional superstars, and yet here we are in late October with these bunches of over-performing players ready to embrace immortality and a World Series title.

For the Royals, the team is built around a tremendous bullpen and a bunch of speedy runners capable of stealing bases in the blink of an eye.  Meanwhile the Giants have a more balanced squad and the experience of winning two World Series in the last several years.

For me the key will be Kansas City’s questionable starting pitching.  Both James Shields and Yordano Ventura haven’t quite played to their best while only Jason Vargas has been impressive.  If the Giants can get up early in games, they may be able to win this series.  However, if Shields finally plays to his true value, the Royals may just claim a title in their first postseason trip since 1985.

In many ways, most casual baseball fans will be hoping for the Royals to win this Series.  They’ve endured so many disappointing seasons and there really is the feeling that this will be their only chance for many years.  They’ve earned their place here with a late-season surge and have gone undefeated in these playoffs.  If momentum is any guide, the Royals should be well on their way.

But if anyone can overcome a hot team it’s the Giants.  They’ve won 9 straight postseason series and have won the World Series twice in the last four years!  Starters Madison Bumgarner, Tim Hudson, and Jake Peavy have pitched marvelously while their bullpen is no slouch either.

Hitting wise the teams are quite evenly matched.  While the Royals lacked power in the regular season, their big bats have come alive in the playoffs, especially that of Mike Moustakas, who has 4 postseason home runs.  The Giants have good hitters too, and anyone with a decent memory can recall the glorious blasts by Pablo Sandoval in the team’s recent championships.

All in all, this is a tremendously matched World Series and could very well go either way.  While my heart wants to see the Kansas City Royals win an unexpected title, I think the current dynasty of the San Francisco Giants will continue, largely due to their remarkable starting pitchers.  Everyone knows that pitching wins titles, not stolen bases.  It has been a remarkable run by the Royals, and their momentum could definitely push them ahead, perhaps even leading them to a sweep, but I think that the Giants are simply the better team.  Remember that they have only lost two games in these playoffs and are on quite a hot streak as well.  The 2014 MLB season certainly has been a special one and it’s coming to a tremendous close.  I think the Giants will get to have the last laugh though, and they will win it all in 7 games!

Doesn't matter which team you are rooting for to win the World Series, we have collectibles for both the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants.  Our autographed memorabilia is guaranteed for life to be authentic as they are obtained from the most trusted sports companies in the industry and our autographs are done during paid private signings with the athletes.  We also carry officially licensed sports collectibles and display cases for all MLB teams.  New products are added regularly so visit us often to see what is new.

Could the Kansas City Royals Win the World Series?

Time for a history lesson.  Back in 1985, the Kansas City Royals were one of the greatest teams in baseball.  While still a relatively young club formed in 1969, the Royals had eventually grown and developed to the point of being World Series contenders.  Behind star pitchers Bret Saberhagan and Charlie Leibrandt, and the Hall of Fame hitter George Brett, the Royals actually powered through the playoffs that season, eventually taking the 1985 World Series in a dramatic 7-game matchup against the cross-state rivals St. Louis Cardinals.  It would be the last playoff appearance for the club.

Fast forward nearly 30 years and the current team in Kansas City might just be gearing up for a similar run!  Against all odds and featuring a payroll budget far below what most American League contenders have, the Royals are winning, and they’re doing it by getting back to the basics.

While nobody on the team is hitting at All-Star levels, they put the ball in play, and this often leads to good things happen.  In avoiding strikeouts they get guys on base, and are able to move them forward to home plate.  They are second in the MLB in stolen bases, proving that speed is key to winning games.  Additionally, their defensive play has been impeccable, and they make fewer errors than just about anyone else.  Such mistakes often cost teams, and by limiting those bad errors and mental lapses, the Royals are winning games with defense.

Their starting pitching is hardly Cy Young material, but they have 5 capable starters.  Ace James Shields has been his usual impressive self while fellow veterans Jeremy Guthrie and Jason Vargas also have been putting up respectable numbers.  Youngsters Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy have proven their Major League capabilities this season, and with great defense supporting them, the pitchers are benefitting from the confidence instilled by their teammates.  This all adds up to wins, and that’s what the Royals have been doing recently.

After a typically average start to the year, Kansas City has gotten hot in the past month, soaring ahead of the Detroit Tigers and into first place in the AL Central.    With just over a month remaining in the season, it will be an absolute dogfight between these sides to determine who wins that playoff spot.  Winning one of the wildcard spots is an also an option, though those 1-game playoffs are hardly guaranteed.

But back to the original question of the Kansas City Royals potentially winning the 2014 World Series, we need to follow a wait-and-see approach.  The current hot level bodes well.  Since July 22^nd, the Royals have gone 24-8 (even despite their 2 recent losses).  If that form remains consistent the Royals could definitely contend for the World Series, but we must take that with a grain of salt.  Lots of teams experience a hot streak over the course of a year (look at the insane 2013 run by the Los Angeles Dodgers), but keeping that momentum is tricky.  If the Royals keep winning, they could enter the MLB Playoffs as one of baseball’s hottest teams, but should they enter a new slump that dream could be crushed very quickly.

But despite all these lingering questions, we should rejoice in the fact that it’s nearly September and for once we are talking about the Kansas City Royals making the playoffs and potentially winning a World Series!  Who would have ever thought that was possible at the start of this year?

Whether the Kansas City Royals can win the World Series or not, we have a great selection of Royals sports memorabilia.  Visit us often to find new KC Royals memorabilia, or any professional and collegiate team for that matter, as we add new product weekly.  Our autographed memorabilia is guaranteed for life to be authentic and our non-autographed collectibles are officially licensed by their respective league.  Visit us today at www.AAASportsMemorabilia.com.