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Giants vs. Royals: 10 Bold Predictions For 2014 World Series

Giants vs. Royals: 10 Bold Predictions For 2014 World Series

San Francisco Giants v Kansas City Royals
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The Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants certainly have a flair for the dramatic. It's going to be a fantatic World Series, in which we can expect the unexpected. It's tough to make predictions that would be considered bold in such a series, but let's give it a shot. Here are 10 bold predictions for the 2014 World Series.

10. Each Team Will Win At Least One Game In Walk-Off Fashion

NLCS - St Louis Cardinals v San Francisco Giants - Game Five
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10. Each Team Will Win At Least One Game In Walk-Off Fashion

NLCS - St Louis Cardinals v San Francisco Giants - Game Five
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When the games get close, two of baseball's best bullpens are going to come in and shut it down until one team is jumping around on the field.

9. Madison Bumgarner Will Pitch Great Twice, But Lose Once

NLCS - St Louis Cardinals v San Francisco Giants - Game Five
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9. Madison Bumgarner Will Pitch Great Twice, But Lose Once

NLCS - St Louis Cardinals v San Francisco Giants - Game Five
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The Royals find ways to put runs on the board despite great opposing pitching. In their series-clinching win over the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City scored their only two runs without the ball leaving the infield. Sometimes pitching great isn't enough. I'm guessing that will be the case at least once for Bumgarner.

8. Mike Moustakas Will Hit 2 More Home Runs

ALCS - Baltimore Orioles v Kansas City Royals - Game Three
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8. Mike Moustakas Will Hit 2 More Home Runs

ALCS - Baltimore Orioles v Kansas City Royals - Game Three
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Moose has woken up, and he's not afraid of the bright lights. As a lefty facing three right-handed pitchers in the first four games, I like his odds of him having another great series.

7. At Least One Game Will Reach The Thirteenth Inning

Division Series - San Francisco Giants v Washington Nationals - Game Two
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7. At Least One Game Will Reach The Thirteenth Inning

Division Series - San Francisco Giants v Washington Nationals - Game Two
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Again, we have two teams with great bullpens, that love to keep games as close and nerve-racking as possible. Combined the Giants and Royals have played six extra-inning contests in this postseason.

6. The Royals Will Steal 16 Bases In The Series

New York Yankees v Kansas City Royals
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6. The Royals Will Steal 16 Bases In The Series

New York Yankees v Kansas City Royals
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The Giants rank 23rd in stolen bases allowed. The last time these two teams met, the Royals stole seven bases. That was in one game, not the entire series. Kansas City cooled off the aggressive base running a bit in the ALCS against Baltimore, but San Francisco will get to see 'what speed do'.

5. Buster Posey & Pablo Sandoval Will Combine For .350 AVG, 3 HRs & 10 RBIs

San Francisco Giants v Washington Nationals
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5. Buster Posey & Pablo Sandoval Will Combine For .350 AVG, 3 HRs & 10 RBIs

San Francisco Giants v Washington Nationals
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These guys are hitting well right now. They both love right-handed pitching, and right-handers are about all the Royals have. Against righties this season, Posey hit .314 with 14 homer runs, while Kung Fu Panda hit .317 with 11 home runs.

4. Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis & Greg Holland Will Pitch 15 Innings Without Allowing A Run

Kansas City Royals v New York Yankees
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4. Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis & Greg Holland Will Pitch 15 Innings Without Allowing A Run

Kansas City Royals v New York Yankees
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These guys have been a three-headed MVP for the Royals this season, and they've kept it going in the playoffs. In the ALCS, Herrera, Davis and Holland allowed just one run in 14.2 innings.

3. The Giants Bullpen Will Blow Two Games

NLCS - St Louis Cardinals v San Francisco Giants - Game Four
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3. The Giants Bullpen Will Blow Two Games

NLCS - St Louis Cardinals v San Francisco Giants - Game Four
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Sergio Casilla and Jeremy Affeldt head a Giants bullpen that's been absolutely lights out this postseason. I'm not saying Casilla, Affeldt or Yusmeiro Petit will be the guys to blow it. I'm saying the Royals relievers will last until these guys take a seat. Don't forget, Danny Duffy is good to go whenever Kansas City needs him. Add Jason Frasor and Brandon Finnegan to the mix, and I like the Royals odds of outlasting the Giants a couple of times.

2. The Royals Will Win In Six Games

ALCS - Baltimore Orioles v Kansas City Royals - Game Four
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2. The Royals Will Win In Six Games

ALCS - Baltimore Orioles v Kansas City Royals - Game Four
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The Royals are a young team with great veteran leadership. They're realizing their potential at the right time. Kansas City does two things that will completely kill the spirit and confidence of the opposition: They score runs without hitting particularly well, and the defense kills rallies when opposing bats are hitting the ball hard. In two pitcher's parks, defense will be the difference. The Royals will continue to outlast their opponents.

1. Alex Gordon Will Win World Series MVP

ALCS - Baltimore Orioles v Kansas City Royals - Game Four
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1. Alex Gordon Will Win World Series MVP

ALCS - Baltimore Orioles v Kansas City Royals - Game Four
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If the Royals do win, there will probably be about five guys who have an argument for the award. I'm throwing Gordon's name up here because saving a couple of runs on defense might give him an edge. Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas would also be decent guesses.

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