AL Wild Card Game 2014: Breaking Down Biggest X-Factors in A's vs. Royals Clash

Tuesday's American League Wild Card Game will feature two extremely different teams as the Kansas City Royals host the Oakland Athletics.

Both teams will be backed by excellent starting pitchers, with "Big Game" James Shields going for KC and former Boston Red Sox star Jon Lester taking the hill for Oakland.

Aside from that, though, each club will rely on a unique set of strengths in order to move on and face the Los Angeles Angels in the AL Divisional Series.

Essentially anything can happen in a one-game playoff situation, so every little detail will be absolutely huge for both the Royals and A's during Tuesday night's encounter.

With that in mind, here is a closer look at the biggest X-factors that will ultimately decide the first playoff game of 2014.

Bullpens

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One thing that the Royals, Athletics and several other playoff teams have in common is the presence of a spectacular bullpen. Having power arms capable of closing out games is paramount in the current landscape of baseball. There is no question that Kansas City and Oakland possess that ability.

When discussing the Royals' biggest assets, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com puts their pen at the very top of the list:

It is easy to see why when looking at what KC's bullpen has to offer. Closer Greg Holland was spectacular all season long with a 1.44 ERA and 46 saves in 48 chances. Also, setup men Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera have been nearly unhittable at certain points this season.

All told, Royals relievers combined for 5.9 wins above replacement during the regular season, which was tied for the MLB's best mark with the New York Yankees, per FanGraphs.com.

The A's have a dangerous bullpen in their own right, with closer Sean Doolittle leading the way. Fernando Abad and Luke Gregerson are trusted arms in late-game situations as well. With a bullpen ERA of 2.91 this season, Oakland ranked third in the league.

Although the expectation in this game is for both starters to pitch deep into the contest, things don't always go according to plan. There is a very good chance that the bullpens will play a vital role, and the first one that blinks could end up losing it for their team.

Most teams work hard to get to their opponents' pen, but that won't be much of a reward on Tuesday. If it does come down to the bullpens, though, it could turn into a battle for the ages.

Royals' Speed

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Pure speed can be a great equalizer in sports, and that is often true in baseball. Some teams—like the Athletics—essentially choose to ignore speed for all intents and purposes.

That isn't the case when it comes to the Royals, though. KC was first in the league this season with 153 stolen bases and a success rate of 81 percent.

It is no secret that KC will look to capitalize on that speed advantage during Tuesday's AL Wild Card Game.

According to Dick Kaegel of MLB.com, the Royals' lineup will feature Alcides Escobar, Nori Aoki and Lorenzo Cain batting first, second and third, respectively. That triumvirate combined for 76 swipes during the regular season.

Royals manager Ned Yost used the Red Sox for inspiration when he came up with this unorthodox lineup combination a couple of weeks ago, per Kaegel.

"We were struggling at that point, and we had just gotten through playing Boston, and they had a lot of speed at the top of their order that was creating havoc—guys were getting on base and running everywhere," Yost said.

Since the Royals were MLB's only team with less than 100 home runs this season, they need to manufacture runs in more creative ways. Stealing bases and taking the extra base in certain situations have proven to be successful strategies for Kansas City.

Those nuances are crucial in must-win games, and the Royals will be in such a scenario against the A's. Kansas City's small-ball approach doesn't necessarily lend itself to huge offensive outbursts, but it may only take a timely run or two to win this game.

Athletics' Power

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While the Athletics aren't necessarily known as a high-volume offensive team, they have proven to be more than capable of hitting the long ball. With 146 taters this season, the A's bested the Royals by 51 in that department.

Third baseman Josh Donaldson and first baseman Brandon Moss spearhead the attack with a combined 54 homers. In addition to those players, Josh Reddick, Derek Norris, Coco Crisp and Adam Dunn all have plenty of pop. 

According to Joe Stiglich of Comcast SportsNet California, Donaldson views power as one of Oakland's biggest advantages in the AL Wild Card Game:

With that said, the A's have struggled in that regard since trading outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to Boston in exchange for Lester. Both Donaldson and Moss have been hampered by injuries in recent weeks, and it is impossible to know for sure how much they're impacted by those ailments on a daily basis.

That is why Oakland's power is such a true X-factor. Donaldson and Moss can both win games on their own with the home run ball, but that may not necessarily be in the cards for the remainder of the season. If Donaldson and Moss struggle, then the season could potentially last for just one more game.

Shields and the Royals' bullpen have to be cognizant of Oakland's power, regardless. Shields and Lester could engage in a pitchers' duel, with a single run making the difference, and the Athletics can turn the tide with just one swing of the bat.

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