MLB Playoffs 2014: Predictions, Schedule for Giants vs Pirates NL Wild Card Game

After an incredible AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday night, the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates have big expectations to live up to in Wednesday's NL Wild Card Game.

The Washington Nationals await the winners, but neither team can afford to look ahead since pretty much anything can happen in a one-game playoff.

Pittsburgh is making its second consecutive playoff appearance after missing out for 20 straight years. San Francisco, on the other hand, is looking to win its third World Series in five years.

The Pirates prevailed in this one-game situation last year, and they will be the home team on Wednesday night. With that said, the Giants know how to get the job done in the postseason.

Here is all the information you need to know regarding the NL Wild Card Game, along with predictions for how the contest will play out.

Date	Time (ET)	Away Team	Home Team	Away SP	Home SP
Wednesday, Oct. 1	8 p.m.	San Francisco Giants	Pittsburgh Pirates	Madison Bumgarner	Edinson Volquez

Giants vs. Pirates Predictions

Madison Bumgarner Will Outduel Edinson Volquez 

Perhaps the biggest matchup worth watching in this particular game is the battle between starting pitchers. Two-time All-Star and World Series champion Madison Bumgarner will take the hill for the Giants, while reclamation project Edinson Volquez gets the call for the home team.

On paper, this certainly appears to be a huge advantage for San Francisco. Bumgarner is an often-dominant lefty who won a career-high 18 games this season with a 2.98 ERA. He has also struck out at least 191 batters in four straight seasons, so he obviously knows how to miss some bats.

The 31-year-old Volquez posted a 6.01 ERA for the San Diego Padres last season before getting released. Pittsburgh decided to take a flier on him, and it has paid big dividends as the Dominican righty went 13-7 with a 3.04 ERA during the regular season.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

According to Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Volquez credits his success in 2014 to a change in pitching philosophy.

"I decided to go more contact right now because I wanted to stay in the game longer," Volquez said. "I wanted to go deep in the game and give my team a chance to win. Before, I got a lot of trouble when I tried to strike out everybody and I started walking people."

While that approach has worked for Volquez this season, a closer look at the numbers suggests that he has been a bit lucky. Per Fangraphs.com, Volquez's batting average on balls in play, or BABIP, is just .263. Also, his fielder independent pitching, or FIP, is 4.15, which is more than a full run higher than his ERA.

The fact that Volquez strikes out just 6.54 batters per nine innings means that he relies heavily on his fielders to make plays. Volquez's stats are bound to come back to the mean eventually, so he is the type of pitcher who could easily get battered in a winner-take-all game.

Bumgarner's ability to strike guys out is what sets him apart, as does his added dimension as a hitter. Bumgarner hit .258 with four home runs this season, and Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Bumgarner has the power to take Volquez deep at PNC Park:

That will be an interesting wrinkle to keep an eye on, but the overarching point is that Bumgarner can essentially win a game on his own from the mound, while Volquez will need a ton of assistance. That clearly puts the Giants in the driver's seat.

Buster Posey Will Be Biggest Offensive Difference-Maker

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While neither team is viewed as dynamic offensively, they both have some hitters who can change the game with one swing of the bat. For the Pirates, that guy is outfielder Andrew McCutchen. The Giants, on the other hand, tend to lean on catcher Buster Posey.

Posey has won a pair of World Series titles with San Francisco, and he is about as consistent as they come. Aside from his MVP season two years ago, 2014 has been Posey's best offensive year with a .311 batting average, 22 home runs and 89 RBI.

Although the 27-year-old star didn't exactly get off to a torrid start this season, he has made up for that in recent months. In fact, Posey leads Major League Baseball in hitting since the All-Star break, according to ESPN's John Buccigross:

Posey has also shown a penchant for clutch play in the postseason. Aside from winning two championships, one of the best examples came in the 2012 NL Divisional Series against the Cincinnati Reds. In a decisive Game 5 after overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the series, Posey hit a grand slam in that game, which was ultimately the swing that sent San Francisco to the NLCS and eventually the World Series.

The clutch factor can't be measured necessarily, but it means a lot in high-pressure games. Wednesday's tilt can't get much more pressure packed, but Posey has shown that he doesn't wilt when everything is on the line.

Add in the fact that Posey is on a roll at the plate, and it is clear that he is the guy who will lift the Giants offensively.

Giants Will Beat Pirates Comfortably

After their shocking run to the playoffs last season, many were skeptical about the Pirates' ability to make it back to this point in 2014. They have certainly proved their doubters wrong, but the challenge in front of them on Wednesday is immense.

When Pittsburgh won the NL Wild Card Game last year, it beat a Reds team that hasn't had any playoff success in recent years. The same can't be said for the Giants. Their team is stacked with players who have won the World Series, and they simply do not panic in these types of games.

The Pirates fell to a similar team in the NLDS last year when they faced the St. Louis Cardinals. Pittsburgh does have some playoff experience under its belt now, but it pales in comparison to what the Giants boast.

Since literally any MLB team can beat another in a single game, the smart money is usually on the squad with better pitching. It is far easier to trust Bumgarner, especially since Volquez was lit up for four runs in less than two innings in the only postseason start of his career thus far.

San Francisco also has enough offense with Posey, Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval leading the way. The Bucs have the benefit of home-field advantage, but look for the Giants to take the lead early, demoralize the crowd and cruise toward the NLDS.

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