MLB Playoff Schedule 2014: Viewing Info and Storylines to Watch

If the opening salvos of the 2014 MLB Playoffs were any indication, the next month of play leading up to the World Series is sure to offer the best action of the year, as it should.

After qualifying for the postseason for the first time in 29 years, the Kansas City Royals used a small-ball approach to notch a wild-card victory over the reeling Oakland Athletics, and they did so in emphatic fashion.

On the flip side, the San Francisco Giants shut down the Pittsburgh Pirates to advance, signaling the arrival of a serious contender thanks to the talent the Giants put on the mound.

Below, let's take a look at the full slate and nail down a few storylines to focus on throughout.

2014 MLB Playoff Schedule

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV Info
Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV Info
Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV Info
Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV Info
Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV Info
Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV Info
Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV Info
ALDS
1	KC at LAA	Thurs., Oct. 2	9 p.m.	TBS
2	KC at LAA	Fri., Oct. 3	9:30 p.m.	TBS
3	LAA at KC	Sun., Oct. 5	7:30 p.m.	TBS
4*	LAA at KC	Mon., Oct. 6	TBD	TBS
5*	KC at LAA	Wed., Oct. 8	TBD	TBS
ALDS
1	DET at BAL	Thurs., Oct. 2	5:30 p.m.	TBS
2	DET at BAL	Fri., Oct. 3	12 p.m.	TBS
3	BAL at DET	Sun., Oct. 5	3:30 p.m.	TBS
4*	BAL at DET	Mon., Oct. 6	TBD	TBS
5*	DET at BAL	Wed., Oct. 8	TBD	TBS
NLDS
1	SF Giants at WSH	Fri., Oct. 3	3 p.m.	FS1
2	SF Giants at WSH	Sat., Oct. 4	5:30 p.m.	FS1
3	WSH at SF Giants	Mon., Oct. 6	TBA	MLB Network
4*	WSH at SF Giants	Tues., Oct. 7	TBA	FS1
5*	SF Giants at WSH	Thurs., Oct. 9	TBA	FS1
NLDS
1	STL at LAD	Fri., Oct. 3	6:30 p.m.	FS1
2	STL at LAD	Sat., Oct. 4	9:30 p.m.	MLB Network
3	LAD at STL	Mon., Oct. 6	TBA	FS1
4*	LAD at STL	Tues., Oct. 7	TBA	FS1
5*	STL at LAD	Thurs., Oct. 9	TBA	FS1
ALCS
1	TBD vs. TBD	Fri., Oct. 10	TBA	TBS
2	TBD vs. TBD	Sat., Oct. 11	TBA	TBS
3	TBD vs. TBD	Mon., Oct. 13	TBA	TBS
4	TBD vs. TBD	Tues., Oct. 14	TBA	TBS
5*	TBD vs. TBD	Wed., Oct. 15	TBA	TBS
6*	TBD vs. TBD	Fri., Oct. 17	TBA	TBS
7*	TBD vs. TBD	Sat., Oct. 18	TBA	TBS
NLCS
1	TBD vs. TBD	Sat., Oct. 11	TBA	Fox
2	TBD vs. TBD	Sun., Oct. 12	TBA	FS1
3	TBD vs. TBD	Tues., Oct. 14	TBA	FS1
4	TBD vs. TBD	Wed., Oct. 15	TBA	FS1
5*	TBD vs. TBD	Thurs., Oct. 16	TBA	FS1
6*	TBD vs. TBD	Sat., Oct. 18	TBA	Fox
7*	TBD vs. TBD	Sun., Oct. 19	TBA	FS1
World Series
1	NL Champion vs. AL Champion	Tues., Oct. 21	TBA	Fox
2	NL Champion vs. AL Champion	Wed., Oct. 22	TBA	Fox
3	AL Champion vs. NL Champion	Fri., Oct. 24	TBA	Fox
4	AL Champion vs. NL Champion	Sat., Oct. 25	TBA	Fox
5*	AL Champion vs. NL Champion	Sun., Oct. 26	TBA	Fox
6*	NL Champion vs. AL Champion	Tues., Oct. 28	TBA	Fox
7*	NL Champion vs. AL Champion	Wed., Oct. 29	TBA	Fox

Visit MLB.com for an updated postseason bracket.

Aces Wild 

Jason Miller/Getty Images

First, about those Giants.

It should go without saying, but a team with an ace on the mound can go much further than teams that are just solid across the board. Case in point—Madison Bumgarner and the Giants.

Bumgarner took the mound against Pittsburgh and went nine innings, allowing four hits, issuing one free pass and fanning 10 batters. That sort of performance certainly carries over into postseason play, but for anyone sitting on the fence, take a few numbers compiled by ESPN Stats & Info into account:

For the Giants, Bumgarner's recent form and track record provide flashes to the shocking runs in 2010 and 2012. The team is without Matt Cain, and Tim Lincecum is but a shell of his former self this time around. But it takes just one ace and a complementary cast of experienced players to push a team over the edge.

The logic certainly applies to the Los Angeles Dodgers, too.

Of course, the reason is Clayton Kershaw, arguably the best player in the league and easily the Cy Young winner this year, if not the MVP outright.

He leads the league in WHIP (0.86), WAR (7.5) and ERA (1.77) and ran up a 21-3 record. So it makes sense, then, that the team might send Kershaw to the mound twice in its first series against the St. Louis Cardinals, per Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Understand that teams with elite players will certainly consider this method, too. As each series develops, keep a close eye on the handling of top hurlers, because the first time may not be the last time they hit the mound against a single opponent.

Target on Their Backs

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Thanks to an MLB-best 98-64 record and a video game-esque 773 runs—which led the league—the Los Angeles Angels appear to be the team to beat.

Manager Mike Scioscia has plenty of strong options to go with on the mound throughout each series. Jered Weaver (18-9, 3.59 ERA) is an ace who can also pitch on short notice, while complementary rookie Matt Shoemaker (3.04 ERA) can also hold his own and give it a go on short rest.

Clearly, though, the focus is on the bats.

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Not only is Josh Hamilton back from injury, Mike Trout is the best position player in the game. Albert Pujols is still a force in the lineup at 34 years of age and sounds ready to capitalize on the opportunity in front of him.

“It’s great,” Pujols said, per Billy Witz of The New York Times. "That’s what you play for—to get to the postseason. Obviously, the last couple of years we had that dream, and we didn’t accomplish that dream. But this year, obviously, a different team, different faces, a great ball club, and we have a pretty good chance to run this thing for a while.”

The Angels even tout a secret weapon who seems poised to make himself a household name over the course of the next month. Outfielder Kole Calhoun has established himself this year in one of baseball's best lineups, hitting .285/.339/.461 with 14 homers and 52 RBI in his last 453 at-bats.

In short, the Angels have finally lived up to the hype. Getting to this point is one thing, though. Continuing the elite run of form against the best of the best is another thing entirely.

Stats and info via baseball-reference.com unless otherwise specified.