World Series 2014: Bold Predictions for Fall Classic

The Kansas City Royals are World Series-bound, and the San Francisco Giants appear to be on their way after taking a 3-1 series lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. Such a Fall Classic would be thrilling, if only for the way the teams got there.

Kansas City has won eight straight postseason games, and manager Ned Yost seems to be pushing all the right buttons with his club. Thought to be a playoff contender prior to the 2014 season, the Royals have blossomed in front of our eyes into a team that plays fundamentally sound baseball.

San Francisco, assuming it closes out the series, will have made it to the Fall Classic on the strength of timely plays. The Giants were considered somewhat of a favorite entering the playoffs because of their tendency to win in even years (2010 and 2012), and it looks as if they'll have the chance to make yet another run.

Baseball is unpredictable, as proven by the previous series this postseason. That won't stop the flow of bold predictions coming in for the 2014 World Series, however.

The Royals Bullpen Will Blow A Game

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The showing by Kansas City's bullpen this postseason has opened eyes across the nation. The late-inning relief provided by Kelvin Herrera, Brandon Finnegan, Wade Davis and Greg Holland has simply been outstanding.

Yost has redefined the term "dominant" with this group. The days of watching a starter go seven or eight innings in a playoff game appear to be gone for his club, as Yost is much more confident in his pen to get outs.

And wouldn't you be too if you had that unit? During their four-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, the Royals bullpen posted ridiculous numbers. MLB Fan Cave's official Twitter account tweeted them out:

Those pitchers put in a ton of work in the four games, though. Herrera tossed 5.2 innings. Davis logged five innings. Holland recorded saves in all four games. That's a ton of work.

The Royals will get five days off before Game 1 of the World Series, and that's plenty of time to get back to full strength. But the layoff might not be all good. These pitchers are in a groove right now. Having them sit for so long without competing could be detrimental to their success.

While the bullpen has clearly been the team's biggest strength, it will falter at least once in the World Series. If it doesn't, then the Royals will likely win the series. That said, the mounting pressure coupled with the long layoff will equal some October jitters for the Royals.

Raul Ibanez Will Leave His Mark on a Game

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Raul Ibanez was not on the roster for the American League Championship Series. Josh Willingham presumably took his spot. That needs to change for the World Series, as Ibanez is too clutch to leave off the team.

Ibanez has six home runs in his playoff career. Three of them came in 2012 with the New York Yankees. One of them came when he pinch hit for Alex Rodriguez:

When playing in San Francisco, the Royals need to have guys they can rely on to pinch hit for their pitchers. Billy Butler will be one of them, as the absence of the designated hitter will make him a lock to get an at-bat in every game.

The other hitters on the bench for the ALCS were Willingham, Jarrod Dyson, Terrance Gore, Christian Colon and Erik Kratz. Dyson and Gore probably won't pinch hit because they can run. Kratz won't because he's the reserve catcher. Colon has just 49 plate appearances in his career.

Willingham is a good bat to have on the team. The tough thing will be finding a place for Ibanez. Yost could potentially leave a pitcher like Danny Duffy or Tim Collins off the roster, as they haven't had an impact in the playoffs just yet.

It's imperative to get Ibanez on the roster. The 42-year-old is as clutch as they come. In what might be his final go-around in the playoffs, Ibanez is certainly looking to make some memories.

He'll do so if given the opportunity to. Look for him to change a game with a pinch-hit appearance.

National League Will Win

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The Royals certainly have momentum on their side, but they also mirror the 2007 Colorado Rockies—a team that started 7-0 in the playoffs and then fell apart in the World Series.

Todd Helton had some bold advice for the Royals, via MLB.com's Thomas Harding: "I'm watching that [the ALCS], and I'm thinking this is very similar to what we did. My best advice to the Royals would be to lose a game so they don't have to sit around and wait eight days to play."

Alas, the Royals did not lose a game en route to the World Series. Neither did Colorado.

Remember what happened to the Rockies? They came out flat in Game 1, losing 13-1 to the Boston Red Sox. Maybe the bright lights got to them, but sitting around and waiting for the series to start didn't help.

Colorado was eventually swept. Will the Royals meet the same fate?

The Giants will come into the series with a little less of a layoff. They've also won seven postseason series in a row. A win over the Cardinals will make eight. This team is almost impossible to beat in the playoffs.

It will be a battle of two strong opposing forces. The Royals have yet to lose all postseason. The Giants haven't lost a series in nearly three full postseasons.

Who will win?

Not the Royals. The experience of the Giants and their ability to close out high-pressure series will ultimately be the deciding factor.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @KennyDeJohn_BR