World Series 2014: Schedule and Predictions for Giants vs. Royals Game 1

The long layoff is almost over. The San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals will begin the World Series Tuesday night in a tone-setting Game 1.

We're all getting a bit antsy after forgoing baseball for four days. While the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants produced thrilling games, they both frequently won in close contests and ended their championship series early.

There's only so much talking to do and so many possible angles to take while killing time for the Fall Classic to begin. Luckily, Game 1 is set for tonight, so let's bear down for one more preview before letting the players reveal how will this matchup unfolds.

Date	Away	Home	Time (ET)	TV	Probable Pitchers
Tuesday, Oct. 21	San Francisco Giants	Kansas City Royals	8:00 p.m.	FOX	Madison Bumgarner vs. James Shields

Game 1 Preview

The World Series saddles fans with a haunting reminder that the American League and National League still bizarrely play under a different set of rules. Even sillier, an exhibition game that means nothing in the win-loss column determines home-field advantage with everything at stake.

With Kansas City hosting the first two games, the Giants get to utilize another slugger as the designated hitter. The logical choice is Michael Morse, a powerful bat made to play that role.

While the 32-year-old has logged a 3.6 WAR over 704 career games played, his defensive ineptitude is largely to blame. At the plate, he's a colossal threat whose .279/.334/.475 slash line this season strays close to his career production.

He helped the Giants extinguish the St. Louis Cardinals with a massive pinch-hit home run to tie Game 5.

Then again, Bumgarner is no slouch with a bat, registering four homers and a .470 slugging percentage during the season. Don't lament his absence at the plate too sincerely, though, as he has gone hitless in 11 postseason at-bats since opponents observed that success and realized they should take the pitcher seriously.

Playing Morse, who ranks second on the club behind Buster Posey in Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA) and Weighted Runs Created, presents a huge edge to San Francisco's lineup, especially without fretting over the defensive repercussions.

That's bad news for James Shields, who has allowed 10 runs (all earned) in three postseason starts. The unceremonious stretch upped his ERA to 5.19, a fact Ned Yost remained oblivious to when touting his ace in an Associated Press report, via ESPN.com

"He's earned the nickname Big Game James for a reason," Yost said.

Shields' teammates bailed him out each time, but he can't rely on that luxury with Madison Bumgarner taking the hill for San Francisco. His adversary is exactly what the lazy narrative suggests Shields is: a big-game pitcher mowing down all challengers this October.

GS	IP	ER	K/BB	H
4	31.2	5	38/5	19

If any Royals can reach base, the league's fastest club will run every chance it gets. The Royals will face some stark pushback, however, as Bumgarner is adept at grounding the opposing ground game, per ESPN's Dan Shulman.

If there's a hidden hope for the Royals, it's that five of their nine everyday starters thrive against southpaws.

Player	PA	AVG/OBP/SLG	wRC+	BABIP
Nori Aoki	140	.363/.428/.435	150	.398
Billy Butler	155	.321/.387/.460	137	.367
Lorenzo Cain	143	.313/.357/.470	133	.390
Alex Gordon	155	.256/.340/.446	124	.299
Alcides Escobar	191	.313/.342/.442	119	.364

Their Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP) are included for a reason: With exception to Gordon, they're incredibly high. Some good fortune has fueled those favorable fortunes just as much as actual skill. Also, the other four hitters mitigate those advantages.

Player	PA	AVG/OBP/SLG	wRC+	BABIP
Eric Hosmer	158	.264/.297/.378	87	.303
Salvador Perez	147	.226/.286/.346	74	.228
Omar Infante	150	.217/.265/.319	62	.239
Mike Moustakas	108	.172/.241/.313	55	.175

Hosmer is the big name to watch here. Following a terribly disappointing season, the first baseman has hit a remarkable .448/.556/.759. The Kansas City Star's Sam Mellinger played with that small sample size to depict Homer as an all-time great playoff hitter.

Given that success and Yost's stubbornness to adjust his batting order while the Royals are winning, Hosmer will continue to occupy a prominent spot on the lineup card despite the lefty's struggles against fellow southpaws.

Look for San Francisco to snap Kansas City's undefeated postseason win streak at eight in Game 1. Just don't write off the pesky Royals if it happens.

Prediction: Giants 5, Royals 2

Note: Advanced stats are courtesy of FanGraphs.