5 World Series Questions with ESPN Analyst Doug Glanville

The world is about to meet some of the most excited fans in baseball as the World Series gets underway tonight in Kansas City. The Kansas City Royals will open the Fall Classic against the San Francisco Giants in front of a sold-out crowd.

There are a lot of uncertainties around the World Series. The Giants have been here before and know what to expect. What fans will see out of the Royals is anyone's guess. However, there are a few questions which can generate educated guesses.

Doug Glanville serves as a baseball analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight. The flagship baseball show on The Worldwide Leader in Sports will air nightly during the World Series. Glanville will make frequent appearances on SportsCenter throughout the Series.

Glanville provided some insight on the Royals and the World Series in a recent interview. He speaks about capitalizing on mistakes, slowing down the Royals' running game, the perceived managerial mismatch, what happens if the Royals lose and home runs during the series.

Information contained in this article was obtained firsthand by the author.

In Your Opinion, Which Team Makes the First Mistake in the Fall Classic?

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

There is something very similar about the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals. Beyond being two successful teams that find themselves in the World Series, they are also two teams that capitalize very well on the opposition's mistakes.

Putting two teams like that in the same series leaves one very important question: Who makes the first mistake? Glanville responds: "I will say the Royals, simply because they will need to jump on (Madison) Bumgarner in the first inning by being aggressive (his season ERA in the first is 5.73). So a mistake would be if they go up to the plate in the first and see what he is throwing instead of attacking him."

If there is one thing the Royals have not been this season, it's patient. The team is typically built with the mindset to attack early, attack often and put pressure on the defense. That seems to be the best plan for working against Bumgarner, who will start Game 1 for the Giants.

The Royals will need to continue to play the way they have if they are going to be successful. Letting off the gas now would be their first, and possibly worst, mistake.

Is This Managerial Matchup as Uneven as It Appears?

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Coming into the 2014 postseason, it seemed that Ned Yost was the manager who would never get the Royals to the promised land. Bruce Bochy has virtually built a dynasty of a baseball team in San Francisco. The World Series has all the makings of a huge mismatch.

Then again, so did the American League Championship Series.

Going into that round, The Wall Street Journal proclaimed that Ned Yost and Buck Showalter lined up as "The Dunce and the Chessmaster." Now, Yost has yet to lose a postseason game, and Showalter has yet to win a League Championship Game. 

The World Series seems to be, at least on paper, the same kind of matchup. Yost will look to solidify his legacy and legitimize his work to this point. Bochy will look to claim his third world championship as a manager of the Giants. Does that make this as big of a mismatch as it seems?

Glanville responds: "No. The Royals play their game and are comfortable in their own skin. Yost has found a way to support that game – one that relies on great defense, aggressive contact hitting, speed and their bullpen. Yost knows his team well, and more than that, he knows how to get the most from his team. He just does not like second-guessing and to have to explain his moves."

Based on that response, it seems Yost is starting to be seen as the man who simply needed the right team to succeed. Now that he has a team that fits his style, he seems to be finding the success he is capable of having. The true questions may come if he has to deviate from that script during the series; indeed, that is where a manager is truly tested.

How Do You Feel the Kansas City Royals Will Respond to a Loss?

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

For all the talk about the Royals and what they have accomplished, there is one thing the team has yet to do in the postseason: lose. One of the biggest questions surrounding the team concerns how they may react if they do in fact lose a game.

The Royals are a young team that seem to be doing really well as they move forward riding a hot streak. Young teams don't always handle that first stumble well, however. How will the Royals respond to a loss?

Glanville responds: "That is a key question. How will they handle a loss? We saw the disintegration of the Rockies when they had their run in 2007. The good news is if the Royals lose Game 1, they still have another game at home to regroup. It will certainly depend on when in the series they lose."

The interesting point here is the thought that when they lose the game may be more of a factor than if they lose a game. Losing Game 1 could give the Royals a chance to bounce back since they are still at home and have the support of their fans. Losing Game 2 before heading to San Francisco or Game 3 at San Francisco could prove catastrophic and derail the momentum they have built.

A sweep is obviously the best plan of attack for the Royals. How they respond to a loss, especially in a key game, may be the largest deciding factor of this year's World Series.

Can Buster Posey and the Giants Pitching Staff Slow the Royals Down?

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Talk to anyone about the Royals, and the first thing that tends to come to mind is speed. The biggest challenge that faces any of their opponents is controlling the running game.

That's more than just stolen bases. The Royals' speed factors into so many different aspects of the game that it will take an entire team effort from the Giants if they are to succeed. But can Buster Posey and the pitching staff keep the runners in check?

Glanville responds: "Base stealing, yes. Quick pitching, Bumgarner slide-steps and also has a quick move to first. During the season, he had nine caught stealing by his pickoffs. That’s a huge number. Pitch out and throw located fastballs are other tactics.

"However, they can't stop speed across the board. So if I am the Royals, I bunt, I hit and run, steal third, put other kinds of speed pressure on the Giants. Bumgarner has not fielded his position well, especially on bunts. The Royals have 15 infield hits this postseason. Next-highest? Four by the Giants."

Similar to earlier statements, Glanville seems convinced that an aggressive Royals team is a successful Royals team. Their focus on putting pressure on defenses can change the way the game is played. 

An aggressive approach can cause the defense and pitching staff to make adjustments on the fly. Causing a defender to think about multiple situations and what to do with the ball can lead to major mistakes. That is what the Royals thrive on and will look to cause with their continued speed and aggression.

How Many Home Runs Can We Expect in the World Series?

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

The ballparks are expansive. The teams are built to produce runs without relying on the long ball. Both have found a power stroke this postseason. 

Power can slump. Speed and defense do not as much. A well-placed home run, however, can change a game drastically.

So when can fans expect to see the first home run of the series, and just how many home runs may they witness?

Glanville responds: "Whoa. Wild guess, and I mean wild: I will say the Giants hit four and the Royals hit three. In a seven-game series. I see a HR tonight in Game 1."

A home run per game is not going out on a big limb. It does give the opportunity for some special moments over the next week or so. With Madison Bumgarner and James Shields, each team's respective aces, on the mound for Game 1, predicting a home run that soon may be going out on a limb.

One thing is for sure: The Royals and Giants are lining up for a special World Series.

Bill Ivie is the founder of i70baseball.com. 
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