World Series 2014: Giants vs. Royals Pitching Outlook and Predictions

Pitching wins championships at this level, and the team that comes through with the best efforts will be the next World Series champions.

Madison Bumgarner pitched a gem in Game 1, giving the San Francisco Giants a 1-0 lead. While some were ready to call the series over, the Kansas City Royals bounced back in Game 2 thanks to solid starting pitching by Yordano Ventura and another shutdown performance by the bullpen.

The problem is neither rotation is too deep, which means we will have to see some pitchers step up over the next few games to help their teams.

Here is a look at what to expect from each squad going forward in this series tied at 1-1.

Giants	Game	Royals
Tim Hudson	3	Jeremy Guthrie
Ryan Vogelsong	4	Jason Vargas
Madison Bumgarner	5	James Shields
Jake Peavy	6*	Yordano Ventura
Tim Hudson	7*	Jeremy Guthrie

San Francisco Giants

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The Giants will keep the same rotation that worked in the NLCS and use Tim Hudson in Game 3 and Ryan Vogelsong in Game 4. 

Like Jake Peavy, Hudson does not have the same stuff he used to when he was considered one of the best pitchers in baseball. However, he believes he knows what it takes to beat hitters, via Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com:

"

As you get older, you have to put your ego aside and incorporate things into your game that you wouldn't do when you were 24 or 25. It's about changing speeds and eye levels. I'm definitely a better pitcher now. With age you get smarter. You understand your limitations and your strengths.

"

The problem is we do not know what kind of pitcher we will see on the mound in Game 3. Hudson pitched a gem against the Washington Nationals in the NLDS but allowed four runs against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. Even worse, he posted an 8.72 ERA in five starts in September with the Giants losing every game.

At this point, you simply have to hope he can do what it takes to keep him in the game.

The same could be said about Vogelsong, who also had one good start in the first round and one bad one in the second. He allowed four or more runs in 13 of his 32 starts this season, so the Giants need to simply hope he can keep it close.

On the other hand, ESPN's Buster Olney explains how Game 4 could end up belonging to Bumgarner:

This would be a huge upgrade for the Giants, because the ace has been lights out so far. Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe noted how well the lefty has pitched:

Overall, Bumgarner has made 11 career starts in the postseason and now has a 2.54 ERA. Whether he pitches in Game 4 or Game 5 like he is scheduled, you almost have to pencil in a win for San Francisco.

If the series does continue after that, it would likely return to Peavy and then whoever the team trusts more between Hudson and Vogelsong. If the Giants want to win this series, this trio better come through with at least two strong performances in four starts.

Kansas City Royals

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Similar to the Giants, the Royals will utilize a couple of veterans in the next two games in Jeremy Guthrie and Jason Vargas. 

By the numbers, Guthrie was the team's worst pitcher in the rotation (not counting Bruce Chen). He posted a serviceable 4.13 ERA, but he was clearly a step below the other pitchers on the roster.

Still, this did not stop him from having a solid showing in Game 3 of the ACLS, as Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star described:

He wasn't Cy Young out there, but he did what he needed to do in his only start of the postseason. Meanwhile, Vargas has been just as solid with a 2.38 ERA in two postseason starts.

The fact that helps out each pitcher is how good the bullpen has been all year between Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland. This turns almost any game into a six-inning battle, taking the pressure off the starters.

If Guthrie or Vargas can keep the opponents off the board for just five or six innings, they will have done their job.

Of course, there are question marks at the top of the rotation with James Shields struggling once again. His popular nickname simply isn't live up to the hype, as Sports Illustrated noted:

Royals fans certainly cannot be confident with another Shields/Bumgarner matchup, especially considering how one-sided the last one was.

Ventura will likely get another chance if the series continues in Game 6, but the question about him is the wear on the 23-year-old pitcher's body. His 201.1 innings between the regular season and the playoffs are much more than he has thrown in his career, and this is starting to become a problem.

Once again, simply getting to the sixth inning might be enough for each pitcher in this series.

Prediction

Rob Carr/Getty Images

These two rotations are very similar as both rely on inconsistent veterans to come through with strong performances. The only difference is that one team has Madison Bumgarner and the other does not.

If the Giants ace can get two more starts in this series, it will be extremely tough to bet against them. On the other hand, just one more start is more likely, and it will require some strong efforts from Hudson and Vogelsong.

Meanwhile, the Royals starters might not have the same pedigree, but they have less pressure to succeed with the safety of a great bullpen behind them.

Assuming Bumgarner can outduel Shields, though, this leaves Kansas City needing three more wins in four games. Two starts from either Guthrie or Vargas and another one from Ventura might not be enough to get this done.

The offense certainly will have a lot to do with this series, but the Giants have the advantage in the pitching matchups and should be able to win in six games.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.