Royals vs. Giants: Adjustments Each Team Must Make for Rest of 2014 World Series

Thus far, the first four games of the 2014 World Series have provided a significant contrast from the first two postseason rounds.

Whereas the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants rolled through their respective leagues—losing just two combined games—both teams have struggled to establish control of this series.

With the series knotted at two games apiece, Game 5 represents a crucial turning point that may shape how each team manages its roster usage for the final two games. 

Aces Madison Bumgarner and James Shields will square off in Game 5, and with the final two contests in Kauffman Stadium, the Giants will need the series' best pitcher to come through in their last game at AT&T Park.

Looking back at the first four games, here are the most crucial adjustments both Kansas City and San Francisco need to make if they are to emerge from their toughest challenge of the playoffs.

Royals: Starters Must Go Deeper 

None of the Royals' first four starters have lasted longer than 5.1 innings, but due to game circumstances, Kansas City's bullpen has not been stretched.

Three of the first four games have been blowouts that preserved the most crucial arms, while rookie Brandon Finnegan survived in Game 3 to allow the shutdown trio of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland to close out the victory.

But that is not really a sustainable strategy, especially if the Herrera-Davis-Holland trio does not have a lead to preserve from the sixth inning on.

San Francisco's lack of power does limit the quick-strike damage it can inflict, but as they did in Games 1 and 4, the Giants may very well pull away by teeing off against the middle relievers forced into the game. ESPN Stats & Info provided this Game 4 stat:

The trio of Shields, Yordano Ventura and Jeremy Guthrie could all receive another opportunity to see the San Francisco lineup again, with the former two slated to start Games 5 and 6. At some point, Kansas City's starters need to increase the Royals' margin for error.

Given what has transpired over their first 11 postseason games, it is not unreasonable to believe that the Royals could pull out two more wins with their trusty formula of steals and bullpen dominance in the latter-third of the game.

Nonetheless, considering San Francisco's depth and experience, it also appears reasonable to assert that the Royals will need to win at least one game in which their starter carries them through the night.

Giants: Hit with Runners in Scoring Position

Over the first three games, the series essentially came down to this difference: The Royals hit .333 with runners in scoring position, while the Giants batted just .261. In its Game 4 victory, however, San Francisco reversed that trend, going 7-for-18 with runners in scoring position.

The onus lies on the quartet of Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey, Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt, which has largely carried the Giants offense throughout the playoffs.

All four had RBI in the Game 4 romp, but over the first three games, Posey and Belt had faltered in such scoring opportunities, thus putting a sinkhole on San Francisco's offense in general.

Player	At-Bats	Hits	Runs	RBI	AVG
Sandoval	3	2	2	2	.667
Pence	2	1	2	2	.500
Posey	5	1	0	1	.200
Belt	4	1	1	1	.250

Kansas City's bullpen plays a role in depressing those numbers, and it does not help the Giants that they must inflict the majority of their damage over the first five to six innings.

Still, San Francisco's Game 4 comeback came against Kansas City's cavalcade of middle relievers, illustrating its advantage over the first two-thirds of the game.

Moving forward, the Giants must continue to exploit the Royals pitching before the Herrera-Davis-Holland trio enters the game.