World Series 2014: Preview, Prediction for Giants vs. Royals Game 7

For at least one more night, there was reason to celebrate in Kansas City. A seven-run second-inning explosion sent Jake Peavy to the showers early, sent Kauffman Stadium into a frenzy and sent one of the lowest-rated World Series in history to the most exciting possible finish: Game 7.

Jeremy Guthrie will take the mound for the Royals, with Tim Hudson manning the bump for the Giants. Not exactly a pitching matchup one will write home about, but that's typical for seventh games. For every Chris Carpenter, there is typically a Matt Harrison there to muck things up. Game 7s don't typically engender ace vs. ace showdowns because of how off days work; teams typically burn through the two starts their aces can realistically make in the setup.

MATT YORK/Associated Press

The heroics instead have historically come from the bullpen. Randy Johnson in 2001 is the most harrowing example of this century, retiring four New York Yankees a day after leading the Diamondbacks to a Game 6 victory.

While it's unlikely we see Yordano Ventura or Peavy—and Giants fans will be just fine with the latter, thank you very much—Kansas City and San Francisco both have potential aces sitting in the hole. Game 5 starters Madison Bumgarner and James Shields, who have shouldered the weight for their teams at times this season, will both be three days removed from their last outing Wednesday night.

“He’d have two days off, and he’s a strong kid,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters of his ace. “We wouldn’t mind pushing him one more time. He’s going to make himself available, I know.”

Bumgarner has been the unquestioned World Series MVP so far. The righty out-pitched Shields in Games 1 and 5, going 16 innings while giving up a single run. He allowed only four hits and struck out eight in Sunday's dominant 5-0 victory at AT&T Park and has allowed a paltry six earned runs over 47.2 innings for the postseason.

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

“In the history of the game, there have been some great efforts,” Bochy told reporters. “But I haven’t seen a better pitcher over the course of this postseason, and it’s been a long one. To do what he’s done is pretty historic, I think.”

Bumgarner has made four relief appearances in his career but none since Game 6 of the 2010 NLCS. Coming out of the pen three days after being rocked by the Phillies, Bumgarner pitched two scoreless innings in the Giants' series-clinching win. 

Shields, meanwhile, has next to no relief experience. The only time he's come out of the bullpen in his nine-year career was in a meaningless extra-innings game against the Miami Marlins on June 19, 2010. He pitched a single inning and earned the win.

Royals manager Ned Yost has not been quite as publicly open about using Shields in relief, so it's unclear whether he'd hand his ace the ball in a jam. That said, Yost might be making that decision for performance reasons as well. Shields currently boasts a 7.20 postseason ERA and has given up seven runs in nine innings against the Giants.

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The moniker "Big Game James" has been used more often to admonish Shields than as a term of endearment. Still, these are the moments for which Dayton Moore sacrificed the future to acquire Shields. Postseason struggles aside, Shields has been everything the Royals hoped. Yost would be shortsighted if he didn't consider using Shields in a high-priority situation, especially if it's before he's ready to break open the Big Three out of the bullpen.

Of course, these are hypotheticals built on both teams putting themselves in a situation to need their ace. There are reasons for doubt in each dugout.

The Giants continue to get next to nothing from position players not named Hunter Pence or Pablo Sandoval. While the No. 4 and No. 5 hitters have combined for 19 hits in their 48 World Series at-bats, the remainder of the San Francisco lineup has gone quiet. Buster Posey is rocking out at a solid .182 clip and has driven in only two runs. Gregor Blanco and his .167 batting average have gotten to about the napkin stage of setting the table.

And for all of the big games Hudson has thrown in his career, the results have been a whole lot of meh this postseason. The veteran righty was brilliant in his lone start against Washington but has allowed seven runs in his subsequent 12 innings. Bochy pulled Hudson 76 pitches into his Game 3 start, which would be an awfully curious move had the Royals not been pounding him throughout the sixth inning.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

On the other side, though, is Guthrie, a 35-year-old without much in terms of memorable accomplishments. Guthrie has built a decade-long career out of being just good enough to earn a fourth or fifth starter's role. He has never had a WAR better than 2.5 and has a career FIP nearly a run higher than Hudson's.

The Royals have been better over the seven-game whole. Six of their nine regulars are batting .250 or better, which is both a promising sign and a byproduct of me taking the sample after a 15-hit outburst. Nori Aoki and Alex Gordon have been total nightmares offensively, but their defensive prowess continues to soothe Yost's worries.

In a one-game sample, anything can happen. That is what's so beautiful and horrifying about the whole thing. Play this single game 10 times, I'm not sure you could get closer to a 50-50 split. Hudson is a better pitcher than Guthrie. The Royals offense has been better than San Francisco's, but the Giants were better all regular season. Kansas City has its godly bullpen, while San Francisco can answer with Bumgarner, who may just be God.

When in doubt, take the home team. But I'm more excited to see this play out than invested in the result. Someone will walk away immortal in their city Wednesday night. Who will it be?

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter because he predicts the Royals will win 5-4. You can say mean things to him when that doesn't happen.