World Series Odds: It should be a low scoring World Series as the San Francisco Giants take on the Kansas City Royals. Both teams feature good starting rotations and outstanding bullpens and each team struggles at times to score runs. The total for Game 1 at the online sportsbook was listed at six. Let’s take a look at the series price, Game 1 World Series odds, the full World Series schedule and World Series picks.
Series Price – Kansas City Royals (-115)
Game 1 World Series Odds – Giants (-107), total 6
Probable Pitchers – Madison Bumgarner vs. James Shields
Matchup of Underdogs
Both the Giants and the Royals have taken the Wild Card route to making it to the 2014 World Series. The Royals have won all eight of their playoff games after not being in the playoffs at all since they won the World Series in 1985. The Giants are winning as underdogs as well, just as they did in 2010 and 2012. This will be the first time two Wild Card teams have met in the World Series since 2002 when the Giants lost to the Angels.
The Giants and Royals play a similar style as each team pitches well; plays good defense and finds ways to score runs. Neither team hits many home runs but both teams have speed while each team has as lockdown bullpen.
Game Notes
This will be the first time that two teams are meeting in the World Series that didn’t win 90 games in the regular season. The teams have met just 12 times in their history. The Royals have taken 9 of the 12 including three this season in KC back in August. The Giants are 4-0 in their last 4 World Series road games. The Giants are 4-1 in their last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Giants are 16-5 in their last 21 playoff road games. The Giants are 20-8 in their last 28 vs. the American League Central.
The Giants are 17-5 in Bumgarner’s last 22 road starts. The Royals are 42-18 in Shields’ last 60 starts. The Over is 4-0 in the Giants last 4 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Over is 4-0 in the Giants last 4 playoff games. The Under is 4-1 in the Giants last 5 games as an underdog. The Under is 5-2 in Bumgarner’s last 7 road starts. The Over is 5-1-1 in the Royals last 7 games vs. a left-handed starter. The Under is 5-2 in the Royals last 7 vs. the National League West. The Over is 4-0 in Shields’ last four starts overall.
World Series Picks
We’ll take the Giants to win what should be a low scoring World Series.
