Game 7! It all comes down to this, and just as they have done all through these playoffs, Jim Bowden and Dan Szymborski are back to preview this single all-important World Series game between the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals. Bowden lays out which team has the edge in the various facets of the game, then adds his prediction. Szymborski follows up with the most relevant stats leading into the game and the ZiPS game projection.
Who has the edge?
Home-field advantage: Kansas City
Starting pitchers: Jeremy Guthrie vs. Tim Hudson. Guthrie was impressive in his Game 3 start, pounding the strike zone and keeping the Giants off balance. He started off hitters with every type of pitch in his arsenal and rarely repeated his pitch selection. He also hit all corners of the strike zone and changed the eye levels of the Giants' hitters. The fact that he was able to get the Giants on their front foot as often as he did was impressive.
Hudson was just as impressive for the Giants. After a leadoff double to Alcides Escobar on a fastball up in the zone, he went to his sinker and slider, which were nasty.