110th World Series preview: Giants vs. KC
* The 110th World Series featuring the San Francisco Giants and the upstart Kansas City Royals gets underway Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium. Neither team won 90 games ... it’s the fewest combined wins over a full season by two World Series teams since 1973 when the Oakland A’s (94 wins played the New York Mets (82). .... 2014 Canadians in the Minors … Canadians in College 2015 Canadian draft list Letters of Intent
By Bob Elliott
110th World Series (Best-of-seven series) (Royals won all three meetings this season) San Francisco Giants
Team payroll: $149,089,475 (7th)
Octobers: 7 World Series, 23 Pennants, and 25 post-season appearances
Post-season record: 101-89.
Last post season: Swept Detroit in 2012 World Series.
How they got here: Beat the Cards in five games on Travis Ishikawa’s three-run walk-off homer, upset favored Washington Nationals in four games in best-of-five NL Division Series, after beating Pittsburgh Pirates in NL wild-card game.
Manager: Bruce Bochy
Record: 88-74.
Run differential: Plus 51.
Stud Hosses: LF Ishikawa became the fourth player in post-season history to have his first career walk-off honer in a clincher joining Chris Burke of the 2005 Astros against the Atlanta Braves, Todd Pratt of the 1999 Mets against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Bill Mazeroski of the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees.
Theme: “Welcome to the World Series. Let us show you around. You do realize that this is here every other year?”
Looking up: 3B Pablo Sandoval batted .400 (8-for-20, 3 doubles) with a 1.028 OPS against the Cards, RF Hunter Pence hit .235 (4-for-17, double, 3 RBIs) .644 OPS, 1B Brandon Belt hit .214 (3-for-14, RBI) .614 OPS.
Looking down: CF Gregor Blanco batted .227 (5-for-22, double, 2 RBIs) and a .543 OPS, C Buster Posey hit .200 (4-for-20, 3 RBIs) .461 OPS and Brandon Crawford hit .125 (2-for-16, double) .451 OPS.
Best all-time top five Giants (by the numbers): Willie Mays, Barry Bonds, Mel Ott, Christy Mathewson, Amos Rusie.
J factor: INF Marco Scutaro, C Guillermo Quiroz.
Canadian content: Part owner Jeff Mallett, of Victoria, B.C. and scout Raimondo Calari from Montreal, who goes for his third Series ring which will tie Bobby Prentice (two with the Blue Jays, one with the Tigers).
Canada’s team (ranked by Canadian involvement and fan interest of the 10 post-season clubs): 9th, some support on west coast and from John Ircandia of Okotoks, Alta.
Bodog odds to win Series MVP: Sandoval 8-to-1, Posey 17-to-2, Pence 12-to-1.
Bodog longshot odds to win Series MVP: Crawford 25-to-1.
Bodog odds to win World Series: Even.
Bodog odds to win World Series (when post-season began): 12-1.
Kansas City Royals Team payroll: $92,185,521 (19th)
Octobers: 1 World Series, 3 pennants, 8 post-season appearances.
Post-season record: 26-24.
Last post season: Beat Cardinals in 1985 World Series.
How they got here: Swept the favored Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS, Swept the Angels in the best-of-five division series ... after beating the Oakland A’s 9-8 in 12 in the AL wild card despite trailing 7-3 against Jon Lester.
Manager: Ned Yost.
Record: 89-73.
Run differential: Plus 27.
Stud Hosses: Bullpen has allowed two runs in 16 innings after the wild-card win against the A’s.
Theme: “You had best score early because you won’t score in the last four innings.”
Looking up: CF Lorenzo Cain hit .533 (8-for-15, RBI with 1.255 OPS against O’s pitching, LF Alex Gordon batted .250 (3-for-12, HR, 5 RBIs 1.021 OPS), 1B Eric Hosmer hit .400 (6-for-15, 3 RBIs) .871 OPS.
Looking down: C Salvador Perez batted .067 (1-for-15) 192 OPS, Nori Aoki hit .273 (3-for-11) .723 OPS, Billy Butler hit .286 (4-for-14, 3 RBIs) .723 OPS.
Best five all-time Royals (by the numbers): George Brett, Kevin Appier, Amos Otis, Willie Wilson and Bret Saberhagen.
J factor this season: RPs Jason Frasor (647 regular season appearances, gained the win first post-season appearance), C Erik Kratz, INF Jayson Nix, and RP Tim Collins on the roster and coach Don Wakamatsu, plus RP Scott Downs, RHP Liam Hendriks, plus scout Bobby Gandolfo, one of fired Jays scouts who drafted Scott Silverstein (25th) and Casey Lawrence (undrafted), two of top winners in Jays system in 2014, covers northeast for KC.
Canadian content: Cambridge`s Scott Thorman coach at class-A Burlington and will manage rookie-ball next season, Lonnie Goldberg, who lived in Guelph from 2003-07 and married a Canadian, is KC’s scouting director.
Canada’s team (ranked by Canadian involvement and fan interest of the 10 post-season clubs): No. 8 ... underdogs for a fourth time and people love underdogs.
Bodog top odds to win World Series MVP: Cain 9-to-1, Hosmer 10-to-1, Moustakas 10-to-1.
Bodog longshot odds to win World Series MVP: Yordano Ventura 25-to-1.
Bodog odds to win World Series: 5-to-6 (closest series price in the past six years.
Bodog odds to win World Series (when post-season began): 16-1.