Why the Royals will win the World Series

Oct 20, 2014 - 5:20 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Wade Davis was a throw-in in the deal that sent James Shields to Kansas City from Tampa Bay back in December of 2012.

As important a piece as Shields is to Kansas City, though, Davis has become an irreplaceable piece of a historic bullpen that has the Royals back in the World Series for the first time since 1985.

"He's a guy that just comes in and goes right after you with his stuff," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He's a guy that's a tremendous competitor."

After struggling as a starter Davis has found a home as the Royals' eighth- inning guy. He finished the regular season with 72 innings pitched, a 1.00 ERA and 109 strikeouts. His ERA was the fifth lowest ever by a reliever with at least 70 innings and his 13.63 strikeout-per-nine ratio ranks 10th all-time under the same guidelines.

He also didn't allow a run from April 23-June 25, a streak of 20 appearances and 22 1/3 innings. It took 43 appearances, 45 1/3 innings and 179 batters before he allowed an extra-base hit.

Davis also hasn't surrendered a home run this season.

In addition to his phenomenal regular season, Davis has thrown 9 1/3 innings in the postseason with a 0.96 ERA and 10 strikeouts. He pitched five scoreless frames in the ALCS, allowed just two hits and struck out six.

It's not just Davis, though. Kelvin Herrera and Greg Holland have been equally dominant.

Kansas City relievers allowed two runs in five innings in Game 1 against the O's, but pitched 11 2/3 scoreless innings the rest of the way. The three- headed monster of Herrera, Davis and Holland pitched to a 0.61 ERA over 14 2/3 frames.

"It's definitely been the model for us," Yost said. "It started out, find a way to get the ball to Holly in the ninth inning. With Kelvin's emergence this year, it turned into, 'Let's just find a way to get through six and we're going to be in great shape.'"

Kansas City became just the second team during the wild card era to win the ALCS without a single starter completing six innings in the process. Only the 2011 Rangers had done so previously.

"You get through the sixth inning and you're down a run, and, all of a sudden, here comes Herrera, here comes Davis, and here comes Holland," Yost added. "That's a little bit deflating."

Yost continued about his bullpen.

"You know, for me, the whole focus is just get through the sixth inning tied or with the lead so that we could get to those guys," Yost said. "If we have the lead, I feel like the game is over. If we're tied, I feel like they're going to hold us there until we score a run."

No team signified small ball more than Kansas City, which won 89 games this season thanks in large part to its ability to play defense and manufacture runs. The Royals also led the AL with 153 stolen bases, but their 95 home runs were the fewest in baseball.

There is no question the Royals rely on their legs. It's not just the stolen bases, either, their ability to take the extra base makes them that much more dangerous.

Kansas City's speed game could be kept in check when lefty Madison Bumgarner is on the mound. Also, catcher Buster Posey threw out runners at a 29.8 percent clip this season, fifth in MLB among 15 qualified MLB catchers

The Royals have found their power stroke in the playoffs, swatting eight home runs in eight games. While they are certainly not the "Murderers' Row" Yankees, the added power dimension might just be the difference for the Royals in the World Series.

There used to be a joke in New York that 75 percent of the world was covered in water and the other 25 percent was covered by Darrelle Revis. Well, people in Kansas City can now apply that joke to their outfield, particularly left fielder Alex Gordon and center fielder Lorenzo Cain.

"There's really no weaknesses," said Gordon. "It's someone new every day, and someone new making the play every day. It's pretty cool to be a part of eight guys out there that are very talented and very good at defense and good at what they do."

The bottom line is, the Royals are just a really good team. They get every hit they need. They make every catch they can get to. They can beat you with their arms, they can beat you with their legs.

And now they can even beat you with the longball.

You add that to the fact that they have homefield advantage and are in the midst of the best postseason run of all-time and it's hard to make a case against them winning.

Nobody may have predicted it at the start of the year, but the Royals appear to be on the cusp of a World Series title.