10 Storylines to Follow During MLB Playoffs
How far can the Kansas City Royals go?
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How Far Can The Kansas City Royals Go? - Not only did the Kansas City Royals make the MLB playoffs for the first time in 29 years, but they won their wild-card game in dramatic fashion via a 12th-inning walk-off triple by Eric Hosmer to give them a 9-8 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night. Next up for the Royals? An American League Division Series with the Los Angeles Angels. Can the Royals keep it going? How far can this year's Cinderella-story take it this post season? These are just a few of the many questions that are filling the air for the 2014 MLB playoffs. (Photo: Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
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San Francisco Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates - The American League wild-card game set off plenty of fireworks. What will the National League wild-card game present when the Pittsburgh Pirates host the San Francisco Giants? The offense and defense of Andrew McCutchen (25 home runs) up against the total-team play of the Giants with heavy-hitting catcher Buster Posey (.311 batting average, 22 home runs).(Photos from left: Scott Cunningham/Getty Images, Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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Can Nationals Pitchers Carry Them to the World Series Title? - In Doug Fister (16 wins), Tanner Roark (15 wins), Jordan Zimmerman (14 wins), Stephen Strasburg (14 wins) and Gio Gonzalez (10 wins), the Washington Nationals quite simply have the most dominating pitching staff in all of baseball. They say pitching wins championships, right? Well, here is the Nationals' staff's chance to prove the adage true. (Photo: John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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Albert Pujols's Ability to Turn Back Hands of Time - At 34, Albert Pujols mustered a 28-home run, 105-RBI season. The two-time World Series champion and veteran slugger has been waiting for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to return to the postseason since he joined the team in 2012. Now's his chance to show and prove and perhaps turn back the hands of time with some remarkable playoff baseball. The Angels will likely need everything Pujols has got, as they face the red-hot Kansas City Royals next. (Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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Can Kershaw and Puig Lead Dodgers to Championship? - The Los Angeles Dodgers couldn't quite get to the next level in last year's playoffs. What kind of difference will a year make? The Dodgers finished 94-68 atop the National League West division and tout Clayton Kershaw, the best pitcher in baseball this season with 21 wins and an ultra-stingy 1.77 ERA. If he mows down lineups as expected and Yasiel Puig handles the hitting, are we looking at a championship-caliber Dodgers ball club? We will find out soon with the Dodgers opening up the National League Division Series on the road against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night. (Photo: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
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