San Francisco Giants: World Series Position-by-Position Breakdown
Infield
Oct 15, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval (48) hits a single during the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in game four of the 2014 NLCS playoff baseball game at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
1st Base: Brandon Belt vs. Eric Hosmer
Right now, Hosmer has the edge in the contest. He has gotten hot this postseason, hitting .448 with eight RBI’s and two dingers. His defense is impeccable, as he also won a 2013 Gold Glove award. Belt hit 12 homers in the regular season, but missed more than one hundred games. He has hit better in the postseason, but it doesn’t compare to what Hosmer has done.
2nd Base: Joe Panik vs. Omar Infante
Out of all the matchups, this one features the most similar players. Infante and Panik are both excellent contact hitters who do the little things, like moving runners over and working counts. Infante enjoyed a solid year with a career high 66 RBI’s in his 13th Major League season. Panik’s rookie season went better than anyone could have expected, finishing with a .305 average in the regular season. Both players are plus defenders. This would be a complete tie, but Infante’s experience gives him the edge by a nose.
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3rd Base: Pablo Sandoval vs. Mike Moustakas
Pablo Sandoval’s track record in the postseason is quite well known, as he always seems to show up under the bright lights. He is a .325 career hitter in the postseason with six HR’s. Moustakas’ bat has not yet come around fully, but he has had a great postseason as well. Both players are great defenders, and should get strong consideration for their respective Gold Glove awards. Sandoval’s repeated postseason success gives him the slight advantage.
Shortstop: Brandon Crawford vs. Alcides Escobar.
This is yet another close matchup. Escobar is the better hitter, but Crawford has the better glove. Escobar is hitting .278 this postseason, compared to Crawford’s .210. Crawford has grown to become a patient hitter, and is not afraid to work a walk. Escobar is a free swinger who doesn’t wait around for four balls. Crawford’s fancy glovework makes up for his shortcomings at the plate and makes this one another even head-to-head.