Five key questions for World Series

— -- This fabulously unpredictable postseason had to end up this way, with the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants -- the two wild-card teams -- in the World Series. It's the second all-wild-card matchup ever, the first in 2002.

It will be the Giants' third trip to the World Series in five years, and the Royals' first since 1985. This also will mark the first time in an uninterrupted season that two teams with fewer than 90 victories in the regular season will play in the World Series. But before anyone says neither team belongs, think again. The Royals are the first team ever to win its first eight games of a postseason, and the Giants are the most resourceful, inventive and tough-minded team we've seen in years.

Here are five questions.

How good is the Kansas City bullpen?

How good is the San Francisco bullpen?

How good is the Kansas City defense?

Exactly how do the Giants keep scoring enough runs?

What do we make of the managers?

As for head-to-head meetings this year, it doesn't matter a great deal, but Yost's Royals swept three games from Bochy's Giants in August. The Royals had a 2.00 ERA, averaged 5.3 runs per game and stole eight bases.

The pick: Royals in seven