World Series 2017: 5 X-factors that will help Astros win

4. Cameron Maybin

Teams don’t get to the World Series if they’re not loaded with talent. The Houston outfield is certainly no exception. The Astros are led by All-Star George Springer and have excellent complementary players in Josh Reddick and some mix of Derek Fisher, Marwin Gonzalez and others. To this point, Maybin only has four at-bats this postseason. What could turn into a surprise factor in this series is the speed Maybin possesses. He stole 33 bases during the regular season, and that could come into play in this series.

The Dodgers have home-field advantage in this series, which means the Astros lose the DH whenever they’re in LA. That’s going to make it a little easier for a player like Maybin to come off the bench and pinch run. If/when he does, that’s going to be a problem for the Dodgers. Maybin could wind up providing the difference in a tight game late. A well-timed stolen base could result in the winning run for Houston and shift the whole series in under 4 seconds.

Even when the series shifts to Houston, Hinch could still pick a spot when the Astros need a run and opt to put Maybin out there. It’s doubtful that Maybin will see any meaningful at-bats. His best attribute could be on display and could wind up scoring us a free Doritos taco from Taco Bell.