Johnny Cueto

Better late than never, as the saying goes. And certainly, this is doubly true when "late" is somehow the same thing as "right on time."

Just ask Johnny Cueto.

The do-or-die, win-or-go-home sporting event is the pinnacle of athletic drama.

It creates undeniable excitement before kickoff, tipoff, the puck drop and first pitch. Pins, needles, sweaty palms and butterflies are all in play when one game defines an entire season.

On Wednesday, Major League Baseball gives us two such contests.

Normally, one player stands out as the undisputed key to a team's championship run.

Last year, Madison Bumgarner stepped up and helped lead the San Francisco Giants to a third World Series title in five years.

Before that, David Ortiz launched a monster shot off Joaquin Benoit to help the Boston Red Sox gain momentum, surge past the Detroit Tigers and eventually win a championship.

Can someone put together a similar performance in 2015 and live in postseason lore forever?

Let's take a look at a critical player for each playoff team.

A strong starting rotation is normally a necessity for any team with hopes of winning the World Series. Just ask the San Francisco Giants, who rode Madison Bumgarner to the 2014 World Series championship.

Kansas City Royals pitcher Johnny Cueto made the most of his home debut on Monday night against the Detroit Tigers, becoming the first pitcher since Cliff Lee in 2009 to record shutouts for teams in both leagues in the same season, per MLB Stat of the Day.

The addition of a second wild-card slot has had a huge effect on the MLB trade deadline the past three seasons.  With so many teams on the fringes of contention, teams that have actually chosen to auction off assets have enjoyed a thriving seller's market due to the scarcity of real impact.

If there were any doubts that Johnny Cueto is one of the best pitchers in the

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