2015 World Series Preview
Starting on Tuesday, the New York Mets will play the Kansas City Royals in the 2015 World Series. According to ESPN at the beginning of the season, none of these teams were predicted to reach the World Series, much less win it. But here they are, and both worthy of being here, and looking to win the last game of the season.
Some history between the two teams:
The last time the Royals were in the World Series was... well, last year. However the last time they won was back in 1985. Best known for one of the worst calls in MLB history, the Royals came back in game 6 to force game 7 against the St. Louis Cardinals and ended up winning it all.
Until recently, they have been the doormat of baseball. Consistently getting top 5 overall draft picks. Lately, those top draft picks have come to fruition as Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Alex Gordon lead not only a potent offense but arguably the best defense in the game. Last year, they were Cinderella but the clock struck midnight on them in the name of Madison Bumgarner. This year they weren't able to surprise anybody as they won the most games in the American League.
The Mets have an eerily similar back story. They last won their last championship on a very memorable, dramatic series. You may remember it as Bill Buckner losing it for the Red Sox back in 1986 - the year after the Royals last championship.
This play also happened in game 6 to force a game 7, just like the Royals' postseason the year before. Unlike the Royals though, the Mets had more success during the late 1990s and 2000s. With the likes of Mike Piazza and David Wright, they were consistently among the thick of things in the NL East, and last reaching the World Series in 2000. However, after some questionable free agent signings - *cough* Jason Bay *cough* - and some unfortunate injuries, they struggled to contend at the turn of the decade. Just like the Royals, they have begun to reap the benefits of their farm system. They now have the best, young, hardest throwing pitching rotation in all of the bigs. Jacob DeGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, and Zach Wheeler (who is recovering from Tommy John surgery) make up the pitching staff of the future... and present. They have helped the Mets contend now rather than in the future.
So now that it is 2015 and not the mid 1980s, who wins? Great question. So far, both teams have been able to successfully answer any questions regarding their team's success this playoffs. Will the youth of the Mets' starting pitching affect their performance on such a high stage? Not at all (postseason high team ERA of 2.81). Can the Royals get enough out of their starting pitching to reach their deadly bullpen? Just enough (Yordano Ventura, Edinson Volquez, and Johnny Cueto are all in the top 10 in innings pitched).
Both teams have showed up this October offensively too. Unless you live under a rock, you might have heard of a man named Daniel Murphy. He has been Babe Ruth reincarnated even if it has been for two weeks. He not only is just casually hitting home runs every game he plays in, but he is doing it off of the best pitchers baseball has to offer. Zack Greinke. Jake Arrieta. Jon Lester. Clayton Kershaw. Twice. His bat was probably struck by lightning and nicknamed Wonderboy. But don't think that he is the only offense the Mets have. They have five players that have at least 5 RBIs this postseason. The Royals have made a trademark of playing small ball in an age of hitting as many home runs as you can. As a team, they are hitting .271 through 11 games this postseason. That is an absurdly high batting average for a team through that many games. One through nine, they have players that can beat you with their bats. They've shown they can hit the long ball as well with 15.
In the end, I think the Royals win in 6*. The way their offense plays for contact, I don't see the Mets' flame throwing starting pitching beating them more than twice. I also think that because the Mets swept the Cubs in the NLCS, those extra days off will hurt their offense. Murphy won't be riding as high due to the layover, while the Royals will still have the momentum of their clutch game 6 win against the Blue Jays. The only way the Mets have a chance, is if they can chase the Royals' starting pitching out of the game early to put extra innings on their bullpen. While dominant, if stretched out over multiple innings over multiple games, they will tire. Also, their own starting pitching will have to miss bats. When the Royals played the Astros in the ALDS, it felt like Lorenzo Cain would foul off around 100 pitches every at bat. If the Royals continue to foul off pitches, then the Mets won't get the innings out of their starting pitching that they need to be successful. That is a lot of variables that they need to go right in order to win. I also think the experience of the Royals being here last year will help them get to pop champagne after it's all said and done.
It has been a great season, and I look forward to watching another fantastic week and a half of baseball. Unfortunately the season must come to an end. But that just leads us to the next fun part of the season. The offseason...
*Basically the Astros are the 2015 World Champs through the transitive property because they should have won game 4 of the ALDS... but I'm not bitter or anything.
Some history between the two teams:
The last time the Royals were in the World Series was... well, last year. However the last time they won was back in 1985. Best known for one of the worst calls in MLB history, the Royals came back in game 6 to force game 7 against the St. Louis Cardinals and ended up winning it all.
Until recently, they have been the doormat of baseball. Consistently getting top 5 overall draft picks. Lately, those top draft picks have come to fruition as Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Alex Gordon lead not only a potent offense but arguably the best defense in the game. Last year, they were Cinderella but the clock struck midnight on them in the name of Madison Bumgarner. This year they weren't able to surprise anybody as they won the most games in the American League.
The Mets have an eerily similar back story. They last won their last championship on a very memorable, dramatic series. You may remember it as Bill Buckner losing it for the Red Sox back in 1986 - the year after the Royals last championship.
This play also happened in game 6 to force a game 7, just like the Royals' postseason the year before. Unlike the Royals though, the Mets had more success during the late 1990s and 2000s. With the likes of Mike Piazza and David Wright, they were consistently among the thick of things in the NL East, and last reaching the World Series in 2000. However, after some questionable free agent signings - *cough* Jason Bay *cough* - and some unfortunate injuries, they struggled to contend at the turn of the decade. Just like the Royals, they have begun to reap the benefits of their farm system. They now have the best, young, hardest throwing pitching rotation in all of the bigs. Jacob DeGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, and Zach Wheeler (who is recovering from Tommy John surgery) make up the pitching staff of the future... and present. They have helped the Mets contend now rather than in the future.
So now that it is 2015 and not the mid 1980s, who wins? Great question. So far, both teams have been able to successfully answer any questions regarding their team's success this playoffs. Will the youth of the Mets' starting pitching affect their performance on such a high stage? Not at all (postseason high team ERA of 2.81). Can the Royals get enough out of their starting pitching to reach their deadly bullpen? Just enough (Yordano Ventura, Edinson Volquez, and Johnny Cueto are all in the top 10 in innings pitched).
Both teams have showed up this October offensively too. Unless you live under a rock, you might have heard of a man named Daniel Murphy. He has been Babe Ruth reincarnated even if it has been for two weeks. He not only is just casually hitting home runs every game he plays in, but he is doing it off of the best pitchers baseball has to offer. Zack Greinke. Jake Arrieta. Jon Lester. Clayton Kershaw. Twice. His bat was probably struck by lightning and nicknamed Wonderboy. But don't think that he is the only offense the Mets have. They have five players that have at least 5 RBIs this postseason. The Royals have made a trademark of playing small ball in an age of hitting as many home runs as you can. As a team, they are hitting .271 through 11 games this postseason. That is an absurdly high batting average for a team through that many games. One through nine, they have players that can beat you with their bats. They've shown they can hit the long ball as well with 15.
In the end, I think the Royals win in 6*. The way their offense plays for contact, I don't see the Mets' flame throwing starting pitching beating them more than twice. I also think that because the Mets swept the Cubs in the NLCS, those extra days off will hurt their offense. Murphy won't be riding as high due to the layover, while the Royals will still have the momentum of their clutch game 6 win against the Blue Jays. The only way the Mets have a chance, is if they can chase the Royals' starting pitching out of the game early to put extra innings on their bullpen. While dominant, if stretched out over multiple innings over multiple games, they will tire. Also, their own starting pitching will have to miss bats. When the Royals played the Astros in the ALDS, it felt like Lorenzo Cain would foul off around 100 pitches every at bat. If the Royals continue to foul off pitches, then the Mets won't get the innings out of their starting pitching that they need to be successful. That is a lot of variables that they need to go right in order to win. I also think the experience of the Royals being here last year will help them get to pop champagne after it's all said and done.
It has been a great season, and I look forward to watching another fantastic week and a half of baseball. Unfortunately the season must come to an end. But that just leads us to the next fun part of the season. The offseason...
*Basically the Astros are the 2015 World Champs through the transitive property because they should have won game 4 of the ALDS... but I'm not bitter or anything.
I remember the Royals vs. Cardinals series in 1985. Joaquin Andujar had a meltdown of epic per portions in that series. I also remember KC Washington for the Royals batting while having a toothpick in his mouth. The things you remember..... Great Article.
ReplyDeleteGreat article.
ReplyDeleteKillin it bruh
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