World Series Preview

This year’s World Series features two teams that are looking to win it all for the first time since the 1980’s.  Representing the National League is the New York Mets, who haven’t won a World Series since 1986.  Over on the American League side, the Kansas City Royals return to the Fall Classic for the second straight year after losing last year to the San Francisco Giants in seven games.  The Royals are looking to win the World Series for the first time in 30 years, 1985. 

Daniel Murphy has been the hottest hitter on the Mets all postseason; in 38 at-bats he hit .421 with seven homers, 11 RBI’s and a 1.462 OPS.  He homered in every single game of the National League Championship Series in which the Mets swept the Chicago Cubs in four games.  He actually has homered for six straight games heading into Game 1 on Tuesday night.  Besides Murphy, the Mets lineup features other solid bats such as Curtis Granderson, Lucas Duda, David Wright, Yoenis Cespedes, and Travis d’Arnaud.  The offense for the Royals has been the best of any team in the postseason, collectively hitting .271 with a .777 OPSl the lineup is led by Alcides Escobar, Ben Zobrist, Lorenzo Cain, Kendrys Morales, Mike Moustakas, and Alex Gordon. 

The Mets feature arguably the best starting pitching staff of the postseason.  Their rotation is now set.  Matt Harvey will pitch Game 1 followed by Jacob deGrom for Game 2, Noah Syndergaard for Game 3, and Steven Matz for Game 4.  As a staff, they have a postseason ERA of 2.65 and a ratio of 69 strikeouts to 18 walks across 54.1 innings in nine games.  The projected starting rotation for the Royals, not yet confirmed, features Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Yordano Ventura, and Chris Young.  The Royals starters need to have better outings to keep up with the Mets.  Through 11 postseason games, the Royas have managed just a 5.56 ERA in 55 innings. 

Both of these teams have been the best teams in baseball all season long so it is fitting that both of these guys are matching up in the World Series.  This will be a very tight series.  I predict the Mets to win in seven games.