**2015 World Series - Mets vs Royals**

[Soxfest]

KC in great shape hard road for Mets to win 4 out of 5.

[caulfield12]

The Royals are just the best team in baseball. They'll win two in NY. This series isn't coming back to KC.

 

 

Maybe.

 

I think a large part of it goes back to last year, knowing what it takes to compete on the ultimate stage, and their comfort level with close or tied games in the late innings (especially at home).

 

When they had their WC comeback against Oakland last year, they rode that all the way into the World Series where they ran into Bumgarner, who was just better.

 

This year, the huge comeback against the Astros' pen late in a critical game and then the comeback against David Price late in that game just confirmed the belief they already had in themselves.

 

That philsophy of "keep the line moving" has really permeated the team ethos now in the post-season. Total team concept. You saw it with Cain trying to bunt in Game 1, for example. Every single player 1-9 is willing to sacrifice an at-bat for the good of the team.

 

Honestly, as Greg noted often, the Royals looked incredibly shaky the last 4-6 weeks and actually ended up playing below .500 ball for most of that stretch until the final week or ten days when they caught Toronto for home field advantage. Cueto looked like a disaster, Ventura was becoming MORE reliable again but not his old self, Guthrie was on his way out and Duffy was also struggling. Volquez is really the one consistent pitcher, along with Chris Young and Medlen to a lesser extent, who kept the whole rotation from falling apart at the seams.

 

Offensively, they are much better with Zobrist, although Rios is statistically a step down from Aoki, he's been very good in the playoffs. And Morales has been a looming threat all year long in the middle of that line-up, much more effective than Butler and also a leader along with Perez and Volquez of their Hispanic core of players like Escobar, Ventura and Herrera.

 

 

 

And then you have this whole thing with Volquez, Young and Moustakas all losing their mothers and fathers within a 2 month period...that was the final factor bringing everyone together in the clubhouse.

Edited October 29, 2015 by caulfield12

[reiks12]

I have yet to have a good discussion with a Royals fan about baseball (in person) about this series.

 

I think the Mets still have a chance to come back. They should have won game 1.

Edited October 29, 2015 by reiks12

[greg775]

Mets have to win four of five to win the Series. Thinking of it that way ... good luck Mets. The only good thing about the Royals is how they shut up their own arrogant fans on Twitter.

So they blast Yost for bunting and Escobar after two feeble bunt attempts rips a single. They ripped on Cain for taking such a hard swing when they just need situational hitting (what kind of bs criticism is that after what he's done the last 2 years?) and he does well. They rip Hosmer for not fielding a grounder last night and he gets the winning sac fly. They rip the s*** out of Cueto for his lousy game in Toronto and he goes 9 innings. It's really funny how their lousy fans on Twitter get it shoved right back up their ass by the players.

 

And of course they rip Yost over and over and last time I looked KC was doing OK the last 2 years. it's very funny. These fans think they are so great ... they are like any fans. When things are looking rosy they are all happy. At the FIRST sign of adversity, KC fans freak! You wait, if the Mets win Game Three it'll be back to armageddon for the fans. They so badly want to find a goat and bury that goat (if they lose).

 

I do have a question for caufield and/or anybody else. Yost said that Cain bunted on his own in Game One when he fouled off two bunts, then whiffed. My question is ... if a batter bunts on his own with a runner on first, does the batter have to flip a signal to the runner? I'd think it'd be helpful if the runner knew a sacrifice was on, but if the hitter is doing it on his own?? How does the runner find out? BTW Yost said he's called for the bunt four times all year. He said his players bunt on their own a lot though.

Edited October 29, 2015 by greg775

[StrangeSox]

Not sure if it's been mentioned here, but that was the first time in degrom's career that he didn't get a single saying and miss.

[OmarComing25]

Not sure if it's been mentioned here, but that was the first time in degrom's career that he didn't get a single saying and miss.

He got 3 swing and misses in his 94 pitches, not zero. Still very impressive by the Royals. Mets only had 3 swing and misses against Cueto too in his 122 pitches. In total, there was only 9 swing and misses in the entire game. Pretty crazy.

[LittleHurt05]

He got 3 swing and misses in his 94 pitches, not zero. Still very impressive by the Royals. Mets only had 3 swing and misses against Cueto too in his 122 pitches. In total, there was only 9 swing and misses in the entire game. Pretty crazy.

 

That was the fewest swings and misses of his career. The lack of strikeouts has also exposed the Mets sub-par defense.

 

It's funny though, if Familia doesn't make the one bad pitch, the series is tied 1-1 and the Mets are in great shape despite getting dominated yesterday. That's baseball though.

[caulfield12]

He got 3 swing and misses in his 94 pitches, not zero. Still very impressive by the Royals. Mets only had 3 swing and misses against Cueto too in his 122 pitches. In total, there was only 9 swing and misses in the entire game. Pretty crazy.

 

Maybe they meant just on his fastball...

[Jose Abreu]

Mets in 7. Bet the house

[StrangeSox]

That was the fewest swings and misses of his career. The lack of strikeouts has also exposed the Mets sub-par defense.

 

It's funny though, if Familia doesn't make the one bad pitch, the series is tied 1-1 and the Mets are in great shape despite getting dominated yesterday. That's baseball though.

 

KC had the fewest strikeouts in the regular season at 973. The difference between them and the next team, Atlanta with 1107, is the same as the difference between Atlanta and the #18 team.

[StrangeSox]

Maybe they meant just on his fastball...

yeah sorry not sure where that stat came from that's what I get for not double-checking (was only half-watching the game last night)

[Jose Abreu]

KC had the fewest strikeouts in the regular season at 973. The difference between them and the next team, Atlanta with 1107, is the same as the difference between Atlanta and the #18 team.

Even Chris Sale only got 8 strikeouts against them in 13.1 IP this year.

[LittleHurt05]

KC had the fewest strikeouts in the regular season at 973. The difference between them and the next team, Atlanta with 1107, is the same as the difference between Atlanta and the #18 team.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-royals-...tact-team-ever/

 

Fangraphs did this article showing how relative to the rest of the league, the Royals are the best contact making team ever. Yet their strikeout rate is much higher than most past teams, given how different the eras are.

[southsider2k5]

They are chanting Johnny Cueto's name at Kauffman Stadium. It is friendlier than the Canadian/Yinzer version...or the PNC (Pirates) version.

 

 

 

Another ex-Met told me deGrom may speed up on fastball and slow on secondary pitches. Or, seriously, facial expression may change by pitch.

 

 

It's not really about stealing signs here I don't think. And that's not illegal last time I checked (anyway), the best in the business supposedly were the White Sox coaches. I can't remember if it was Hard Art Kuysner/Kusyner but there was definitely a Sox coach back 15-20 years ago Harrelson always raved about how he could steal opposing team's signs MOST of the time because he was so good at that, and reading lips.

 

An Ex-Met told you?

[caulfield12]

An Ex-Met told you?

 

 

Lol. From the Twitter feed last night from the game at EsPN...I didnt copy the whole name and source every single time because it would have been laborious and space-wasting.

 

Obviously I'm not the one reporting, how could I from China?

[Soxfan90]

This series is far from over but I don't like the Mets chances at this point. That sweep of the Cubs had a cost. Six days of rest and their rhythm is off. Daniel Murphy is looking human now as well. It should be interesting what happens next with the series shifting to New York. Mets need to win tomorrow.

[Bob Sacamano]

Just end this in 4 and get the off-season rolling.

Edited October 30, 2015 by soxfan2014

[High Mileage]

I see Ventura as the douchebag (just a young immature hot head). I don't get the hate on Moose and Hosmer.

 

And ya what Hosmer did was cool and a nice gesture. I just don't see them in the Swisher category.

Ventura immature for sure, hopefully he'll grow out of it.

 

Yes, Baker was the other choice.

The Nationals chose wisely.

 

REALLY stretching things with nicknames. Dark Knight? Wizard of Hos?

'Wizard of Hos' is a stretch but 'The Dark Knight' is just plain stupid. It's HARVEY who was Two-Face not Batman.

 

Mets are in trouble. It's not the end of the world if they lose, but to lose starts by deGrom and Harvey hurts a lot.

They said it couldn't be done...

 

Elias Sports Bureau: Home teams that win the first two games of a best-of-7 postseason series go on to win the series 80.8 percent of the time (42-10).

Great stat.

 

The Royals are just the best team in baseball. They'll win two in NY. This series isn't coming back to KC.

Royals in 5.

 

The only good thing about the Royals is how they shut up their own arrogant fans on Twitter.

It's really funny how their lousy fans on Twitter get it shoved right back up their ass by the players.

 

And of course they rip Yost over and over and last time I looked KC was doing OK the last 2 years. it's very funny. These fans think they are so great ... they are like any fans. When things are looking rosy they are all happy. At the FIRST sign of adversity, KC fans freak! You wait, if the Mets win Game Three it'll be back to armageddon for the fans. They so badly want to find a goat and bury that goat (if they lose).

I'm glad I'm not on Twitter. I've also never met a Royals fan like that, especially not in the last 2.5-3 years. KC really embraced Ned Yost last season. He use to be so short and sour and defiant in interviews, that's why he was so highly criticized, coupled with his track record.

 

Johnny Cueto definitely deserves to be criticized for how he's pitched in a Royal uniform, but if Game 2 was his last in KC he'll be remembered fondly by most and the trade will have been worth it.

[LittleHurt05]

Johnny Cueto definitely deserves to be criticized for how he's pitched in a Royal uniform, but if Game 2 was his last in KC he'll be remembered fondly by most and the trade will have been worth it.

 

The thing is, the sole purpose for the trade was to have him in the playoffs to win the WS. His bad performance in the regular season is irrelevant, the division was won anyway. We know what happened in Toronto, but vs. Houston they won his first start, then he dominated in a winner take all game 5. Then after a 14 inning marathon, he came out with a CG gem. I still think he won't be remembered that "fondly" in KC but he will be remembered as a vital piece to winning the title. It may have been a Toronto-Houston ALCS without him.

[caulfield12]

Also depends on how Finnegan and the other pieces from that deal turn out, Cody Reed, Lamb, etc.

[LittleHurt05]

Also depends on how Finnegan and the other pieces from that deal turn out, Cody Reed, Lamb, etc.

 

No it doesn't. Flags fly forever.

[shysocks]

Elias Sports Bureau: Home teams that win the first two games of a best-of-7 postseason series go on to win the series 80.8 percent of the time (42-10).

Great stat.

No it isn't. As usual for those blurbs following the "team winning first x games has won y times" format, this one behaves no differently than a bunch of coin flips.

 

There are 15 possible ways for a best of 7 series to end once a team goes up 2-0. If you give both teams an even chance of winning each game, the odds of the leading team winning the series are 81.25%. They've historically won 80.8%, apparently.

 

Thank you for the groundbreaking research, Elias. I hate these stats.

Edited October 30, 2015 by shysocks

[caulfield12]

No it doesn't. Flags fly forever.

 

Doyle Alexander/John Smoltz says hello.

 

If Aaron Miles became the grittiest player in the history of baseball, a few would probably give away their World Series with Juan Uribe. Not that it would rational.

Edited October 30, 2015 by caulfield12

[LittleHurt05]

Doyle Alexander/John Smoltz says hello.

 

If Aaron Miles became the grittiest player in the history of baseball, a few would probably give away their World Series with Juan Uribe. Not that it would rational.

 

Hello. What does that have to do with this discussion? Doyle Alexander lost twice in the playoffs and the '87 Tigers lost in the ALCS. The Royals are close to winning the World Series helped by a couple of gems pitched by Cueto. Those two situations aren't comparable right now.

[caulfield12]

Hello. What does that have to do with this discussion? Doyle Alexander lost twice in the playoffs and the '87 Tigers lost in the ALCS. The Royals are close to winning the World Series helped by a couple of gems pitched by Cueto. Those two situations aren't comparable right now.

 

For some reason I thought he was on the 1984 Tigers. Oh well.

 

 

Sometimes the example is a tad exaggerated. For the Yankees, I'm still not sure the overall ARod deal is worth it just for 2009 when they have so many championships overall.