Thoughts on Game 3
 

First thing, are the national media and fans ever going to learn? To be fair, I heard a lot about the Royals early in the day, but by the afternoon it was all about Syndergaard and how if he wins tomorrow, it's a new series, blah blah blah.

Syndergaard has great upside and has pitched well. However, he is clearly inferior to the two pitchers already seen and handled by the Royals. He went 9-7 with a 3.24 era. Hardly Clemens mid to late 80's there. He also has thrown about 30 more innings this year than last, and his best pitch is a plus plus fastball. You know how we handle that. Additionally he is a rookie making his first WS start Under immense pressure. Make no mistake, this is as good as an elimination game for the Mets.

For the above reasons, I think we have the pitching matchup in our favor for this game. No doubt, Ventura has been inconsistent this year and it's been awhile since his last dominant start, but a few things work in his favor:

A)This is his 3rd WS and 9th overall postseason start. You hear from players all the time that there is nothing like post season experience. Syndergaard has had two playoff starts. Game 2 against LA 6 1/3 3 ER and a loss. Decent start. K'd 9 and walked 4. Betcha both of those totals take a nosedive in this game. His 2nd start was game 2 of the NLCS where he went 5 2/3 dominant innings with 1 ER 1 walk and another 9 K. The innings pitched is the main point here. My whole theory has been that out starters did not have to out pitch their Met counterparts, just match them. Volquez did that to a T in game 1 and Cueto obviously out pitched De Grom in game 2. So, can Ventura match Syndergaard for 6 innings? I think he can because

B)Remember, this was supposed to be our ace this year. That didn't quite work out but we all know Ventura has it in him to go 7 shutout innings. He is a pretty emotional guy who looks for reasons to fire himself up. Here are two that I am sure he has to be aware off. First off, literally everyone is talking about how great the guy who is going to save the season for the Mets is. Not much being said about the guy who is pitching for the team up 2-0, going for a kill shot. If I'm Dave Eiland or Salvy or Cueto, I make sure Ace knows that. Secondly, this is a legend play for Ventura. This has a chance to be the last meaningful game of the 2015 WS. I know, you know, the Mets know, the Royals know, everybody knows this series is over at 3-0. The Royals can forfeit games 4 and 5 and the series is still over and we all know it. Last year, Ventura could only look on as the game 7 he got the team to, played out. That had to hurt. Tomorrow(tonight for you guys), for all intents and purposes, he can end the World Series.

C)Volquez, Ventura and Cueto seem really close and like to pick each other up. You saw how Cueto pitched dedicating himself to pitching for Edison's dad. I'm sure Ventura wants to follow suit

And finally,

D)um, the Mets lineup still kinda sucks. Clearly, this was an offensive one trick pony. Keep Murphy in the park, the Mets struggle. Again, much of what I heard on national radio today was how the Mets hitters will be much more comfortable at home and find their grove. I think that's silly. Baseball is baseball. See the ball and hit it. Where you play the game has no ability to influence how you hit a baseball. It may have some influence on what happens to a ball after you hit it(ala Rogers Center or Minute Maid)but the Mets are just not a great lineup. Again, match Syndergaard,go 6 strong and get it to the rested bullpen


This is the chance to step on their throat. Do not give them a single shred of hope. Win tomorrow and the only question remaining is, what day is the parade??


I say Royals 5-2. What say you?

All I care about is that it doesn't go to extra innnings

Yeah, that would not rule. Unless the Royals won. Then you could start Franklin Morales game 4

Yordano always scares the shit out of me. He can look like a beast up there in the first and give up 6 in the second.

He's also been prone to the Homerun ball and the last thing we need is to get Murphy or Duda some confidence.

I'm hoping he goes 5 dominant ones with some run support. I think we can close that up.

In these games where everything is at stake, nothing that happens would surprise me. I don't care who's pitching.

I'm rooting for a sweep, but like the CS, KC really just needs to pick up 1 game in NY. Tonight may be their best opportunity with Ventura running out. While Chris Young is a true professional and balled out for us in game 1, I'm not super confident in his ability to be effective twice within a series if he's given the nod in game 4. Then the questions surrounding Volquez and his availability and effectiveness against Harvey in game 5 makes me think tonight would be an ideal night to pick up a game in NY, to at the very least, get it back to KC only needing 1 more win.

That said, since the comeback against Houston in the DS, KC is playing like they can't be beat so I'm not sweating any of these games, really.

Our bats have to stay hot. We win this it will completely crush their tiny black souls.

People are still calling in on Sirius saying the Mets sweep the next 4 games and win in 6.

Dumbasses !

If Ventura is on his game we win. They are not an offense to be scared of at all. Keep hitting the inside corners on Murphy and he can't go park. The rest is chump change.

I like it. Sign me up!

Seriously?

If they Royals win the game, it can go 30 innings for all I care.

I don't want to miss the end of the game because I have to go to work. Therefore I hope it doesn't go to extra innings.

You know what I think about winning? Why not!

Dude, it's kind of weird. I get the delusional fans, but I was listening to Mad Dog radio on the drive home and Dan Graca(whom I like, usually)was practically predicting a Mets sweep at Citi field. Kevin Millar said it's definitely going back to KC. It's just odd.

That's how I feel about it.

The National pundits I heard on MLB radio last night were saying the series is over, the Mets have no shot. That kind of rhetoric makes me nervous. Tonight is by far our best matchup over the next 3 and the Mets are -135. They will likely be -165 tomorrow.