Why I think the Royals win the 2015 WS!

[Why Not?]

Woohoo. We're baaaaaack! YEAH Baby!

Now that the ALCS is over, it is time to turn to the WS. Well, you guys can go out and party but if I drive around Phoenix hooting and hollering, I'm going to get some weird looks, plus I have little kids at home so I am in for the night and have been thinking for a few days about this match up. Let me know what you think. Quick note: when I do comparisons, I will not use many stats. Someone much smarter than me, like alnorth or someone will have to do that.

The obvious strength of the Mets is their starting pitching. DeGrom, Harvey, and Syndergaard are as advertised. Matz is not far behind. These guys are tough as hell to face. But, there are a few things that work in our advantage. We all know by now that the Royals lead MLB is BA against the fastball. Although the Mets guys have good secondary pitches, your still throwing majority fastballs. The Royals have proven they are capable of beating any body. Again, much respect to the Mets, but, let's look at the lineups they beat

The Dodgers were by far the weakest lineup in the postseason, and I include the corpses the Yankees threw out there in that mix. It was Adrian Gonzalez and a bunch of JAG's. The Dodgers took that series to 5 games because of two men, neither who hit 1-8 in their order. The Cubs were the Blue Jays light. A home run dependent team(even Joe Madden on PTI right before game 1 of the NLCS, stated he was concerned about that)who struck out tons. The Royals are not homer dependent and as we all know, strike out very little. The Mets staff has not seen a lineup as deep and as talented as what we're gonna give 'em. The Mets offense has been an impossible to keep up hot Daniel Murphy and not tons else. I'll take any bet on Murphy under .5 HR hit at Kauffman in the WS.

I'm going to try and be as concise as possible here but I want to compare the Royals vs not only the Mets lineup, but show you how we have faced and bested better already in most positions. I will offer a little "eye test"analysis on the Royals and Mets, but only list the top couple of opponents faced.


1B- Royals: Eric Hosmer Mets: Lucas Dude

Royals by a landslide. If Duda runs into one, he'll crush it 500 feet. The problem is, he doesn't do that very much lately. Sure, he did in game 4 against sacrificial lamb Jason Hammell. Sorry, not impressed. Hosmer has become one of the most clutch players I can remember in recent postseason history, and is just a better player overall. Every GM in the league is taking Hosmer over Duda and you are to.

Royals opponents: 1. Personally, I'm taking Chris Collabello over 2. Duda but you could argue that so I guess that's a push. 3. Chris Carter was not really a threat

2B- Royals: Ben Zobrist Mets: Daniel Murphy

Push. If we're judging this solely on this postseason(where Zobrist has been really good, BTW)you take Murphy all day. Couple of things though, Murphy is bound to cool off at some point and on an everyday basis Zobrist is a better player. Don't believe me? Look up both players OPS the past few years. Murphy is one of the top second baseman...but guess who is above him? Yep, Zobrist. Since I don't want to totally be a homer I will call this a push.

Royals Opponents: 1. Again, if you want to take Murphy based on one stretch of games, knock yourself out. Me and everybody else is taking 1. Altuve over 2. Murphy

SS. Royals: Alcides MVPscobar Mets: Wilmer Flores.

Royals. Flores has a bit of pop and is one of the stories of the year. He seems like a really good kid. He is also a back up SS, that is playing thanks to Chase Utley.

Royals Opponents: 1. Correa 2. Tulowitzki 3. Flores

3B Royals: Mike Moustakas Mets: David Wright

Mets, but not by a lot. Along with CF, this is the toughest position battle for me. Career wise, it's Wright by a lot. At this stage of the game, Wright is not a power threat anymore but will still battle you. Moose can hit the ball out, but is still prone to slumps. I think Moose is a bit better on defense, but Wright is not a liability. I think your are probably picking Wright. Maybe

Royals Opponents: 1. Well, the AL MVP was just kept in check by our pitching so we're not really to worried about 2. David Wright. 3. Luis Valbuena. HR in game 5 of the ALDS, so he'll always have that

LF- Royals: Alex Gordon Mets: Some wayward combo of Michael Conforto or Michael Cuddyer. Conforto mostly, I would guess.

This is not even debatable on any level. Mr. Met would give this to the Royals in a landslide and not even blink. Neither Met LF can hit at all right now, Cuddyer can't hit period. I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face if we brought defense into it.

Royals Opponents 1. Rasmus 2. I'm taking Revere over either of the Mets guys, but you could take the potential of Conforto here.

CF- Royals: Lo Cain Mets: Yoenis Cespedes

Royals. Cespedes can punish a mistake and is the Mets MVP. Lorenzo Cain is the better overall player, and would be a legit AL MVP candidate of the world was less in love with power numbers.

Royals opponents: 1. Cespedes 2. Gomez 3. Pillar

RF- Royals: Alex Rios Mets: Curtis Granderson

Mets. Rios has been great this post season, but Granderson offers some great pop from the lead off position. Grandersons numbers were actually weaker than I thought but he's still a much better player than Rios.

Royals opponents: 1. I was terrified each time Joey Bautista walked to the plate in the ALCS. I will feel no such fear at 2. Granderson who is not as far above 3. Springer as you might think

C- Royals: Salvy Mets:Travis D'naurd or something close to that?

Royals. That french dude for the Mets is pretty decent and can hit it out but Salvy is at worst the 2nd or 3rd best all around catcher in the game.

Royals opponents: 1. Martin(even with his 1 for the ALCS) 2. D'nau-the Mets guy 3. Whatever warm body the Astros put back there

DH- Royals: Kendrys Morales Mets: Some pathetic attempt at one last shot at a meaningful at bat in the human form of Cuddyer, Kelly Johnson, or 93 year old Juan Uribe

Royals by such a wide margin, I can't even fathom.

Royals opponents: 1. Encarnacion 2. The though of Gattis 3. Whatever member of the Walking Dead the Mets send up

Starting Rotation: I'm not going to name the pitchers for either team, you know em or you will in a few days.

Advantage Mets. There is no debating this. Just remember, the neutralizer in getting to great starting pitching is not so much great hitting, but getting a great performance by your starter. Take Bumgarner's starts last year in the WS. Game 1: Bumgarner throws 7 innings of 1 run ball. Great start. To bad he never had anything to worry about since BGJ Shields didn't even last 5 and gave up 5. Game 2 Bumgarner CGSO. BGJ, not horrid, 6ip 2er. But those runs came in the 2nd and 4th inning. Not once could BGJ come close to hanging with Bumgarner. If one of the Mets guys is pitching a gem, and say a Johnny Cueto(before you laugh, he is pitching against the NL, a league he has dominated for years)or a Ventura or Volquez matches them and it gets to the bullpen, well then.....


Huge advantage to the Royals. Familia is a good closer. If there was 1 closer job up for grabs and it was between Familia and Wade Davis, Familia would be working at Denny's. The rest of the Mets bullpen is garbage. Their middle guys are Bartolo the Hut and Jonathan Niese. Yes, please. Their back end crew is lead by Tyler Clippard, who is meh and Addison Reed who, as someone who watched him pitch many times in pressure situations, with the Dbacks, all I can say is I will pray Terry Collins uses him and you should to. Did the post good numbers against the pop gun Dodgers and the desperate, Homer happy Cubbies? Sure. I'll take our BP any day.

Bottom Line is the Mets pitching is to good to not steal a couple in this series but I'm going Royals in 6! See you guys at the parade!


Edit: thanks to The Bad Guy for correcting the positions of NY CF and RF. Adjustments made

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

Except Granderson is the RF and Cespedes is the Cf.

Cubs also had an advantage in most position spots too.

None of that matters at first pitch.

Thanks for the correction. I have edited the OP. I don't know about the Cubs matching up. Clearly the Cubs had the advantage at 1B. They had the advantage in LF based on offense only. Kris Bryant would be a sexier pick than David Wright, but clearly better overall? Toss up IMHO. Castro was also the back up SS, Montero is worthless. So you could argue that a few ways. But the biggest discrepancy for the Cubs was pitching. You had a burned up Arrieta, an on name only Jon Lester and then.......batting practice.

I know it doesn't necessarily matter but it's nice to know we may hold advantages in most places

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by The GMDM Hypothesis

Excellent write up - im ready for go time! Royals in 7 - Ventura cements his place in Royals history!!!

Thanks

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

The Royals are the first team the Mets are playing that can match their ability to be clutch and make the right plays at the right time. The Mets are cooking in all the intangible ways on top of pitching, which was why they ran through Chicago. You guys find a way to get leads and I like your chances.

On a side note, I think you overlooked a few of the Dodgers hitters to make a point. Turner is a very good hitter and was scorching in that series. Seager is a rookie but he had been a very good hitter the from Sept on. Eithier is also an underrated hitter. Now outside of that, the Dodgers lineup was pretty sad, and your point still holds. I just don't think it was Gonzalez and then jags.

Fair point on Turner. I think Seager is going to be a hell of a player but didn't do much in that series I don't think. Ethier is kind of boom or bust and can be easily had by good pitching. Over looking Turner may push me to take the Dodgers over the Yankees. But not by much.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by Why Not?

Thanks for the correction. I have edited the OP. I don't know about the Cubs matching up. Clearly the Cubs had the advantage at 1B. They had the advantage in LF based on offense only. Kris Bryant would be a sexier pick than David Wright, but clearly better overall? Toss up IMHO. Castro was also the back up SS, Montero is worthless. So you could argue that a few ways. But the biggest discrepancy for the Cubs was pitching. You had a burned up Arrieta, an on name only Jon Lester and then.......batting practice.

I know it doesn't necessarily matter but it's nice to know we may hold advantages in most places

Wright was hitting .083 coming into that series and the Cubs offense was scorching. It wasn't all because of Bryant, but Bryant is a much better player on the field than Wright. Intangibles goes to Wright and clubhouse

Cueto tore up the Mets when they were batting Mayberry and Campbell in the 4 and 5 holes. This is a vastly different lineup from when he was a Red. It's not even comparable in terms of talent.

The Dodgers threw Grienke and Kershaw 4 times in a 5 game series. Mets won. I'm not one big afraid of anything the Royals throw out in terms of starting pitching.

[ARROW2]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

Wright was hitting .083 coming into that series and the Cubs offense was scorching. It wasn't all because of Bryant, but Bryant is a much better player on the field than Wright. Intangibles goes to Wright and clubhouse

Cueto tore up the Mets when they were batting Mayberry and Campbell in the 4 and 5 holes. This is a vastly different lineup from when he was a Red. It's not even comparable in terms of talent.

The Dodgers threw Grienke and Kershaw 4 times in a 5 game series. Mets won. I'm not one big afraid of anything the Royals throw out in terms of starting pitching.

Royals are better than the Cubs and Dodgers. Mets will be facing a real lineup now and KC pitching is not to be overlooked. **** Kershaw and Greinke

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by ARROW2

Royals are better than the Cubs and Dodgers. Mets will be facing a real lineup now and KC pitching is not to be overlooked. **** Kershaw and Greinke

Hilarious commentary. Yes **** 2 of the top 5 arms in baseball.

[ARROW2]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

Hilarious commentary. Yes **** 2 of the top 5 arms in baseball.

Yeah I said it......Bring ya ass mets.....lower case intended. We just beat two of the most power packed lineups in the game. Keep sleeping....

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by ARROW2

Yeah I said it......Bring ya ass mets.....lower case intended. We just beat two of the most power packed lineups in the game. Keep sleeping....

Astros are power packed? You have some of the hottest takes.

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

Astros are power packed? You have some of the hottest takes.

The Astros hit the second most homers as a team this season. I'm not sure what your definition of power packed is?

[KChiefs1]

de Grom is the only starter that scares me.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by Why Not?

The Astros hit the second most homers as a team this season. I'm not sure what your definition of power packed is?

That's my bad. I didn't realize that.

Regardless, I'm confident of the Mets chances. Royals will be a handful for Mets to deal with and Mets will present issues for the Royals.

I won't get into a dick measuring contest at this stage. We are both confident.

Best team will win.

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

That's my bad. I didn't realize that.

Regardless, I'm confident of the Mets chances. Royals will be a handful for Mets to deal with and Mets will present issues for the Royals.

I won't get into a dick measuring contest at this stage. We are both confident.

Best team will win.

Agreed

[lewdog]

TLDR

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by lewdog

TLDR

Oh, **** off. 😄

[suzzer99]

Obviously a long way and a lot of work to go. But just imagine the Royals win the WS, then win next year with pretty much the same group of guys (minus Cueto lol). We're talking dynasty.

Imagine if someone had said that 2 years ago. KC Royals have a chance to be called a dynasty.

I feel like next year we're gonna win 105+ and be the WS favorite. All of our hitters are maturing and getting better. Of course WS favorite still means like 20% chance to actually win it.