Either way, a long championship drought is going to end in the 2015 World Series with the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals both looking to break through as the top club in baseball.
The Royals came drastically close to doing so this time last year, when the San Francisco Giants edged them in a seven-game championship series. They navigated through the treacherous American League for the second straight year and will enjoy the home-stadium advantage after the AL took the All-Star Game during the summer.
As for New York, it has ridden unhittable pitching and timely bats to its first World Series appearance since 2000—when the Mets faced the New York Yankees in the Subway Series. They’re looking for just their third world title ever and the first since 1986.
Here’s a look into everything you need to know for the World Series.
2015 World Series Schedule
Odds to Win World Series
Preview
Rewind back to Game 4 of the American League Divisional Series, and even the most optimistic Royals fans would have to be somewhat surprised at where things stand entering the World Series.
Kansas City was on the ropes, a mere nine outs away from elimination, as the Royals trailed the series 2-1 to the Houston Astros and were down 6-2 entering the seventh inning. A four-run deficit matched the largest the club had overcome throughout the entire season, and that only happened once.
Elimination seemed so inevitable that national media had already counted them out, including Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports, who crafted a tweet he likely regrets now:
One blistering comeback later, followed by a dominant Game 5 and a gut-check six-game victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS, and the Royals are sitting just four wins shy of their first world championship in 30 years.
Against the boisterous Blue Jays offense, the small-ball Royals proved they can put up runs at a high rate to more than match baseball’s most dangerous bats. Kansas City scored a total of 38 runs in its six ALCS games, including a 14-2 win in Toronto in Game 4.
But it took clutch play to dispose of the Blue Jays, which Eric Hosmer provided by knocking in the series-winning RBI to bring home Lorenzo Cain in the eighth inning of Game 6, as the Royals’ Twitter noted:
After reasons for concern throughout the ALDS, the Royals’ magic has returned. But they aren’t the only ones entering the World Series feeling like fate is on their side.
The Mets also feel that sensation, after handling the Chicago Cubs in a four-game NLCS sweep that hardly even looked competitive. With two clubs facing off that are a few years ahead of schedule and aiming to end a long stretch of disappointment, New York looked more than ready for the moment.
Even though all of their standout pitchers in the rotation are in the midst of their first postseason experience, it’s not showing. As noted by Fox Sports Live, they look like veterans:
Thanks to their quick sweep of Chicago, the Mets got a few extra days to rest while the Royals battled it out through Thursday night’s Game 6 clincher. That gives their valuable arms the opportunity to come in fresh, which will have Matt Harvey step onto the mound first, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported:
The Mets obviously have the pitching edge on paper, but the Royals should be able to match it at times with their own reliable arms. Johnny Cueto is finally proving his worth after a midseason trade, while Wade Davis is perhaps the only closer who can stand toe-to-toe with the Mets’ Jeurys Familia.
Another Royals starter, Yordano Ventura, won’t appear right away after pitching in Game 6 of the ALCS. But his ability to get ahead in the strike count and make batters bite on that daunting breaking ball could be a game-changer.
There’s no telling how things will go in this World Series between two clubs that few could have expected to be the last two standing for the title. But with what each roster brings to the table, it’s safe to say baseball faithful will be graced with an exciting conclusion to the season.
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