Back in March of this year I gave out all my predictions of how the NL baseball teams would finish the season and who would get into the post season, https://aan.xxx/mlb-revised-pr…tions-for-2015/ and boy was I off the mark. The only one I had right was the Dodgers winning the NL West division. It was a crazy year for sure and some teams really went above and beyond (Astros, Cubs, Mets) while others fell way below expectations (Washington, Miami and Seattle).
It was a fun season though watching teams like the Astros and Cubs with all their youth just continue to mystify the experts. Most felt that the Astros and Cubs would improve, but were still going to be a year or two away from being serious contenders. So what did they do, both made the post season by winning the one game “play in” for the Wild Card. While the Astros bowed out early, the Cubs went right to the brink before the Mets, another team not really thought of as serious contenders, swept the Cubs in the NLCS to advance to the World Series.
The Cubs, of course, have been the big story all season after so many years of frustration and not having been to a World Series since 1945. Yes, they got swept by the Mets after beating the Mets all seven times during the season they played each other. To be fair, the Mets team in the playoffs was NOT the same Mets team the Cubs faced earlier in the season. After the All Star break and the trade deadline the Mets, with the Nationals beginning to fall like a rock, made some brilliant moves to help the young power pitching the Mets already had. In the meantime, the Cubs stuck with their very young team of sluggers along with the great pitching they were getting. Most of these young bucks for the Cubs, Bryant, Russell, Schwarber, etc. were playing in more gaqmes than they ever had. By the time the NCLS came they were under a lot of pressure, tired and just simply ran out of gas to a much better Mets team. But prior to that the Mets overtook the Nationals for good and the Cubs fought tooth and nail against the Cardinals and Pirates to get into the post season, something no one expected to see in 2015. I will say here, that if anyone thinks that the seasons the Mets, Cubs and Astros had are flukes, think again because you are seeing a shift in dynasties, especially in the NL.
So now it will be the New York Mets facing off against either the Toronto Blue Jays or the Kansas City Royals. We may get that answer tonight or tomorrow as that series resumes with KC having a 3-2 lead in the series. So who do I think it will be facing the Mets and who will win the World Series? First of all, with the extra days off that will be a plus for the Mets as far as the pitchers are concerned. Will the added off days impede the phenomenal record breaking post season 2B Daniel Murphy is having? Will it be a help to slugger Yeonis Cespedes who was nursing a sore shoulder? There really is no telling how the extra time will work with the Mets. For either Toronto or KC, they won’t have that luxury and the momentum of a hard fought ALCS may give the advantage to the AL representative. But baseball is a funny game and so many little things can make a difference. Weather may or may not be factor, depending on who plays who. Toronto has the retractable roof that will be closed, KC could stay mild or get cold in a hurry and New York the cold weather is almost inevitable, especially seeing as how the World Series will stretch into November, which is absolutely crazy!
Bottom line is………….I am going with Toronto to beat KC and then play the Mets and see the improbable happen with the Mets winning the World Series in 7 games amid snow flurries and temps in the 30’s in New York when they win it!
Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN
