CAN KCBKD? :
Can Kansas City be K’d ?
That is the question … and key to the 111th World Series.
In the NLCS the Cubs hitters K’d 37 times ( 28.9% of ABs) while getting
swept in 4 games by the Mets power arms led by the super-young and
super-talented starting rotation of Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard & Matz
GET A WHIFF OF THIS:
The Royals have whiffed less than any team in Baseball.
During the regular season KC K’d only 15.9% of their ABs. This was
far less than the second best team, the Oakland A’s 18.1%.
The Cubs were dead last in that stat, striking out more than
1,500 times compared to KC’s 973.
The Cubs did poorly hitting against 95 mph or above.
The team batting average was .220 vs. the high heat.
The Royals on the other hand had a .284 B.A. against
95+ velocity, which was the best in baseball.
Why is the strike out such a key stat in this series?
1. Strike outs by the Mets staff would mean continued dominance
2. Putting the ball in play is a KC strength which leads to base runners
and small ball which they excel at, while it could also expose a potential
weakness .. Met fielding, especially up the middle on the infield with
Murphy and Flores.
Fielding bunts, covering bases, trying to turn tough DPs etc.
The outfield can’t fall asleep either. Throw to the wrong base
and the KC base runners will take full advantage.. just ask
Joey Bats who will be watching the WS on his couch like the rest of us
because of it.
Conversely the Royals are best in the league defensively.
They have stats for everything, and the metrics point to KC
taking away more runs than any other team .. and by a far gap
by the second best team the SF Giants.
MORE POWER TO YOU :
It’s easy to make the case for the Mets winning the WS.
The formula is quite simple …
Continued domination by the incredible power pitching
by the starters and also Familia at the back end of the bullpen.
Coupled with power hitting by Daniel Murphy who has
re-defined the expression MURPHY’S LAW :
Anything that can … go over the wall, will go over the wall.
There are plenty of bats in the Mets line up who can
be the offensive hero of this series if the Royals pitch around Murphy.
Cespedes, Wright, Granderson, Duda all would be good
candidates.
WHO IN THE WORLD IS GONNA WIN:
Who will win the 2015 World Series ?
Vegas installed the Mets as an early slight favorite.
As dominant as the Met pitching has been, you might be
surprised to hear that … the KC staff with their
starters and the likes of Herrara and Davis out of the pen have struck out
the most this post-season, an average of 10.69 per 9 innings
compared to the Mets 10.24 Ks /9 innings
KC is strong at all aspects of the game, has home field advantage
and the experience of being there last year.
For that reason I think the Royals are the better team,
and will win the series, but again ….
It will all come down the Mets phenom starters
CAN KCBKD?
