Team of Destiny?
I just finished watching the Kansas City Royals defeat the New York Mets 7-1 in Game 2 of the World Series–one night after a 14-inning gem of a Game 1. This was a game I thought the Mets would win. I mean, they had just lost a heartbreaker last night and had deGrom on the mound. Here’s a look at the pitching duel going into tonight by their regular season numbers:
Jacob deGrom – 30 starts, 14-8 record (14th in MLB), 2.54 ERA (6th in MLB), 205 K’s (15th in MLB)
Johnny Cueto – 32 starts, 11-13 record, 3.44 ERA, 176 K’s (not in the top 15 in any category)
Don’t get me wrong, those are good numbers by Cueto. And this guy did pitch two complete games in those 32 starts–both shutouts. But deGrom has been the more dominant pitcher all year, and in a game where the Mets needed a W to avoid going into a dreaded 0-2 hole, I expected him to be the one to deliver. But it was Cueto pitching a beautiful 2-hitter for his third complete game of 2015. His first of the season came in his Kansas City home debut after he was traded from the Cincinnati Reds in late July. Both Cueto shutouts and all three complete games came after he joined the Royals a little more than halfway through the season. KC Destiny?
Then there’s the Mets’ Daniel Murphy, a guy who hit 14 home runs in 499 at-bats this season but has 7 HRs in just 47 ABs this postseason. The new Mr. October? It sure felt like destiny to me as the Mets wrapped up the NLCS in convincing fashion, sweeping the Chicago Cubs, the other 2015 team of destiny, 4-0.
The Mets last World Series Championship? 1986.
The Royals last World Series Championship? 1985.
So now that the Cubs are out, Murphy and Mets seem to have cooled off a bit and Johnny Cueto just out-dueled Mets ace Jacob deGrom for a 7-1 Game 2 win to take a 2-0 lead in this World Series, the question is, which is the true team of destiny for 2015?
My take–Kansas City was here just last year, losing 4-3 to the San Francisco Giants, so they’re hungry and it shows. The Mets will win two games in New York, but eventually lose in six games and the Royals will be crowned for first time in 20 years.