Will The Real Johnny Cueto Please Stand Up!

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

When the Royals traded for Johnny Cueto just before the deadline in July, this is the pitcher that they were hoping to see take the mound. After a close contest on Tuesday night, the Mets looked out of place in game 2 heading back to Queens in a 2-0 deficit. However, Mets fans should take note that their team has been here before having lost game 1 by one run and game 2 by six runs back in 1986 before eventually capturing the title. With that said, Cueto looks to be performing like Bret Saberhagen did in the 1985 World Series and Royals fans know what that means. So, basically, while the Royals have the advantage the series is still up in the air.  

Royals Dominate Mets 7-1

Now that's the Johnny Cueto who Royals fans have come to love, at least the one who pitches like an unhittable demon at Kauffman Stadium. Cueto certainly was Johnny B. Goode, two-hitting the Mets over nine innings as the Royals roared to a 7-1 win on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series. His complete game was the first by an American League pitcher in the Fall Classic since Jack Morris went 10 innings for the Twins in Game 7 in 1991, and the first by a Royal in the World Series since Bret Saberhagen in Game 7 in '85. Much like Cueto overwhelmed the Astros at Kauffman Stadium in Game 5 of the AL Division Series, when he retired the last 19 batters he faced, the right-hander dominated the Mets while retiring 16 of the last 17. "I want to thank God for this opportunity and this outcome," said Cueto, the first pitcher from the Dominican Republic to throw a complete game in the World Series. "And it's a lot of pride being able to do what I did out there today and to do it for all of the Dominican." "Tonight was everything we expected Johnny to be," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He was on the attack. He kept the ball down. He changed speeds. It was just a spectacular performance by him." Cueto gave up two softly hit singles to Lucas Duda while going the distance, walking three and striking out four. Kansas City is just two wins from its first World Series title in 30 years. "He's been good here at home, but you could tell he was locked in those first couple innings," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said of Cueto. "When he was missing spots, he wasn't out over over the plate. It was either a hair off in or out. He was electric tonight." Hosmer, who won Tuesday's 14-inning Game 1 showdown with a sacrifice fly, again delivered the knockout punch, a two-run single in the fifth that put the Royals up for good at 3-1. Red-hot Alcides Escobar, who had an inside-the-park-homer in Game 1, had two more hits, including an RBI triple. "He wasn't going to go back out there in the ninth until we got three runs in the eighth," said Yost of Cueto. "We were glad we put up those runs so he could back and finish the job." The Series now shifts to New York for three games starting Friday. Teams up 2-0 in the World Series have gone on to win it 42 of 53 times (79.2 percent). Teams that have won the first two games of a World Series at home have gone on to win 31 of 38 times (81.6 percent). Of the 13 teams (20.8 percent) that overcame a 2-0 deficit to win the Series, 10 lost Games 1 and 2 on the road. "We know it's going to be loud in New York," Royals outfielder Alex Rios said. "But it was loud in Toronto, and it was loud in Houston. It's going to be loud no matter where we go." Jacob deGrom started for the Mets and breezed through three no-hit innings. He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, but got hit around in Kansas City's four-run fifth. The right-hander exited after five innings having given up four runs on six hits while walking three and striking out two. "They did exactly what people said, and they put the ball in play," Mets manager Terry Collins said of the Royals, who finished with 10 hits. "I told Jake, 'Not everything has to be a strike. You've got to move it around. You've got to change speeds, give them something to look at. If you continue to pound the strike zone, they're going to put it in play.' And that's what they did." "He's a great pitcher," Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas said of deGrom. "We're putting the ball in play all night and just weren't catching any breaks. We kept battling throughout the game, and then caught a break."

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

Kansas City leads Series 2-0

Kansas City at New York

Game 3: Friday, October 30, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Was There Even A Question? – After an epic, 14-inning Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday, to say that the Mets and Royals are evenly matched would be an understatement. Both teams notched 11 hits and committed one error in the game, which the Royals won, 5-4, on Eric Hosmer's walk-off sacrifice fly. And if that wasn't enough to prove just how perfectly these teams match up, here comes a report that mascots representing both franchises were named to "Good Morning America's" list of the best mascots in baseball. Host Lara Spencer and Co. braved the cold in New York on Tuesday to reveal the list of baseball's best mascots on Tuesday. Holding down the No. 5 spot was Mrs. Met, who was on hand for the presentation of the list. Royals' mascot Sluggerrr came in at No. 4, but the top mascot in all the land according to "Good Morning America" is... The Phillie Phanatic. And it's easy to see why when all the Phanatic does is dress like he's in GQ, dance like no one's watching, and give back to the community. On Tuesday afternoon, the Phanatic got all dressed up and made an appearance at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to host a Halloween party for kids battling cancer and other serious illnesses. 

Giving Back In The Off Season – Not all children have the opportunity to dress up and go trick-or-treating on Halloween, especially those receiving treatment at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. For the past 23 years, the Phillies and Embassy Suites Hotel have been teaming up to bring an early Halloween treat to the patients and, this year, a new meaning to Halloween for one of their families. On Oct. 25, nearly 160 CHOP patients and their families were treated to a special Phillie Phanatic Ghostbusters-themed Halloween Bash. For mother Jaclyn Savery, who was waiting in line for balloon creations with her sons Grayson, 5, and Aydan, 6, this event was extra special. "Grayson was actually diagnosed on Halloween 2012," Savery said. "So Halloween for us, historically, isn't a very good date, and something like this, where we can add fun and excitement, adds a positive twist to a very dark day for us." Fun for the kids could be found all around the room. As families entered the Liberty Ballroom at the Embassy Suites Philadelphia Airport, they were greeted with music and dancing, clowns, face painting, arts and crafts, and later in the afternoon, a special Ghostbusters dance performance. Former Phillies pitcher Tommy Greene and broadcaster Scott Franzke attended the party, signing autographs and taking pictures with young fans, while the Phillie Phanatic, along with his mom Phoebe and Phillies Ballgirls, danced the day away with the kids. Sweet treats were available everywhere the children went, including fully-stocked candy for trick-or-treating, mini cakes and assorted goodies, and a life-like Phanatic cake, complete with a Ghostbusters suit and proton pack. Also available were kid-friendly snacks like chicken fingers, pizza, and smiley fries. Grayson and Aydan, dressed as green and red ninjas, respectively, enjoyed all of the perks of the party. They decorated pumpkins, raided the candy table, made balloon creations (a skeleton for Grayson and ninja swords for Aydan), and loved the Phanatic. "This is the first year he is not in treatment, so we were like, 'Let's live again, let's make Halloween fun,'" Savery added. "This event means so much for these kids. There's no chemo, no treatment, no hospital; they can just be a normal, typical child, and that's priceless." Maureen Mason, director of event fundraising and community partnerships at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, shared a similar sentiment on the Halloween Bash. "The whole family gets to come and do something that doesn't have to do with getting chemotherapy or radiation," Mason said. "When cancer affects a child, it really affects the entire family. It's great for the family to do something where the main focus is fun." Mason has been a part of planning this event for a long time alongside Phillies community outreach coordinator Kelly Yurgin, who has been involved with the Halloween Bash since 1994. The event, which originated as a player initiative with former Phillies second baseman Mickey Morandini called "Mickey's MVPs," has since grown tremendously. "No matter what, it has always been such a great party in the end," Yurgin said. "Whether it is for 80 people or close to 200, when it's all said and done, all that matters is seeing the patients in treatment have a day of normalcy -- to just have fun and be kids."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

World Series Preview: 1985 vs. 1986

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY: World Series Preview

The Royals last won the World Series in 1985. The Mets' latest championship came the following year. Now the two will meet in the Fall Classic, which begins with Game 1 at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday. The Mets boast a devastating rotation and are coming off a four-game sweep of the Cubs in the National League Championship Series. The Royals, who advanced with a 4-3 win over the Blue Jays in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Friday night, sport a balanced, battle-tested club looking to finish what it started last season. "It was a driving force for all those guys coming into Spring Training, knowing we want to get back in that situation and get that one extra out, that one extra run," said Royals left fielder Alex Gordon, whose team came within 90 feet of a potential World Series title in 2014. "They've been doing it all year, this team, and we still have a long way to go." The Mets announced that they'll go with Matt Harvey for Game 1, with Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz following in that order. The Royals haven't announced their rotation, but they'll likely turn to Edinson Volquez for Game 1, followed by Johnny Cueto in Game 2, Yordano Ventura in Game 3 and Chris Young in Game 4. The Royals have the home-field advantage by virtue of the AL's 6-3 win at the All-Star Game, meaning they'll host Games 1 and 2 and a potential 6 and 7. The two teams have never met in the World Series and haven't faced each other since the 2013 regular season, when the Royals took two of three at Citi Field. "Kansas City, they've got so much confidence that they're going to win," said Mets infielder Kelly Johnson, who was on the Orioles team that got swept by the Royals in last year's ALCS. "They've now done it two years in a row. That lineup is equally tough. They have some power, but they also don't give in. They're going to fight off pitches, make you work and try to just get guys on. And the next man up will try to get the job done." Boosted by a deep October run last fall, the Royals went for it all this year, acquiring Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist midseason and ultimately cruising to their first division title in 30 years. They won the AL Central by 12 games, won an AL-best 95 times, then beat the Astros in five AL Division Series games -- thanks largely to an epic comeback in the eighth inning of Game 4 -- and defeated the Blue Jays in six ALCS games. Now they'll face a Mets staff that threw harder, on average, than all but two teams this season -- with a lineup that made contact more frequently than anybody else. "They're very good," Zobrist said of the Mets. "They throw the ball really hard, they have a great staff all the way around. But we believe that we're capable of hitting anybody. We're going to come ready." The Mets entered the season with high hopes thanks to their young, talented rotation. The Mets were mediocre through the first four months, then acquired Yoenis Cespedes before the non-waiver Trade Deadline and took off, winning 20 of 28 games in August to finish with 90 wins -- 11 more than the prior season -- and run away from the Nats in the NL East. In their first postseason series in nine years, the Mets outlasted the Dodgers in a five-game NLDS, then stormed past the Cubs thanks in large part to Daniel Murphy, who has homered in a record six consecutive postseason games. They'll enter the World Series with five days off, hoping the long layoff does nothing to halt their momentum. "This team is kind of a combination of the 'Miracle Mets' and 'Ya Gotta Believe, '69, '86, 2000,'" said Mets third baseman David Wright, his team back in the World Series for the first time since 20000. "To be able to be mentioned in the same breath as those teams, we're going to go down in Mets history as one of the greatest Mets teams ever assembled. And I'm proud of that."

Three things to know about this game:

• Cespedes received a cortisone injection for his sore left shoulder Friday was expected to take batting practice on Sunday. He expects to be ready for Game 1. The long layoff has allowed Cespedes to get some rest, while letting Mets manager Terry Collins align his rotation.
• Murphy has the most experience against Volquez and has hit him well, going 6-for-15 with a double and two walks. Wright, meanwhile, is only 2-for-13 lifetime. Alex Rios (1-for-3) is the only Royals player who has faced Harvey, and backup catcher Drew Butera (0-for-3) is the only one who has faced deGrom.
• Here's a safe bet for the World Series: At one point or another, Alcides Escobar will probably swing at the first pitch. The Royals' leadoff hitter, fresh off being named the Most Valuable Player of the ALCS, has swung at the game's first pitch in nine of 11 postseason games. That approach, Escobar said, gives him the aggressive mindset that helps him thrive.

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

New York at Kansas City

Game 1: Tuesday, October 27, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

More rumors... no news but interesting reading. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

Royals And Mets On The Brink

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

Well, didn’t see this one coming. Following their dominant offensive display (and a shocking performance by Chris Young) the Royals are one win away from playing in their second consecutive World Series. The Mets find themselves in the same position as the Royals up 3-0 over the sentimental favorite Cubs. Pitching has been the overwhelming obstacle for the young Chicago squad but only time will tell… Boston can attest to that. However, the most important thing that both of these current underdogs need to realize is that it is going to take more than two runs to win a game!  

Royals Obliterate Blue Jays 14-2

The Royals are one win from going to the World Series for the second consecutive year after putting a stranglehold on the American League Championship Series with another victory over the Blue Jays. Ben Zobrist and Alex Rios homered for Kansas City, which scored early and often for a 14-2 victory in Game 4 at Rogers Centre on Tuesday. With a commanding 3-1 series lead, the Royals have a chance to clinch the AL pennant with a victory in Game 5 on Wednesday. "We've still got work to do," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "This feels good, but we know how good that team is over there." The Blue Jays once again have their backs against the wall and will have to win three games in a row to advance. Teams that take a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven Championship Series are 29-7 all-time, so Kansas City is clearly in the driver's seat, but Toronto can at least fall back on the fact that it rallied from an 0-2 deficit to beat Texas in the AL Division Series. Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey was responsible for putting the Blue Jays in the early hole. He allowed four runs in the first inning, including a two-run homer by Zobrist, and another in the second before he was pulled after recording just five total outs. Dickey departed with a five-run deficit, and Toronto never recovered. "This team is a really good team," Dickey said of the Royals. "They spit on a lot of good knuckleballs, and they hit the ones that were a little bit flatter. Two singles and two home runs, and I'm out of the game -- it happened really quickly. This is, like, my 103rd start with the Blue Jays, and this is the first time I've gone this short, so it was the anomaly for sure, but it was a poor time to have the anomaly." Kansas City right-hander Chris Young came within one out of picking up the second postseason victory of his career, but he was pulled with two outs in the fifth. He allowed two runs on three hits and a pair of walks while striking out four. The only real sign of difficulty Young encountered was in the fourth, when he surrendered an RBI double to Josh Donaldson. Royals manager Ned Yost is feeling pretty good about where his team is. "We feel good about it," Yost said. "I felt great going into this game because we had Chris Young on the mound, and I felt he would give us a really, really good performance. "We like the way we're playing right now. Our offense has been really, really good. We have [Edinson] Volquez coming back tomorrow, our defense is always spectacular and our bullpen is primed to go tomorrow, too. "We didn't have to use Wade [Davis]. We have Danny Duffy if we need him for multiple innings tomorrow. Kelvin [Herrera] and [Ryan] Madson had short stints today, so they'll be ready to go tomorrow, and so will [Luke Hochevar]. We're in really good shape." But Young cautioned that they can't get too giddy yet. "We haven't won anything yet," Young said. "Toronto is such a good team. We have to come back and play hard and play our game tomorrow."

Mets Tame Cubs 5-2

In this old ballpark where even the outfield ivy has taken on a role, the weight of history is now on the Mets' side. Their 5-2 win over the Cubs in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Tuesday at Wrigley Field gave them a 3-0 series lead, moving the Mets to within one victory of their fifth NL pennant and their first World Series appearance since 2000. "That clubhouse right now, that's all they're talking about is tomorrow," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "They know what they're facing." What the Mets are facing is a Cubs team backed into one of Wrigley's quirky corners, knowing only one Major League team has ever come back from a 3-0, best-of-seven series deficit in 34 attempts. They also know that the architect of that club, the 2004 Red Sox, was none other than Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein. "Of course you think about those things, you think about the parallels, think about the fact that that happened against a New York team," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We think about all that stuff, but it's up to us to go out and play and execute. I put all my stock in the fact that I know our guys are going to be ready to play tomorrow." Maddon's hope is that the Cubs can rip apart history in much the same way the Mets have done this month. Before this series, Collins' club had not beaten the Cubs all year. Until Game 3, they had not won at Wrigley since May 19, 2013. They overcame that last part behind second baseman Daniel Murphy, who matched an MLB record by homering in his fifth consecutive postseason game, and starting pitcher Jacob deGrom, who overcame a rocky first inning to move to 3-0 this October. Aside from solo homers to Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler, deGrom was everything the Mets needed him to be. Along the way, the Cubs made multiple defensive mistakes, including a Soler blunder in the sixth that allowed a Wilmer Flores double to scoot into the ivy. Though that play wound up being a positive break for the Cubs, who could not parlay it into a comeback, other mistakes cost them dearly. Chief among those was a Trevor Cahill wild pitch that allowed Yoenis Cespedes to score the go-ahead run on Michael Conforto's sixth-inning strikeout. "I think we're all very aware of how close we are, and at the same time, we're not taking it for granted because they are a very, very good team -- a very explosive team -- that can blow up at any time," Conforto said. "We're not taking them lightly. We're going to show up the same way tomorrow that we have the last three games." By the ninth, a light rain had begun falling on Chicago's North Side, as Jeurys Familia locked down the final three outs for his franchise-record fifth postseason save. "There's no excuses to what happened today," Schwarber said. "They just played better than we did. Now we've got our backs against the wall, but we're going to keep fighting until the end."

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

National League Championship Series

New York leads series 3-0

Game 4: Wednesday, October 21, at 8:00 PM

American League Championship Series

Kansas City leads series 3-1

Game 5: Wednesday, October 21, at 4:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

A Closer Look At Nick Williams – Background: For what seemed to be an eternity, the baseball world wondered when the Philadelphia Phillies would trade their perceived greatest asset, Cole Hamels, in an effort to rebuild the franchise with younger players carrying lengthy team control. On July 31 this season, the Phillies transformed their franchise by sending the star left-hander Hamels and hard-throwing lefty reliever Jake Diekman to the pitching starved Texas Rangers. Both pitchers are among the reasons the Rangers made it to the playoffs as the American League West champions. But the other end of the deal may have changed the Phillies for years to come. Prospects Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson, Alec Asher, Jerad Eickhoff, Nick Williams and veteran Matt Harrison offer a boatload of talent. The trade was stunning and far-reaching. One of the component players in the transaction was Williams, a left-handed outfielder with a bag full of tools. He's 22. The 6-foot-3, 195 pound Williams has a well-proportioned athletic frame. The Rangers selected him in the second round of the 2012 Draft out of Ball High School in Galveston, Texas. After parts of four Minor League seasons, Williams is No. 3 on the Phillies' Top 30 Prospects list. Hitting: Williams is still a work in progress. He has been inconsistent in his approach and results until this past season. He hit a combined .303 playing for Double-A Frisco for the Rangers (.299 in 415 plate appearances) and .320 over 100 plate appearances at Double-A Reading in the Phillies' organization. I first saw Williams when he played for Surprise in the 2014 Arizona Fall League. He hit .277 with two homers and a solid 19 RBIs in his 27 autumn games. Williams is an aggressive hitter with a very quick bat. That excellent bat speed helps him drive the ball and allows him to generate power from his strong body. Using the entire field, Williams is a solid gap hitter with emerging home run power. Defense: Considered an average outfielder by most, Williams is known more for his hitting and power upside than his fielding. He has played all three outfield positions, but I project his best position to be left field. He looks and reacts more comfortably in that role. Strengths: Whenever I watch Williams play, his power and his good foot speed are evident. His outstanding bat speed forms the foundation of his overall hitting mechanics. He has a fluid swing and can punish a fastball. Weaknesses: Recently I have seen his highly aggressive approach become reduced a bit. That's a good thing. This year, his splits against right- and left-handed pitching were a bit troubling. He hit .a very solid .330 against right-handed pitching, but only .210 vs. lefties. In 2014, his splits were close to equal, both being above .275. I find this interesting: Williams is still a raw player. He is gaining momentum and learning more about his game as he continues his development. Williams is a player who could ultimately hit .300 with 25 home runs if he continues his current progress. But risk remains that he won't consistently harness his abilities. The future for Williams: There is risk involved in going out a limb with Williams. He has such great upside that the Phillies will likely give him every opportunity to be an offensive force in their hitter-friendly home park. I can see him arriving in late 2016. His bat speed and the power in his athletic body are real. Can he translate upside to reality? Williams in a word: Explosive.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.