The Bum's 2015 Major League Baseball World Series Picks - Trends - News !!

[StarDust Bum]

Royals face 'comfortable' red-hot Murphy
October 26, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) So far, Daniel Murphy has invited many of baseball's top aces to his October bash - Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Jake Arrieta among them.

Now, the Kansas City Royals are planning to spoil his playoff party.

Murphy has homered in a record six straight postseason games for the New York Mets. He'll take aim at Edinson Volquez and the Royals starting Tuesday night in the World Series opener.

Murphy hit a career-best 14 home runs during the regular season, then launched seven more in the first two rounds against the Dodgers and Cubs. He is one away from matching the mark for most homers in a single postseason shared by Barry Bonds, Carlos Beltran and Nelson Cruz.

Before a workout Monday at Kauffman Stadium, Royals pitching coach Dave Eiland said Murphy is getting good pitches to hit and isn't missing them.

Eiland added that Murphy looks ''very comfortable in the batter's box - and I'll leave it at that.''

[StarDust Bum]

Game 1 - Mets at Royals
October 27, 2015


World Series Game 1
New York Mets at Kansas City Royals | 8:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
Pitching Matchup: Matt Harvey vs Edinson Volquez
ML: Mets -110, Royals -110
Over/Under: 7
Series Odds: Mets -120, Royals -110

From that first Sunday night in April at Wrigley Field, to The K in Kansas City for Game 1 of the 111th World Series, the 2015 Major League Baseball year has entered its final days, with only the Royals and Mets remaining set to duke it out for a world championship.

And it’s a series that legitimately could be one of the more fascinating ones in a long time. After all, just examine the stories each organization carries as they embark on finishing their journey. The Royals, of course, came within one game of winning it all just a year ago, when they were defeated in seven by the San Francisco Giants -- literally with the tying run on third at the very end. Entering last season, they were just a middling underdog, before breaking out and emerging into the American League power that they are today, albeit while still chasing their first title since 1985.

Interestingly, they’ll be standing opposite another club that has paralleled their run from last year, except a version that might be even more dangerous. That, of course, is the New York Mets, who possess one of the strongest pitching rotations seen in recent memory, and one that figures to be a real dominant force for years to come, given their notable youth. Additionally, they, too, sport an efficient lineup -- a sentiment that seems surreal given their major offensive struggles just prior to acquiring Yoenis Cespedes at the trade deadline – helping pave the way for New York to break out in 2015, en route to their first playoff appearance in nine years. The Mets are seeking their first championship since 1986.

Looking to begin a potentially heroic effort for the Mets, it’s only appropriate that The Dark Knight himself, Matt Harvey (13-8, 2.71 ERA), takes the ball in Game 1. Despite an overblown innings-limit controversy that plagued him at the end of the summer, Harvey has been really good over the past several weeks, including his two starts in the playoffs. After surrendering just two runs combined over his final three regular season outings, the 26-year-old right-hander has picked up where he left off in the playoffs, posting a 2.84 ERA in his two October assignments. In the process, he won both and compiled a very nice 16/4 K/BB ratio.

Both of those starts came at home, though, where Harvey has typically been better throughout his career. During the regular season, his ERA on the road was more than a full run higher (3.42 compared to a 2.23 ERA at home) in 12 starts, with a lower strikeout rate and higher batting average against. It’s something to keep in mind, but with the zone Harvey appears to be in during this postseason, it might not even matter where he pitches. In his most recent playoff start I Game 1 of the NLCS, Harvey stifled the Cubs over 7.2 innings, yielding two runs and four hits, while striking out nine and walking just two.

Going for Kansas City in Game 1, it’s veteran Edinson Volquez (13-9, 3.55 ERA), who will be making his fourth start of this postseason. He’s endured some up-and-down results, posting a 4.32 ERA and 1.32 WHIP across 16.2 total innings pitched. Along the way, Volquez has exhibited some of the flashes that make him an upper-rotation pitcher, like in Game 1 of the ALCS when he blanked the high-powered Blue Jays over six terrific innings of two-hit ball. His two other assignments didn’t pan out as successfully, most notable later in that series against Toronto when they tagged him for five runs in five innings, as he was only able to strike out two.

In each outing, there was one common pattern that could lead to the 32-year-old’s downfall on this evening -- he couldn’t limit the number of free passes he issued, walking four in all three starts. At the same time, the Astros and Jays only managed to hit .167 off the right-hander, so possessing command will be huge tonight for Volquez if he wants to be successful.

Arguably the biggest item to watch throughout this series, starting with this evening, has much to do with how Kansas City’s relentless battling lineup fares against high-velocity pitches, which is the main strength of the Mets’ elite pitching staff. During the regular season, the Royals hit .284 against fastballs that were 95 MPH and above, while also slugging .436 against such pitches, ranking them second in the league. Furthermore, they only struck out 15.1 percent of the time versus such pitches, which was actually the lowest rate in all of baseball. In other words, Kansas City might have the one lineup in the game that could be the Mets’ kryptonite.

And of course, all eyes will be on NLCS MVP Daniel Murphy, who has enjoyed a torrid run throughout the playoffs. He already set a new Major League postseason record by homering in six straight games -- a streak that still remains entering the World Series -- not to mention the fact that he’s hit .421 (11-for-38) and slugged 1.026 to go with 11 RBI and 11 runs scored in nine games. After several days off since defeating the Cubs, though, it should be interesting to see if Murphy can maintain a similar level of production.

Maybe the most underrated storyline to follow will be the health of Cespdes. The budding star outfielder left Game 4 of the NLCS early on, and although Mets manager Terry Collins maintains that he’s fine, it could still be something that limits his usual monstrous potential throughout the series. Game 1 should at least provide the earliest indication if it’s anything serious.

[StarDust Bum]

Mets' young aces take on Royals
October 26, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Anyone arriving a little early to a New York Mets game this season has probably witnessed ''The Walk.''

Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom or some other emerging ace striding in from the bullpen following pregame warmups, with pitching coach Dan Warthen right alongside - and the rest of that fearless rotation trailing just behind.

For opposing hitters, it's become an imposing march to impending doom.

Riding four young starters all the way through October, the hard-throwing Mets are ready to fire their best stuff at the Kansas City Royals in the 111th World Series. Game 1 is Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium, with Harvey set to pitch against Edinson Volquez.

''I like our rotation no matter who's out there,'' New York manager Terry Collins said. ''I've got a lot of confidence in them.''

[StarDust Bum]

Eastern Conference Best Bets
October 27, 2015

Western Conference

ATLANTIC DIVISION

They’re not ready to hang any new banners in TD Garden quite yet. But after a brief lull, the trendline seems up once again for the Boston Celtics (42½), who made a surprise playoff appearance last season in their second year under young HC Brad Stevens, who seems to have adapted nicely to life in the NBA. Offseason addition F David Lee is the prototype Stevens player, versatile in his offensive skills and comfortable with the Golden State-type of floor-spacing that Stevens covets, while ex-Raptor Amir Johnson adds frontcourt muscle. And there are even more backcourt options these days for Stevens with rookies Terry Rozier and R.J. Hunter now into the perimeter mix. A move comfortably above .500 appears the next stage of the latest Celtic ascent. Look “over” in Beantown.

There was no panic north of the border when the Toronto Raptors (45½) were swept out of the playoffs last spring by the Wizards. Instead of worrying about his job, HC Dwane Casey was given assurances by GM Masai Ujiri, who proceeded to add the versatile DeMarre Carroll in free agency from the Hawks. Casey thus receives the defensive upgrades he could never realize with his collection of smaller perimeter components. And in Carroll, Toronto now at least has someone to pester LeBron James should the Raptors draw the Cavs in the playoffs. Meanwhile, other additions Luis Scola and Bismack Biyombo have minimized Amir Johnson’s defection to Boston. All of which provides what seems an upgraded supporting cast around sparkplug Gs DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. It should be an “over” at Air Canada Centre.

We’re not going too far out on a limb projecting the New York Knicks (30½) to exceed last year’s 17 wins. But asking the Knicks to nearly double their win haul from a year ago seems a bit much. While Phil Jackson has shuffled the personnel deck somewhat, and HC Derek Fisher appears to have moved from the triangle-centric offense to more of a Golden State-like, transition-based style, there are few indicators that the pieces fit. At this stage of his career, Carmelo Anthony doesn’t appear likely to “take one for the team” if he can’t get his normal allotment of shots, and it is not lost upon shrewd observers that ’Melo was hardly eager to hurry back into action whenever injuries arose last season. Jackson’s new imports include Arron Afflalo (hurting at the outset with hamstring issues), Robin Lopez, and an intriguing 7-3 first-round pick, Latvian Kristaps Porzingis, plus Notre Dame rookie PG Jerian Grant, so the pieces are in place for a mild upgrade. Then again, it would be hard for the Knicks to actually regress this term, where another round of sparring between owner Jim Dolan and the Big Apple press, plus the likes of Spike Lee and Stephen A. Smith making their opinions known, figure to be more entertaining than the on-court product. Expect another “under” at MSG.

Struggling to break the 20-win barrier since GM Sam Hinkie arrived and began to deconstruct the roster with his dubious “analytics”-dominated approach, the Philadelphia 76ers (21½) have been a mess the past couple of years, evoking comparisons to their epic 9-win, 1972-1973 Sixer predecessors. Breakthroughs are thus measured in modest terms these days in Philly, but we’re still not convinced better days are coming soon. Promising Duke rookie Jahlil Okafor is the latest to test the Sixer whirlpool, but Hinkie has had little luck with previous first-round picks, as Joel Embiid remains on the shelf and Nerlens Noel has been slow to progress. Coach Brett Brown has some new elements to fit into the Sixer puzzle, and the likes of vets Carl Landry and Nik Stauskas, plus rookies Okafor and J.P. Tokoto, provide potentially useful rotation pieces. But Hinkie has been moving players in and out so quickly the past couple of years that it has been hard for Brown to develop any chemistry with his roster, and the collection of draft picks Hinkie has acquired for the future are not going to do the current Sixer version much good. Philly fans deserve better, but we’re looking “under” again at Wells Fargo Center.

The expectations are now way down for the Brooklyn Nets (28½), so much so that sightings of Jay-Z and Beyonce’ at Barclays Center are likely to become further and further between. But are the Nets really going to fall off of the map? Sure, the key components are either aging or injury-prone; Joe Johnson can still fill it up from the wing, but at 34 we’re not sure how much tread is left on his tires, and C Brook Lopez has dealt with injury issues on an annual basis. Frontliner Andrea Bargnani, also with a checkered health history, arrives from the Knicks to provide HC Lionel Hollins with another scoring option. Still, roster depth appears an issue and could become an albatross if injuries hit once more, but don’t forget that the Nets still managed to sneak into the playoffs last term with similar roster dysfunctions, as Hollins had enough veteran presence at his disposal (such as Johnson and vet PG Jarrett Jack) to keep the Brooklyn ship from capsizing. Making the playoffs, even in the East, appears a tall order, but Hollins should be able to squeeze at least 30 wins out of this bunch. It’s an “over” for us in Brooklyn.

CENTRAL DIVISION

We would not be surprised to see the Cleveland Cavaliers (56½) again playing for the title next June in what would be LeBron James’ sixth straight trip to the Finals. Especially after the Cav supporting cast was upgraded throughout last season thanks to additions of Timofey Mozgov, Iman Shumpert, and J.R. Smith, while first-year HC Dave Blatt learned to co-exist, at least we think, with King James. But as LeBron moves into the second half of his career, his focus is likely to mirror a Spurs-like approach, and the recurring back woes that forced LeBron to shut down in preseason suggest he will take breaks as needed (as he did last January) to make sure he is healthy in April. Already, key G Kyrie Irving is not healthy, as his recovery from knee surgery could keep him out until Christmas, and Shumpert opens the season on the shelf with a wrist injury. And we’re still not sure Kevin Love has found a proper fit in the Blatt (LeBron?) system. Hitting 57 regular-season wins looks like a tall order, so we’re looking “under” at The Q.

The good news for the Indiana Pacers (41½) is that Paul George is going to be available at the outset after missing almost the entirety of last season with a broken leg. The bad news is that there was a near complete clear-out (via trade and FA) of the frontline that is now minus longtime cogs David West and Roy Hibbert, plus last year’s useful addition Luis Scola. Frank Vogel thus will transform the Pacers into the poster team for “small ball” as he adds Monta Ellis to the mix to fire away with George, but also wonders if the likes of journeymen Ian Mahinmi (whose 30% FT shooting makes Dwight Howard look like Rick Barry by comparison), Lavoy Allen, and Texas rookie Myles Turner can handle duty in the post. We’re not sure. Though being guard-heavy is not necessarily a death knell in the East, we’re not convinced the Indiana version gets above .500, either. It’s an “under” for us at the Fieldhouse.

Last year was adjustment time for the Detroit Pistons (34½), with new HC Stan Van Gundy needing a full campaign to re-format the roster with players who not only fit into his system, but also wanted to play at The Palace. The latter was not necessarily the case with key frontliner Greg Monroe, who made little secret about his desire to test the FA waters after last season and made the subsequent jump to division rival Milwaukee. In the meantime, among the many personnel moves by Van Gundy were adding ex-Thunder PG Reggie Jackson, no longer overshadowed as he was in Ok City by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant and who was rewarded with an upgraded contract and the keys to run the Piston offense. Jackson’s ability to run the pick-and-roll effectively with C Andre Drummond was a significant development after the All-Star break, and Van Gundy believes he added some needed three-point shooters to spread the floor in ex-Buck Ersan Ilyasova, ex-Sun Marcus Morris, and ex-lots-of-teams Steve Blake, all of whom are likely to upgrade the Pistons’ modest 34% shooting beyond the arc a year ago. If all works as planned, Van Gundy at the least should have a borderline playoff contender, so we’re looking “over” at Auburn Hills.

After a bumpy debut as an NBA HC at Brooklyn, Jason Kidd proved that he knew what he was doing last year with the Milwaukee Bucks (44½), who forged a dramatic and unexpected turnaround from the 15-67 debacle Kidd inherited. The fact Milwaukee was able to improve so dramatically and emerge as a playoff team even after the December injury to touted Duke rookie Jabari Parker was an added feather in Kidd’s cap. But the element of surprise that helped last year’s Bucks is no longer present, and the jury remains out on last February’s deadline deals that sent effective PG Brandon Knight to the Suns and added Michael Carter-Williams from the Sixers to run the point. (The Bucks, 30-23 before the Knight trade, sagged to 11-18 after he was sent to Phoenix.) The well-traveled Greivis Vasquez is Kidd’s security blanket at PG should Carter-Williams falter, but we still wonder about the wisdom of the Knight trade. Adding ex-Pistons FA frontliner Greg Monroe, plus the rapid progress of swingmen Khris Middleton and the “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo, suggest Kidd could get Milwaukee back to the playoffs. But the questions at PG, the fact that no one really knows when still-on-the-mend Parker will be full speed, not to mention the downgrade of the Bucks’ new uniforms (what was wrong with the forest green-red/orange look?), have us off of the scent. Look “under” in Brewtown.

It has started to dawn upon fans of the Chicago Bulls (49½) that their team might never be fully healthy with a collection of injury-prone key cogs such as Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. The starters missed an average of more than 17 games last season, so we wonder if new HC Fred Hoiberg is going to have the same issues with available bodies as did predecessor Tom Thibodeau in recent years. Still, we do not want to dismiss the Bulls, as Jimmy Butler progressed from defensive specialist to All-Star while Rose has struggled to stay healthy, and there is hope that potential young stars such as Doug McDermott, Tony Snell, and Nikola Mirotic can make more consistent contributions this season, while Arkansas rookie Bobby Portis has the potential to fill a variety of roles for Hoiberg. Still, there is an element of the unknown about the Bulls, with so much depending upon the health of Rose, Noah, and the aging Pau Gasol. If all hands stay on deck, and Hoiberg makes a smooth adjustment to the NBA (where he played and coached), the Bulls could threaten Cleveland in the Central, but those are big ifs; we’d rather stay neutral and simply take a pass at United Center.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

The Atlanta Hawks (49½) were a season-long surprise a year ago, with the “Bud Ball” of new HC (and ex-Gregg Popovich aide) Mike Budenholzer looking a lot like the Spurs, only with more colorful uniforms. The sum should again be greater than the parts in Atlanta even though the Hawks went only 1-for-2 in free agency, losing DeMarre Carroll to Toronto while managing to re-sign invaluable PF Paul Millsap. A useful FA addition is ex-Spur Tiago Splitter, who provides a bit more rough-and-tumble around the bucket and more screens for PG Jeff Teague and spot-shooter deluxe Kyle Korver. When Budenholzer likely misses Carroll will be in the playoffs, especially if Atlanta again has to run into LeBron and the Cavs. In the regular season, however, we can’t see the Hawks dipping more than 10 wins from a season ago. “Over” at Philips Arena.

It’s time to start counting Randy Wittman among Bob Knight’s more-successful disciples, as hoop insiders beyond “The General” all recognize the superb job Wittman has done in molding the Washington Wizards (45½) into a contender in the East. But can Washington take the next step after winning a playoff series in each of the past two seasons? On the surface, the departure of vet Paul Pierce to the Clippers seems a potential negative, as Pierce provided a valuable third scoring option beyond Gs John Wall and Bradley Beal. But Pierce’s contributions were limited to the offensive end, and his defensive liabilities are not going to be missed. Emerging ex-Georgetown star Otto Porter gives Wittman more flexibility than did Pierce, and offseason additions Jared Dudley and Alan Anderson, plus Kansas rookie Kelly Oubre, provide plenty of new rotational options. Wittman and GM Ernie Grunfeld are crossing their fingers that frontliners Nene and Marcin Gortat, who do most of the dirty work on the blocks, can stay healthy, but the supporting cast around Wall and Beal looks capable enough for the Wiz to not regress from last season’s 46 wins. Look “over” at the Verizon Center, where a quick stop at the venerable Ben’s Chili Bowl, nearby on U Street, for a chili half-smoke remains a must before any Wizards game.

Just when it appeared the Charlotte Hornets (34½) might be making progress, as they did when making the playoffs two seasons ago, they regressed to 33-49 last term. Charlotte similarly took two steps backward before taking another forward a few years earlier. Now the Hornets have once again shuffled the deck with as many as eight new faces on HC Steve Clifford’s roster. Of this new bunch, ex-Blazer swingman Nicolas Batum is the featured addition, but even he is in a contract year and has made it known he would like to move to Toronto for 2016-17. Jeremy Lin also arrives to provide some relief for Kemba Walker at the point, but Charlotte still lacks an identity beyond Clifford’s defensive schemes, as observers are unsure whether the Hornets decide to go more “small ball” with an uptempo emphasis, fueled by Walker, or grind out possessions in halfcourt sets, running the offense thru injury-prone C Al Jefferson. Clifford also could greatly miss the versatile Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, likely out for the season after shoulder surgery. With apologies to majority owner Michael Jordan, it’s hard to forecast any upgrades in Charlotte, so it’s an “under” for us at the Cable Box.

Perhaps no team enters 2015-16 with as many health questions as the Miami Heat (45½), which looked like a playoff team when all hands were on deck last season, but faded out of contention when Chris Bosh had to be shut down for a life-threatening heart condition, and injuries once again caught up with Dwyane Wade. Bosh has returned, but counting upon a full season from Wade appears a risky proposition at this stage. The supporting cast has promise, especially after Hassan Whiteside emerged as a serviceable NBA center last season, and PG Goran Dragic arrived from the Suns at the trade deadline, right before Bosh went out, while Luol Deng remains a useful component at the “3" position. Gerald Green also provides some cover if Wade goes down again, while Duke rookie Justise Winslow is also likely to fit somewhere into the rotation. But there are risks associated with entrusting so much with Bosh and especially Wade at this stage of their careers. There is also the subject of HC Erik Spoelstra, who was absolved of blame in last year’s post-LeBron season largely because of the plights of Bosh and Wade, but might be held accountable should the Heat miss the playoffs again. After all, Pat Riley is going to have to find some scapegoat if things goes pear-shaped once more, won’t he? Too many ifs at AA Arena, so it’s a pass for us in Miami.

On the surface, the hiring of HC Scott Skiles appears a curious bit of business for the Orlando Magic (34½), given that the prickly Skiles has been run out of his previous three jobs with the Suns, Bulls, and Bucks. Short-term, however, Skiles has usually provided upgrades for his teams, and most NBA observers believe his disciplinarian approach might be what is needed for the young Magic roster that did not respond to the kinder and gentler approach of Jacque Vaughn, fired midway thru last season. Skiles inherits a roster full of lottery picks, with much intrigue surrounding first-round pick Mario Hezonja, a Croatian import who cut his teeth in high-level Euro play the past couple of years at FC Barcelona (the basketball team, not the soccer team). Along with Tobias Harris, Skiles has a couple of small forwards with much promise, and young Gs Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo have flashed considerable upside. We give the front office credit for sticking with its plan to build through the draft and not seek too many quick-fix answers in free agency. But whether the Magic has fermented enough to contend for the playoffs, or if Skiles is the right fit, remains to be seem. So we’ll just sit and watch how things transpire at Amway Center, with a no-call on the Magic.

[StarDust Bum]

Western Conference Best Bets
October 27, 2015

Eastern Conference

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Give the Houston Rockets (54½) and GM Daryl Morey credit for not standing still. Addressing the one glaring area of need on the roster, Morey went out and added an elite PG, Ty Lawson, in a trade with the Nuggets. For the cost of a collection of fringe players and a couple of draft picks, Houston has thus added a guard who can take a lot more scoring pressure off James Harden than Patrick Beverly or any of the other PGs on the roster the past two years. Now, can Lawson stay out of trouble after a couple of recent DUI arrests? If so, the Rockets certainly appear better prepared to battle the Warriors than they were in last spring’s West Finals, and should not regress from last year’s 56 wins. “Over” at Toyota Center.

One of these years, the San Antonio Spurs (58½) will be minus their longtime “big three” of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker, who return for one more ride at the rodeo. (To be fair, at “only” 33, Parker is nowhere near as close to the end of the line as the older Duncan and Ginobili, but we are content to play along with the long-running narrative in Alamo City.) And on the surface, the Spurs appear better set for another run at NBA gold after adding frontliners LaMarcus Aldridge and David West, the latter hungry enough for a title to accept a big pay cut to get a chance to play for the ring. But, as has been the case in recent years, Gregg Popovich is going to pace the elders on his roster with an eye to peaking in April, not before the All-Star break, and there does figure to be an adjustment period with Aldridge, and to a smaller degree West, accepting new roles in the Popovich system. The likely move of Duncan to a reserve role could turn out to be a stroke of genius by Popovich, and Kawhi Leonard has ascended to All-Star caliber status, so we would not bet against San Antonio making another run to the NBA Finals after last spring’s bitter first-round exit vs. the Clippers. But the regular season will likely be a prelim for the Spurs, whose focus will again be on staying healthy for the postseason. “Under” at AT&T Center.

The Memphis Grizzlies (50½) breathed a sigh of relief when invaluable big man Marc Gasol re-signed a new deal to stay in town and keep intact a familiar core that includes Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, and Tony Allen, now entering their sixth season together. A bit more inflow (Matt Barnes and Brandan Wright) than outflow (Kosta Koufos) in free agency suggests a small roster upgrade for HC Dave Joerger, who hopes that the aggressive Barnes adds the sort of size on the wings that the Griz might need. While still short of a Kyle Korver-like spot shooter that could make the difference in a playoff series vs. a team like the Warriors (pushed to six games by Memphis last spring despite the Griz being without Allen and Conley for parts of the series), Joerger’s team hardly appears as if it will regress from last year’s 55 wins unless injuries hit key cogs such as Gasol and Randolph. Short of that, it looks like an “over” at FedEx Forum before Memphis likely runs into another roadblock in the crowded West playoffs.

Accepting that he had a good thing going, GM Dell Demps did little roster tinkering in the offseason with the New Orleans Pelicans (47½), who made the playoffs last spring and return with basically the same look. And why not, with frontliner Anthony Davis on his way to superstar status? That’s not to say that Demps stood pat, surprisingly hitting the eject button on HC Monty Williams and enlisting Alvin Gentry, who makes his fifth stop as an NBA HC and also fresh off a stint as Steve Kerr’s top assistant with the champion Warriors. Demps is looking for Gentry to implement a go-go Golden State style of transition basketball in the Big Easy, an approach embraced by the versatile Davis, who could further thrive in an uptempo attack. Though the key to New Orleans making the move from playoff team to title contender might rely upon PG Jrue Holiday staying healthy after missing almost half of last season due to leg problems. Especially since there are injury concerns already on the perimeter with Tyreke Evans out until at least mid-December with knee issues, G Norris Cole dealing with a bum ankle, and C Omer Asik trying to overcome a potentially bothersome calf strain. Assuming no more significant health developments, the Pelicans could be one of the more entertaining teams in the league. As long as the early spate of injuries abates, look “over” at Smoothie King Center.

Mark Cuban must have thought he was being outbid by Kevin O’Leary or Daymond John on ABC’s Shark Tank when C DeAndre Jordan abandoned his verbal commitment in the offseason to sign with the Dallas Mavericks (37½) and instead decided to remain with the Clippers. That punch in the gut, along with C Tyson Chandler’s decision to bolt to Phoenix, left the Mavs in a precarious position on their frontline. The situation was eventually salvaged, though perhaps just partly so, when adding ex-Hawk and Buck Zaza Pachulia later in the summer, a valuable “save” for HC Rick Carlisle. The storyline for this season in Big D, however, will likely be whether the Mavs can squeeze something out of main offseason additions Deron Williams (back in his hometown) and Wes Matthews, the former trying to rediscover prior form that has been fleeting the past few years, the latter trying to come back from an Achilles tendon tear. As well as getting a full season from swingman Chandler Parsons, who was effective (15.7 ppg) a year ago before suffering a season-ending knee injury that required surgery, and still on the mend as the new 2015-16 campaign begins. Yes, Dirk Nowitzki is still around, but his contributions are beginning to diminish. And. unfortunately, the inability to add a rim protector like Jordan means Dirk’s defensive flaws will remain harder for Carlisle to camouflage. With so many questions, a playoff berth appears a difficult task, though a precipitous drop from last year’s 50 wins is probably unlikely if all hands stay on deck. It’s a no call for us at AA Center.

NORTHWEST DIVISION

It has already been a distracting preseason for the Minnesota Timberwolves (26½), absorbing their hardest blow over the weekend with news of the passing of HC Flip Saunders, who had been battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Assistant Sam Mitchell, formerly Toronto’s HC, will take over on the bench for the remainder of this term . In the meantime, the T-wolves continue to collect No. 1 draft picks, adding Kentucky C Karl-Anthony Towns last June. However, this stockpile of young talent that also includes last year’s top pick Andrew Wiggins has yet to coagulate, and a jump of 11 wins from 2014-15 appears a tall order. Especially since counting on a full season from injury-prone PG Ricky Rubio (who missed 60 games in his latest injury-marred campaign a year ago) appears wishful thinking. And Kevin Garnett’s value these days is not much more than a mentoring role. More losses in Minneapolis; “under” at Target Center.

Longtime fans in “Rip City” might be wondering if they are watching a replay of the 1970-71 expansion campaign of their Portland Trailblazers (26½), whose roster has undergone a complete overhaul after mass defections following last season. The Blazers did win 29 games in their debut year with the likes of Geoff Petrie, Rick Adelman, Leroy Ellis, and the one and only Dale Schlueter providing main contributions. But the current lot might be doing well to match that win total after almost the entire rotation (LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Robin Lopez, Wes Matthews, Arron Afflalo), save G Damian Lillard, departed in the offseason, taking a whopping 76 points and 34 rebounds per game with them. Replacement parts such as Gerald Henderson, Miles Plumlee, and Ed Davis are serviceable sorts, and holdovers such as G CJ McCollum and C Meyers Leonard might be ready to assume more-featured roles. But make no mistake, this is a massive rebuild going on in Portland, and all of HC Terry Stotts’ motivational skills and ability to quickly assemble the pieces around Lillard will be required to keep the Blazer barge from crashing into the pier. We normally don’t forecast such a big drop in wins, but we can’t help but look “under” at the Rose Garden.

Unlike a year ago when ravaged by injuries, the Oklahoma City Thunder (56½) are likely to inhale most of the available oxygen in the Northwest Division. Of course, getting former league MVP Kevin Durant back in the fold after his injury-plagued 2015-16 is the biggest development, but that wasn’t the main news in the offseason at The Peake, as ex-Florida HC Billy Donovan makes the jump to the NBA to replace the jettisoned Scott Brooks. While new to the pro game, Donovan coached and saw lots of NBA talent with the Gators, and most insiders expect Donovan to let his star players improvise and create, rather than overcoaching with set plays on every possession. Thus, there’s a good chance Durant and Russell Westbrook might flourish to an even greater extent. And during the wreckage of 2014-15, Ok City did add a potential valuable piece in C Enes Kanter, acquired from the Jazz at the trade deadline and finally giving the Thunder a post threat who can score close to the basket. (Ok City GM Sam Presti thought enough of Kanter to reward him with a $70 million offer sheet in restricted free agency.) A full-strength Thunder completely change the dynamics in the Northwest as well as the entire conference, and unless Donovan flops (which we highly doubt), this might be the year it all comes together in Ok City before pending FA Durant decides what to do next summer. “Over” at The Peake.

It’s been nothing but a steep decline lately for the Denver Nuggets (26½), a playoff regular not long ago but trending downward fast the past couple of years since mistakenly moving out HC George Karl. The Brian Shaw coaching experiment failed miserably, and now it is up to former Sacto HC Mike Malone to re-assemble the pieces. Unfortunately, Malone is faced with a massive rebuild with a roster full of role players, rookies, and now no stars after troubled point guard Ty Lawson was traded to Houston for some spare roster parts and future draft picks. In other words, nothing that will help this year. It will still be fun to watch F Kenneth Faried, who was all over the floor last season and did everything except sell popcorn at the Pepsi Center, while Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler can still knock down shots and help Malone pull a surprise or two along the way. Intriguing 6-5 rookie PG Emmanuel Mudiay, a first-round draft pick, has plenty of upside, but nonetheless appears a developmental project at this stage. Add it up, and Denver is not likely to be a factor this term and could be a seller again at the trade deadline, nothing that bodes well for this season. True, Malone doesn’t have to deal with DeMarcus Cousins, as he did in his time with Sacto last season, but we see few other positives for the new coach in the short term with the Nuggets, so we look “under” in the Mile High City.

The Utah Jazz (41½) were one of the NBA’s belles of the ball in the second half of last season, winning 19 of their last 29 games on the back of a superb defense led by the promotion of the Frenchy “Stifle Tower” (or do you prefer “French Rejection” instead?) Rudy Gobert to starting center. Unfortunately, a lot of the feel-good in Salt Lake City was tempered in the offseason when emerging young 6-6 PG Dante Exum wrecked a knee playing for the Aussie national team and will be lost for the season. But the absence of Exum, while on the ascent, does not figure to be a death knell for HC Quin Snyder, who likely gives the PG job back to Trey Burke, who was close behind Michael Carter-Williams and Victor Oladipo for Rookie of the Year honors the previous term before yielding minutes to Exum in the later portion of 2014-15. The emergence of Gordon Hayward into an All-Star caliber contributor remains a plus, and Gobert’s presence on the stop end figures to become more pronounced as the season progresses. Exum’s injury prevents us from looking “over” at Energy Solutions Arena, but enough positives are still present for the Jazz to keep us neutral on their win prospects this term.

PACIFIC DIVISION

We have been burned a couple of times in recent years when expecting too much of the Sacramento Kings (32½). Call us stubborn, because we’re doing it again. That’s because we’re giving the Kings one more mulligan for their disjointed 2014-15 campaign that featured three different head coaches and an eventual awkward transition to the regime of current HC George Karl after the All-Star break. Karl’s track record, however, suggests the Kings should not remain a doormat. We saw the Karl touch in the offseason, gambling on a potential elite PG in Rajon Rondo and adding valuable rotation pieces Marco Belinelli from the Spurs and Kosta Koufas from the Griz. Kentucky rookie C Willie Cauley-Stein will also provide defense on nights when DeMarcus Cousins is pouting or otherwise occupied. Yes, adding another complicated personality in Rondo to go along with the moody Cousins means that Karl perhaps should have considered offering Dr. Phil a assistant coaching role, but a mild upgrade into the mid 30s in wins is not asking much from a team that already has 20+ scorers in Cousins and Rudy Gay. Look “over” at the Sleep Train.

It was a fun ride last season for the Golden State Warriors (60½), winning their first NBA title in 40 years, or since one of our all-time favorite teams, led by Rick Barry and coached by the wolverine-like Al Attles, took the crown in a startling Finals sweep of the then-called Washington Bullets. Like the subsequent Warriors team in 1975-76 that would lose in the West Finals to Paul Westphal, Alvan Adams, Gar Heard, and the Phoenix Suns, we wonder if the Warriors get back to the top of the heap this term. Keep in mind that Golden State experienced uncommonly good injury luck last season, and any resurface of MVP G Steph Curry’s previous problems with turned ankles and other nagging maladies could somewhat derail the operation. Already there is injury news on the bench as HC Steve Kerr will miss the start of the season due to a balky back, with assistant Luke Walton pushing the buttons until further notice. A signal of things to come? On the other hand, aside from F David Lee’s departure to Boston, there was no significant roster outflow, and much of the same roster that dominated the league a year remains in tact. Only this time, Golden State wears a huge target, and if the Warriors can’t catch the same injury breaks that helped so much a year ago, we are not convinced they get to 60 wins. Golden State might well return to the Finals, but it’s an “under” for us in Oakland.

There is lots of wishful thinking going on with the support base of the Los Angeles Lakers (29½), who had to endure an unspeakably difficult 21-61 slog a year ago, the franchise’s worst mark since it moved to California in 1959. And, in their defense, it is hard to imagine things going as pear-shaped this term after injuries took Kobe Bryant out of the equation after just a handful of games, while promising rookie PF Julius Randle went out for the season with a leg injury in the opener. But these are still turbulent times for the Lake Show, with Jimmy and Jeanie Buss locked in a sibling rivalry for direction of the franchise, and GM Mitch Kupchak now supposedly given a freer hand to alter the roster as he sees fit. There is some hope for the future with Randle having returned and top draftee D’Angelo Russell from Ohio State promising to add some real spark. The shadow of Kobe, and his immense contract, however, delay the beginning of any serious rebuilding, and even if he remains healthier (a big if after missing most of the past two seasons as his body, like so many veteran players before him, breaks down late in his career), we’re not sure how that plays in what is likely his valedictory campaign. We just wonder how HC Byron Scott continues to handle a caretaker role until Kobe likely exits stage left at the conclusion of the season. In the East, perhaps we would entertain an “over” recommendation, but not in the West, where the schedule is too tough for the Lakers to make a significant move forward this year. Another “under” for the Lake Show.

Is the window of opportunity closing for the Lakers’ Staples Center co-tenant [B]Los Angeles[/B] Clippers (56½)? It might be for HC Doc Rivers, hired by the previous Donald Sterling regime to steer the team further in the postseason than it went under predecessor Vinny Del Negro. That has yet to happen, however, and the bitter after-taste of blowing a 3-1 lead in the West semis vs. the Rockets might have Doc on notice from new owner Steve Ballmer, who when not being featured on Shaqtin’ a Fool with his dance antics during timeouts does not seem the sort to tolerate any further underachieving, especially in the manner of the most-recent postseason exit. The importance of managing to hold onto C DeAndre Jordan (who first committed to Dallas in free agency) cannot be minimized, as his presence on the defensive end frees Blake Griffin to concentrate more on offense. But the main motor in the Clips’ engine room remains PG Chris Paul, whose knees are becoming more brittle by the season, and Doc is going to have to spend the first half of the campaign figuring out his rotations with a diverse cast of newcomers, with Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson, Josh Smith, and Wesley Johnson all looking for minutes and a defined role. The energy provided by since-departed Matt Barnes (now in Memphis) might also be hard to replace. By April, perhaps Rivers has assembled the pieces for a legit title run, but we foresee some bumps along the way, so it’s an “under” for us at the Clip Joint.

Unlike a year ago, when off a narrow miss at a playoff berth in 2013-14 that no one expected, few are paying attention to the Phoenix Suns (36½), who faded down the stretch last season when losing 10 of their last 11 to drop from postseason contention. That slump, however, coincided with an ankle injury to G Brandon Knight, acquired at the trade deadline from the Bucks and regarded so highly by GM Ryan McDonough and HC Jeff Hornacek that he was subsequently signed to a $70 million, five-year deal to remain in Phoenix. So, unlike a year ago, there is now some clarity in the backcourt after last year’s roster logjam had Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas (also both with contract distractions) looking to get out. Now, Hornacek sees Knight and fellow backcourt mate Eric Bledsoe as the cornerstones of the roster. Meanwhile, there looks to be some stability in the post with the addition of veteran C Tyson Chandler, who is also expected to provide needed leadership in the clubhouse. Thus, sources say chemistry issues that proved a distraction last season should not be a factor, and Hornacek has proven plenty capable of coaxing more out of past rosters. Getting into the high 30s in wins is not asking too much of the Suns, so we look “over” in the Valley of the Sun.

[StarDust Bum]

Team Pitcher Open Line Movements Current Runline Scores

8:05 PM EDT

901 NEW YORK METS (R) Harvey, M -113 7o25 / 7o15 7o20 +1.5(-230)
902 KANSAS CITY ROYALS (R) Volquez, E 7o25 -104 / -109 / -110 -109 -1.5(+190)

NYM-LF-Yoenis Cespedes-Probable | NYM-RF-Michael Cuddyer-Doubtful | TV: FOX | CLOUDY, 40% CHANCE SHOWERS. WIND IN FROM LEFT CENTER 5-10. GAME TEMP 56, RH 86%

----------------------------

MLB Consensus Picks


SIDES (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

8:00 PM NY Mets -104 461 47.92% Kansas City -104 501 52.08% View View


TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds

8:00 PM NY Mets 7 387 51.26% Kansas City 7 368 48.74% View View

------------------------------

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27

Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Mets - 8:00 PM ET Kansas City -104 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Kansas City - Under 7 500 DOUBLE PLAY

----------------------------------


MLB PLAYOFF RECORD:

*****.......................................5 - 8
double plays..............................10 - 9
triple plays................................4 - 7
grand slam................................5 - 3
double grand slam......................4 - 2
total.........................................8 - 10

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY'S MLB PLAYOFF RECORD:

1 - 1 DOUBLE PLAY

MLB PLAYOFF RECORD:

*****.......................................5 - 8
double plays..............................11 - 10
triple plays................................4 - 7
grand slam................................5 - 3
double grand slam......................4 - 2
total.........................................8 - 11

[StarDust Bum]

Game 2 - Mets at Royals
October 28, 2015


World Series Game 2
New York Mets at Kansas City Royals | 8:07 p.m. ET (FOX)
Pitching Matchup: Jacob deGrom vs Johnny Cueto
Money-Line: Mets -125, Royals +115
Run-Line: Mets -1.5 +130, Royals +1.5 -150
Over/Under: 7.5
Updated Series Odds: Mets +150, Royals -180

After an absolute instant classic in Game 1 last night that featured virtually everything you can think of, what can possibly happen this evening in Game 2 for an encore? There are no words that can properly do the series opener justice, which ended up being one of the longest and most thrilling games in World Series history, chock full of numerous remarkable moments that will forever be remembered, so it should be incredibly intriguing to see how tonight’s second contest unfolds from The K before the series shifts to Citi Field for the next three games beginning Friday.

Fortunately for the Mets, they’ll have arguably their best pitcher on the hill seeking to salvage a split in the first two games, Jacob deGrom (14-8, 2.54 ERA), who has been absolutely terrific throughout this postseason. In fact, all three playoff assignments for last year’s NL Rookie of the Year have registered as quality ones, with none no bigger than a couple of weeks ago when deGrom was able to outduel NL Cy Young candidate Zack Greinke in Game 5 of the NLDS, en route to moving on past the Dodgers.

In total, the 27-year-old “deGrominator” has recorded 20 total innings in the playoffs, yielding just four runs on 15 hits, while compiling an outstanding 27/5 K/BB ratio, spearheaded by his 13-strikeout effort in Game 1 of the NLDS that tied a franchise postseason record. Perhaps most impressive of all, deGrom’s three playoff starts have all come on the road, where the right-hander had an ERA of more than a full run higher during the regular season compared to his work at home. It’s interesting to note that the under hit in all three of his outings, as the Mets went 3-0 in those games as well.

"I just like pitching," deGrom told The Associated Press. "On the road, it doesn't really matter. I've actually enjoyed pitching on the road in the postseason. You go out there and you're getting booed and it's fun to try to silence the crowd."

While the Mets did not oppose the Royals at all during the regular season, they did face Kansas City’s Game 2 starter approximately four months ago. That would be former Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto (11-13, 3.44 ERA), whom the club acquired just prior to the trade deadline. While Cueto, last year’s NL Cy Young runner-up, has experienced mostly up-and-down results since arriving in KC, he was very steady on July 26 opposite New York. Despite taking the loss, Cueto was very good in six innings on that night, scattering only two hits, a few walks, and striking six, while surrendering just a couple of runs.

Although his numbers since joining the Royals have left a lot to be desired, the trend is that he has been better overall at home, which is exactly where he finds himself tonight. In fact, Cueto’s ERA at home this year (2.96) in 14 starts was significantly better than it was in his 18 outings on the road (3.80). Additionally, Cueto also possessed a lower strikeout rate, higher opposing batting average, and higher WHIP in his assignments away from home.

Johnny Beisbol has made three starts this postseason, yielding mixed results as well. He had his best performance in the deciding Game 5 of the ALDS against the Astros, when he fired eight brilliant innings of two-run ball, limiting Houston to just two hits and striking out eight, en route to claiming that series. In his other two starts, however, Cueto was not as successful, especially in his most recent outing last Monday when the Blue Jays drilled him for eight runs on six hits and four walks in only two innings of work at Rogers Centre. Fortunately for Kansas City, Cueto will be working from the comforts of home tonight at Kauffman Stadium. It’s also worth pointing out that the over hit in all three of Cueto’s postseason starts thus far, while KC won two of the three.

One of the Mets’ main strengths, closer Jeurys Familia, who had converted 21 consecutive saves -- including five in this postseason -- came apart last night in coughing up the lead in the ninth inning for his first blown save since the very end of July. Alex Gordon miraculously tied the game with a solo home run off him with one out, triggering extra innings and helping contribute what turned out to be an instant classic affair.

Also of note, the red-hot Daniel Murphy failed to homer for the first time after doing so in the previous six playoff games, which is a Major League postseason record. In last night’s contest, he went 2-for-7 with a pair of singles. Murphy is 3-for-17 in his career versus Cueto, however.

There’s no doubt both bullpens were severely taxed in Game 1, providing an interesting variable for those taking a stab at tonight’s Game 2 action. Thus, it’s imperative that both deGrom and Cueto go deep into the game for their respective teams, especially the latter, as the Royals even had to use previously tabbed Game 4 starter Chris Young for multiple innings.

Of the previous 62 teams to win Game 1 of the World Series at home, 35 of them (56.5 percent) have also won Game 2, including eight of the past ten. Out of those who would win Game 2, 28 (80 percent) have gone on to win the title, making tonight’s encounter extra critical.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

World Series


NY Mets @ Kansas City

Game 903-904
October 28, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Mets
(deGrom) 15.452
Kansas City
(Cueto) 17.368
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas City
by 2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Mets
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas City
N/A




MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, October 28

deGrom is 4-0, 1.50 in his last five starts (under 4-0 last four).

Cueto is 1-1, 7.88 in his last three starts (over 3-0 last three).

Royals won five of last seven games with New York, teams haven't met since a three-game set in '13; four of last six series games stayed under. KC last won World Series in 1985; Mets last won World Series the next year.

Mets won five of their last six games (under 4-2-1 last seven).

Royals won seven of their last nine games (over 6-3).

Game 1 winner won 17 of last 20 World Series.




MLB

Wednesday, October 28

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8:07 PM
NY METS vs. KANSAS CITY
NY Mets are 15-5 SU in its last 20 games on the road
NY Mets are 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Kansas City is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing NY Mets
Kansas City is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, October 28


Young, Royals' Game 1 winner, still set for Game 4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chris Young's unplanned and successful relief outing Tuesday won't change the Kansas City Royals' World Series rotation plans.

The veteran right-hander threw 53 pitches, 34 for strikes, in three hitless innings, picking up the victory in the Royals' 5-4, 14-inning triumph over the New York Mets in the series opener.

Young is scheduled to start Game 4 of the World Series, Saturday in New York, and manager Ned Yost said the Tuesday outing won't prompt him to make a change.

"Our plan going into it was he could go 45 to 50 pitches," Yost said. "Once it got to the 50-pitch mark, it was, 'OK, we're going to go all out to win this game and Chris is going to go as far as he could go.'

"But we ended up winning the ballgame in kind our threshold there."

Young, who had not touched 90 mph with his fastball during the regular season, hit 90 several times in his three innings.


Mets eye quick recovery after stinging Game 1 loss

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The New York Mets know the pressure is on heading into in Game 2 of the World Series on Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium.

Closer Jeurys Familia blew a ninth-inning lead Tuesday, and New York fell 5-4 in 14 innings to the Kansas city Royals in the World Series opener that started Tuesday night but did not end until well after midnight Wednesday.

The winner of Game 1 went on to win the Fall Classic 67.7 percent of the time, including 11 of the past 12 and 16 of the past 18.

"We're frustrated," Mets manager Terry Collins said after the defeat. "We didn't have a lot of opportunities, but we had a few shots.

"But we got the lead (in the fifth inning) and we lost it. We came back and got the lead again."

Then Familia, who saved 43 games during the regular season, gave up a home run to Alex Gordon in the ninth to send the game into extra innings. It was the first time the right-hander blew a save chance since July 30.

"We've got to put them away," Collins said. "We've got to do a better job. Certainly (Wednesday) night in the same situation, he'll be back out there."

The Mets send Jacob deGrom to the mound in Game 2, looking to even the series.

"When you start on the road, you go in saying, 'Look, we've got to come out of here 1-1,'" Collins said. "Now we've got a chance with Jake going (Wednesday). We've got to come out, give him big hits and give him something to work with."



5 things we know entering World Series Game 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Eric Hosmer's sacrifice fly in the 14th inning scored Alcides Escobar with the winning run, and the Kansas City Royals outlasted the New York Mets to take a 5-4 victory Tuesday in Game 1 of the World Series. The Royals forced extra innings on Alex Gordon's solo homer in the bottom of the ninth.

Here are five things we know about the World Series heading into Game 2:

--Alcides Escobar likes the leadoff spot. The Kansas City shortstop, who set a major league postseason record by recording a leadoff hit in the first four games of the American League Championship Series, hit the first pitch he saw in the World Series for an inside-the-park home run. "If they throw me a fastball in the strike zone, I'm ready to swing the bat," Escobar said. He recorded the first World Series inside-the-park home run since 1929, when Mule Haas of the Philadelphia Athletics did it against the Chicago Cubs in Game 4. The only other player to lead off a World Series game with an inside-the-park home run was Patsy Dougherty of the Boston Americans in Game 2 of the very first World Series, in 1903 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

--Daniel Murphy is not perfect, but he is still really good. The only player in major league history to hit home runs in six consecutive postseason games, Murphy saw the streak end Tuesday. However, he singled leading off the third inning and scored the Mets' first run, and he finished the night 2-for-7. "We didn't win a ballgame," Murphy said. "We'll get ready. We'll sleep tonight. We've got Jake (deGrom) going tomorrow. We know how good he's been. Hopefully as an offense, starting with myself, we can have some better at-bats tomorrow. I didn't do a very good job in extra innings. There were a couple of pitches I'd like to have back, the ones in the middle that ended up in the stands (as foul balls)."

--The Mets are slow starters. They are 0-5 all-time in World Series Game 1s, losing to the Baltimore Orioles (1969), the Oakland A's (1973), the Boston Red Sox (1986) and the New York Yankees (2000) before Tuesday. They are 2-2 all-time in Game 2, having defeated the Orioles 2-1 in 1969 and the Athletics 10-7 in 12 innings in 1973. However, they are not going to give up. "I think we still have our normal confidence," Game 1 starter Matt Harvey said. "We realize it's a seven-game series. There's no panic whatsoever. We're in a good place. We have Jacob (deGrom) tomorrow. We've got to flush this one and start over tomorrow,"

--The Royals are not afraid of hard-throwers. As if Harvey and his mid-90s fastball weren't enough, the Mets' next two starters throw even harder, beginning with right-hander deGrom in Game 2. The Kansas City hitters aren't fazed, though. They struck out fewer times than any other team in baseball this year, by a significant margin. Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas was reluctant to claim an edge. "I don't know if you've ever tried to hit 99 miles per hour. It's not easy," he said. "It's not easy to hit 91 miles per hour when it's sinking off the table. It's not an easy game. It never has been and never will be. It makes it harder with guys throwing 99 with sinkers, sliders and cutters. We're going to have to find ways to score some runs, then do what we do, which is play good defense and pitch the ball well."

--The Mets hope to reverse a trend. Six of the seven teams that swept their way through a seven-game League Championship Series lost the World Series, including the Royals last year. The 1988 Oakland Athletics started the trend in 1988, and they repeated the feat in 1990. The Detroit Tigers (2006 and 2012) also fell victim twice, and they were joined by the 2007 Colorado Rockies. The only team that swept a seven-game LCS and won the World Series was the 1995 Atlanta Braves, who swept the Cincinnati Reds in four games before defeating the Cleveland Indians in a six-game World Series.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 28

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NY METS (97 - 75) at KANSAS CITY (103 - 71) - 8:05 PM
JACOB DEGROM (R) vs. JOHNNY CUETO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 103-71 (+23.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 26-14 (+13.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
KANSAS CITY is 57-31 (+16.9 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 33-16 (+13.4 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 12-4 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in October games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 30-12 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Wednesday over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 32-16 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 99-65 (+25.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 70-53 (+7.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 69-43 (+21.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
KANSAS CITY is 19-8 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in playoff games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 60-44 (+10.9 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
KANSAS CITY is 40-30 (+7.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
KANSAS CITY is 22-13 (+8.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
CUETO is 25-9 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CUETO is 25-9 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CUETO is 21-9 (+12.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CUETO is 8-0 (+8.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY METS are 97-75 (+11.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY METS are 17-7 (+8.8 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 this season.
NY METS are 84-84 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 96-71 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
NY METS are 74-58 (+7.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
NY METS are 392-411 (+30.8 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss since 1997.
DEGROM is 23-10 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
DEGROM is 8-0 (+8.0 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 this season. (Team's Record)
DEGROM is 13-5 (+8.1 Units) against the money line in road games this season. (Team's Record)
DEGROM is 22-10 (+9.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
DEGROM is 11-2 (+10.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season. (Team's Record)
DEGROM is 10-0 (+11.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against NY METS this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

JACOB DEGROM vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
No recent starts.

JOHNNY CUETO vs. NY METS since 1997
CUETO is 3-4 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 4.02 and a WHIP of 1.369.
His team's record is 5-6 (-1.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-5. (+0.4 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Team Pitcher Open Line Movements Current Runline Scores


8:05 PM EDT

903 NEW YORK METS (R) Degrom, J -109 -120 / -118 / -117 -115 -1.5(+145)
904 KANSAS CITY ROYALS (R) Cueto, J 7o15 7.5u25 / 7o20 / 7o15 7o17 +1.5(-165)

TV: FOX | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO RIGHT 6-11. GAME TEMP 55, RH 43%

--------------------------------

MLB Consensus Picks

SIDES (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

8:00 PM NY Mets -111 452 61.50% Kansas City +103 283 38.50% View View

TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds

8:00 PM NY Mets 7 327 54.50% Kansas City 7 273 45.50% View View

-------------------------------

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28

Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Mets - 8:00 PM ET NY Mets -111 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Kansas City - Under 7 500 *****

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY'S MLB PLAYOFF RECORD:

0 - 1 SINGLE PLAY TOTAL

0 - 1 TRIPLE PLAY

MLB PLAYOFF RECORD:

*****.......................................5 - 9
double plays..............................11 - 10
triple plays................................4 - 8
grand slam................................5 - 3
double grand slam......................4 - 2
total.........................................8 - 12

[StarDust Bum]

World Series - Game 3
October 29, 2015


KANSAS CITY ROYALS (104-71) at NEW YORK METS (97-76)

Sportsbook.ag Line: Kansas City +120, New York -130, Total: 7

The Mets will be looking to avoid a 3-0 series deficit when they host the Royals in Game 3 on Friday.

Kansas City took a 2-0 lead in the series thanks to Johnny Cueto pitching an absolute gem of a game on Wednesday. The Royals pitcher went the distance in the outing, allowing just one earned run in a 7-1 victory. New York is now in a must win situation on Friday, as it’d be nearly impossible to win four games in a row against a Royals team that just does not beat itself with mistakes.

Game 3 will feature some serious power pitching, as RHP Yordano Ventura (13-9, 4.18 ERA, 177 K) of the Royals will take on RHP Noah Syndergaard (10-8, 3.33 ERA, 184 K) of the Mets. Kansas City’s victory on Wednesday makes the team 4-1 against New York over the past three seasons and three of those five contests have gone Over the total. One trend that seriously favors the Royals in this game is the fact that the team is 20-8 against the money line in the postseason over the past two years. The team is also 8-1 against the money line when Yordano Ventura is on the mound in October in that span.

The Mets, however, are an absurd 17-1 against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 this season.

Yordano Ventura is going to be on the mound for the Royals in Game 3 and with a 2-0 lead in the series, he should be rather calm on the mound. This will help Ventura, who occasionally gets a bit nervous in big starts. Kansas City has won in all three of Ventura’s starts in the postseason, and he was excellent in his most recent outing against the Blue Jays. He pitched 5.1 innings in that game and gave up just one earned run and struck out five batters. He will need to miss some more bats against New York on Friday.

Offensively, the Royals have SS Alcides Escobar (.364, 1 HR, 8 RBI in playoffs) and 1B Eric Hosmer (.231, 1 HR, 15 RBI in playoffs) coming into this contest as hot as could be. Escobar was 2-for-5 with a triple and two RBI in Game 2 and has now safely hit in every single playoff game for the Royals.

Hosmer, meanwhile, has two RBI in two straight contests and has driven in a run in all but one of the Royals’ postseason games thus far. His average is a bit lower than he’d like, but he is coming through when his team needs him to and should be able to keep that up as the series progresses.

The Mets are desperate for a victory heading into Game 3 and Noah Syndergaard will have to deliver in order to keep his team’s championship hopes alive. Syndergaard was big in his most recent start against Chicago, pitching 5.2 innings and giving up just one earned run with nine strikeouts. He has fanned 28 batters over his past three starts and will be looking to rack up some more strikeouts on Friday. It could be tough against a Royals team that really knows how to make contact.

If the Mets are going to claw their way back into this series then the team will need a lot more from 3B David Wright (.171, 0 HR, 3 RBI in playoffs). Wright has gone hitless in eight of the Mets’ 11 playoff games and he is supposed to be the reliable veteran in this lineup. He needs to get himself back on track with a big performance in Game 3.

2B Daniel Murphy (.383, 7 HR, 11 RBI in playoffs) was unable to get a hit for New York in Game 2, marking the first time that happened in the postseason so far. The Mets really use another big performance out of him on Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

Heat is on: Mets need it in Game 3
October 29, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The man-child on the mound was simply getting some work in, two simulated innings to keep sharp for the World Series.

It was late afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, dimmed by dark clouds on this overcast day in Kansas City, and even his New York Mets teammates wanted no part of 6-foot-6 Noah Syndergaard.

David Wright bounded into the batting cage, watched a few fastballs whizz by like pellets fired from a BB gun, and stepped right back out.

''How are you supposed to hit that?'' he asked buddy Michael Cuddyer.

A chuckling group of Mets marveled at Syndergaard's sizzling cheese the day before the Series opener - but now they've placed the heat squarely on their rookie starter. With the National League champs trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven set, the 23-year-old thunderbolt aptly nicknamed Thor pitches Friday night against Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura.

And the Mets know perfectly well they can't afford to lose.

''It's nice to have Noah going,'' second baseman Daniel Murphy said after a 7-1 defeat in Game 2. ''We'll get back to New York and I know the guys will be excited.''

The first World Series game at Citi Field features two of the hardest throwers in baseball.

Syndergaard's fastball averaged 97.1 mph during the regular season, the highest velocity of any major leaguer who pitched at least 150 innings, according to STATS.

The 24-year-old Ventura ranked third at 96.3 mph.

In the NL playoffs, Syndergaard threw 22 pitches at least 100 mph and topped out at 101, STATS said.

Ventura can touch the century mark, too.

But while Syndergaard certainly brings it, so do Mets aces Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom. And despite their 95-98 mph fastballs, neither one was able to throttle a Royals lineup that's mastered the lost art of consistently making solid contact.

''This team likes the fastball,'' said ALCS MVP Alcides Escobar, the aggressive leadoff man who is batting .364 with 12 runs, eight RBIs and seven extra-base hits this postseason.

Alex Gordon proved that premise with a tying homer in the ninth inning of Game 1 on a 97 mph quick-pitch from New York closer Jeurys Familia.

''We're always ready for the fastball,'' Gordon explained. ''Never miss a fastball and adjust to off-speed.''

Scolded by Wright in spring training for eating lunch in the clubhouse during an intrasquad game, Syndergaard acknowledged a rookie mistake and agreed he should have been on the bench looking to learn something. And despite all the attention his heater draws, the rapid development of Syndergaard's secondary pitches has been the key to his immediate success.

After making his major league debut in May, he picked up a two-seamer that runs to his arm side and fine-tuned his changeup. He gained control of his sharp slider without losing the ability to bend in that slower curveball.

All those improvements helped the right-hander finish 9-7 with a 3.24 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 150 innings - not to mention a long home run to straightaway center field.

Then he went 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA in three NL playoff games, including his first career relief appearance.

Powerful arm, swift progression.

''He's a very fast learner,'' Mets manager Terry Collins said. ''He has no fear.''

Ventura generates velocity with a whip of his slender frame, perhaps generously listed at 6-feet tall. Syndergaard, by contrast, is a 240-pound hammer who revels in his larger-than-life image.

With long, golden locks flowing out from beneath his baseball cap, 11 letters to that unusual last name arched around his shoulders on the back of a Mets jersey, Syndergaard resembles some sort of Viking pitcher sent from the ancient past.

The ninth century nearly straight to the National League, with an impressive pit stop at Double-A Binghamton.

Syndergaard was given the moniker Thor - the Norse god known for ferocious storms - after tweeting a photo of himself in costume doing squats on Halloween two years ago.

Before his NL Championship Series start against the Cubs, he changed the photo atop his Twitter page to a shot featuring lightning striking Chicago's famous Willis Tower. For the World Series, bolts descending on the Kansas City skyline.

Syndergaard has ''Thor'' embroidered in gold on one of his gloves. There's also a ''Tyrion'' model from ''Games of Thrones'' and ''Drago'' from ''Rocky IV'' and ''Heisenberg'' from ''Breaking Bad,'' among others.

''Characters I like,'' he said.

Off the field, however, Syndergaard is not all nasty.

He speaks in soft tones with an air of confidence, and graciously posed for cellphone photos Monday night with Mets and Royals rooters alike - even a disgruntled Cubs fan - following dinner at a popular Kansas City barbecue joint.

Now, back home where he's pitched his best, Syndergaard will try to win a World Series game his team must have, just as Ventura did as a rookie last year in Game 6 against San Francisco.

''He believes he belongs here,'' Collins said. ''And that speaks volumes.''