Amelia Parreira is a journalism senior and Mustang News sports columnist.
It’s that time of year again — when thousands of people who paid no attention to baseball during regular season suddenly jump on the nearest bandwagon.
Yes, that’s right. It’s World Series time.
This year we will see two teams who have yet to win a World Series title this century, the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals, and I have to say it’s going to be a tough draw.
While the Royals have a powerful offense, the Mets’ pitching is simply invincible. It’s a matchup like no other.
After bypassing the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 in the National League Division Series, the Mets went on to break the hearts of hopeful Chicago Cubs fans as they swiftly took the NLCS in a 4-0 sweep. Ironically, the Cubs never let the Mets get past them in their seven regular season face-offs.
The Cubs, who swept the San Francisco World Series champs in early August, barely managed to get their bats swinging against the Mets in the postseason. With a pitching rotation full of strong youngsters, the Mets had a great advantage, even as they faced remarkable players like Jake Arrieta, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant.
There’s no doubt that the Mets will put up a good fight against the Royals either.
The Mets could very well take Game 3 from the Royals as they plan to put right-handed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the mound. Syndergaard went 9-7 during the regular season and made three postseason appearances, where he averaged a 2.77 ERA.
At his home stadium, otherwise known as Citi Field, Syndergaard boasts an 8-2 season record.
However, the 23-year-old has never faced the Royals, so we have yet to know what he is capable of as he goes into the Fall Classic.
Meanwhile, the Royals prepare Yordano Ventura for Game 3. While Ventura may have had a 13-8 record during the season, his postseason has yet to fall on the brighter side.
In almost 18 postseason innings and four starts, Ventura gave up 10 earned runs. Out of the four starts, he achieved only one win.
The Mets may overpower the Royals on the mound, but the Royals’ offense is full of life.
A major power hitter the Mets should look out for is shortstop Alcides Escobar. In the postseason series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Escobar hit .500 in just 16 at bats. In one game alone he knocked out four hits. There’s no doubt he will have the same energy against the Mets.
Kendrys Morales’s top-notch offensive performance is yet another component to the Royals’ strength. The 32-year-old hit four home runs and contributed 10 RBIs so far this post season, and still has a lot left to offer this World Series.
There is something that the Royals will continue to bring with them in this World Series, something that the Mets can’t come close to: their undying determination.
The Royals have entered the Fall Classic time and time again. After their first and only World Series win in 1985, the team made it all the way to Game 7 of the 2014 World Series, where they lost the top title to the San Francisco Giants.
This season they only let the past teach them and give them room to grow, which they certainly have. This time they will put more into the game than they ever have before, and they will do whatever it takes to get the trophy in the end. Yes, even if it takes them all the way to another intense Game 7.
There certainly isn’t a team that wants or deserves a World Series championship win more than the Kansas City Royals. And with much confidence, I must say that this is their year.
So bring out your foam fingers, your baseball caps, your peanuts and cracker jacks. It’s going to be yet another fun and exciting ride in the wonderful world of baseball.