World Series preview: Lineup, experience give Royals edge over Mets

Hitting

Pitching can dominate in the playoffs when teams are much quicker to burn through their bullpens hoping to keep a lid on offenses. That hasn’t been the case with the Royals, who are batting .271 as a team with 99 hits and 63 runs in 11 postseason games. Those numbers lead all postseason teams, including the Mets, who have been on a tear while beating some of the best pitchers in the National League. Much of the damage has come from Daniel Murphy, who has a major league playoff record six consecutive games with a homer. He’s batting .421 with seven homers, 11 runs and 11 RBIs in nine postseason games. His postseason OPS is an astounding 1.462. Curtis Granderson (.303, seven RBIs) and Yoenis Cespedes (two homers, seven RBIs) have added clutch hits, too. The Royals, however, are riding more than a few hot bats. Alcides Escobar, Alex Rios and Ben Zobrist are three of seven Royals starters with at least nine hits in the postseason. KC’s lineup seems to be in a zone when it matters. Advantage: Royals

Pitching

The Mets, who have been off since sweeping the Cubs on Wednesday, have a rested rotation and have announced Matt Harvey (13-8, 2.71 ERA), Jacob deGrom (14-8, 2.54 ERA) and Mansfield Legacy alumnus Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24 ERA) will start the first three games. Closer Jeurys Familia has been stellar, allowing just two hits in 9 2/3 postseason innings. The Royals will start Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and Yordano Ventura. Although there have been some cracks in the Royals’ vaunted bullpen, closer Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera have been superb, allowing just one run in 15 1/3 postseason innings. Advantage: Even

Intangibles

Will the Mets’ two extra days off have an adverse affect on a hot team? Will Murphy continue to resemble Babe Ruth? Unlikely. The Royals were here a year ago as wild card darlings before losing to the Giants in Game 7. Their big-game experience shouldn’t be overlooked. Kansas City is the eighth team to return to the World Series after losing it in Game 7 the previous season. Five of the seven teams won the title the next season, most recently the 1961 Yankees. Advantage: Royals

Prediction

The Mets may have a that team aura at the moment, but there’s no substitute for experience, especially on the mound. The Royals’ bullpen has proved reliable for two seasons and can match Familia’s heat. While the Mets’ top three starters have flashier numbers, the relentlessness of the Royals’ lineup should prevail. Royals in 6.

This story was originally published October 26, 2015 at 3:02 PM with the headline "World Series preview: Lineup, experience give Royals edge over Mets."