The 2015 Postseason is well underway. 26 teams have been knocked from contention. Some rather unceremoniously, others in incredibly dramatic fashion. Now we are left with four teams competing in two separate League Championship Series to see who will go on to the World Series. There are plenty of predictions out there as to who will beat who and go all the way, the craziest coming twenty-six years ago when it was said that the Chicago Cubs would win the World Series (see Back to the Future II), something that's not so far-fetched anymore.
All four teams are trying to overcome postseason droughts that span decades. Of the four teams still in contention, the most recent World Series Champions are the Toronto Blue Jays of 1993! Yikes! The last time the Mets won in 1986, I was just about my son's age. The Royals won in 1985 (the year the first Back to the Future came out, by the way). And the last time the Cubs Won It All, Theodore Roosevelt was President and the Titanic was still three-and-a-half years from its doomed maiden voyage!
So regardless of who goes all the way, somebody's drought is going to end in the coming weeks.
So, I thought it was time to throw in my two cents, even though the first round is already over. Though I didn't put anything in writing a week ago, I have to say my LDS predictions weren't too far off.
Blue Jays v Royals
In a rematch of the 1985 ALCS where the Royals overcame a 3-1 deficit to take the series from Toronto, both teams are pretty evenly matched. Both have a way of coming from behind to win in dramatic fashion in the late innings, and each had very similar records.
However, while the Royals topped the Jays during the regular season for best record (95-67 over 93-69), the Jays had a far stronger second half and nearly overtook the Royals for home field advantage. Not to mention, the Blue Jays feature one of the best offenses in the history of the game as well as some pretty powerful bats. If anything helps balance however, it's the Royals' home field advantage. If the series goes to a final do-or-die Game 7 in Kansas City, I don't see the Blue Jays coming out on top.
Still, Blue Jays in 6.
Cubs v Mets
There's no doubt that there's something special about these two teams. Both the Cubs and Mets have struggled in recent years, each posting multiple losing seasons before coming into this season. So to say that this season has been a turnaround for both teams is an understatement. Both are youthful and charged with energy, but there's something special about the Cubs this season that is undeniable.
Cubs in 5.
Blue Jays v Cubs
Admittedly, this is my dream match up for the World Series. And to be honest, as much as I love the Jays, the Cubs are the one team I wouldn't mind seeing beat them. Both teams have been swinging powerful bats lately with plenty of monster home runs to boot, particularly in their LDS clinching games. Both are fairly evenly matched with the key to success coming down to whose pitching staff better restrains the other's offense. I see this series going all the way, with it easily going either way. However, only one team has displayed a tendency for clutch heroics...
Blue Jays in 7.
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