Royals by Day, Mets and “The Dark (K)night” Lead LCS

Of course there is a long way to go, but the two teams that won World Series in consecutive years (1985, 1986), each with a “beyond words,” 6th game World Series win at home facing elimination, the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets, are off to good starts in their respective LCS.

Each was the series underdog (Why?!!–the late Beano Cook abhorred what baseball became even before I did, but always “took” the team with home advantage, if it was the underdog) but that is no longer the status, as first the Royals won both home games to lead the Toronto Blue Jays two games to none.

Then on a (K)night, the movie “The Dark Knight” aired on AMC with so many commercials as to be more  annoying than the TBS broadcast team of Ernie Johnson Jr. (no play by play skills–examples upon request), Cal Ripken Jr., who adds nothing and by the way is the most over rated player in baseball history. Sure he showed up each day but after a superb first two seasons —what did he do?!!, and Ron Darling (knowledgeable, but a Mets’ announcer all year, hardly neutral), the Mets’ “Dark Knight,” Matt Harvey pitched them to a series opening win vs the Cubs.

30 years ago in the ALCS, the Blue Jays won the first two games at home vs the Royals and actually led three games to one, but the Royals prevailed in the series. Now the teams go to Toronto, so it is far from over, but I felt the Royals would win before the series and certainly feel that way now.

I have stated my objections regarding Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon before. Jake Arrieta, no lock tonight as a near 9 to 5 favorite, vs Mets’ starter Noah Syndergaard, never the less, clearly should have been the game one choice, with his usual 4 days rest.

Maddon chose John Lester. Daniel Murphy and Curtis Granderson, two terrific left handed hitters continued to “big hit” lefties, as well as right handed pitchers, in Murphy’s case, leading the Mets, playing an LCS opener at home for the second consecutive time, after opening their first 6 NLCS on the road, to a game 1 win.

Now the Mets,  also no “lock,” are nearly 9 to 5 series favorites.