Kuzul

In a World Series featuring two teams starving for a championship after almost 30 years of famine apiece, the Kansas City Royals would ultimately outlast the New York Mets in five games to earn the title that’s alluded them both for so long. 

When the Royals return to Kansas City, they’ll be greeted by a fanbase that was so ferocious in its passion for the team that Major League Baseball was forced to cancel 65 million All-Star Game votes this year, per Yahoo’s Jeff Passan.

That level of fan participation is symbolic of the top-to-bottom contributions the Royals received en route to their championship. Kansas City’s stalwart catcher, Salvador Perez, played up to his lofty potential and was rewarded with the distinction of World Series MVP. But the likes of Christian Colon, who hadn’t recorded a postseason at-bat until the one in which he drove in the game-winning run, were equally instrumental in the Royals’ title run. 

This enthralling, albeit relatively short, World Series must sustain us until pitchers and catchers report in February. So let’s start with some of the biggest moments, highlights and storylines from the five games it took Kansas City and New York to determine a champion. 

Moments

Edinson Volquez Pitches Following Father’s Death

The biggest off-the-field controversy of the 2015 World Series was set into motion before the first pitch of Game 1.

Edinson Volquez, the Royals’ starting pitcher for the series opener, suffered a tremendous personal loss in the hours leading up to the game. His father, Daniel, died at the age of 63. But no one seemed to knew if Volquez was aware of that fact during his start. 

ESPN’s Enrique Rojas reported that Volquez learned of his father’s death on his way to Kauffman Stadium before Game 1. The New York Times‘ David Waldstein offered a contradicting report. 

According to the Royals, Roandy Volquez, the pitcher’s wife, told General Manager Dayton Moore what had happened and asked him not to tell her husband until after he had finished pitching the biggest game of his career, his first World Series start. The team then asked the broadcasters on Fox not to announce the news, because Volquez routinely goes into the clubhouse between innings, and the broadcasts of the game are usually on.

Whether or not he pitched with a heavy heart in Game 1, Volquez turned in six innings and allowed three runs before turning it over to the bullpen for the remainder of what would be a 14-frame affair. 

Volquez returned to the mound to start Game 5, where he wrote his father’s initials in the dirt before tossing six innings and allowing just one run in the series-clinching Royals victory.  

Salvador Perez Wins MVP

When the stat first hits your ears, it’s a little shocking. Salvador Perez is the first catcher to earn World Series MVP honors since 1992, when the Toronto Blue Jays‘ Pat Borders won.

You reach back into the not-so-distant pass and remember the San Francisco Giants‘ three recent championships, all of which featured Buster Posey behind the plate. The New York Yankees have won five titles since 1992, but Jorge Posada was the MVP of none. Yadier Molina caught both of the St. Louis Cardinals‘ two World Series crowns, but other players were deemed more valuable. 

All of that is to help frame how unlikely it is that Perez, a 25-year-old catcher on a team that saw heroic performances from up and down the roster, earned the MVP award in unanimous fashion. 

But Perez certainly earned his hardware. He hit .364 against the Mets, including the single in the 12th inning of Game 5 that would put pinch runner Jarrod Dyson on base before being driven in by Christian Colon’s game-winning hit. 

Perez is a fan favorite, as evidenced by the record-breaking number of All-Star Game votes he received. But he’s perhaps even more beloved in his own clubhouse. That was no more evident than when Royals manager Ned Yost told the Kansas City Star‘s Rustin Dodd that, even though Dyson scored the winning run, he regretted removing Perez from the game. 

“I think if I had one regret during the whole playoffs,” Yost said, “(It) was I had to pinch run for Sal there in that inning. But it opened up the door for us to score five. I really wish that Sal could have been out there to jump in (Wade Davis’s) arms when we got that final out.”

The Royals aren’t done contending. Their core is young, with Perez serving as the nucleus for that group. Their bullpen is loaded, and their off-beat, put-the-ball-in-play tactics seem to work. 

This is the first World Series MVP award for a catcher since 1992, but Perez could potentially prevent another drought that long.  

Highlights

Alex Gordon sends Game 1 to extra innings with a home run to straight-away center field. 

Daniel Murphy commits an error that serves to jump start the Royals’ rally in Game 4. 

Eric Hosmer scores the game-tying run in Game 5 on a possibly reckless but certainly effective dash from third to home. 

Colon singles in his first postseason at-bat to drive in the run that would put Kansas City up for good. 

Storylines

Royals Find Daniel Murphy and Jeurys Familia Off-Switches

Before a pitch was even thrown in the World Series, Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy had already put together one of the greatest postseasons in history. New York’s closer, Jeurys Familia, brought a 0.00 ERA through 9.2 innings of work into the series. 

Both Mets came careening down to Earth against the Royals. 

Murphy hit seven home runs in New York’s playoff run before facing the Royals, including a stretch of six consecutive games with a homer. He was being mentioned in the same breath as Babe Ruth in terms of postseason heroics, and it was justified. But he didn’t go yard once against Kansas City and would finish 3-for-20 at the plate in the series. 

Familia was unequivocally dominant in his late-inning role for the Mets in the the National League Division Series and National League Championship Series. He earned a perfect ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in eight appearances prior to the World Series. During that stretch, he recorded five saves, converting every save opportunity presented to him. 

Against Kansas City, Familia crumbled. He blew all three of his save opportunities in the series. 

Kansas City Comebacks

For a series that saw the Royals limit the Mets to just one win, New York had several games seemingly in hand before several late-inning circus acts from Kansas City. 

In Game 1, the Royals trailed 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning. Alex Gordon sent the game to extra innings with a home run blast to dead center field. Five innings later, in the 14th, an Eric Hosmer sacrifice fly with the bases loaded scored the winning run. 

In Game 4, with the Mets threatening to tie the series at a two games apiece, Kansas City faced a 3-2 eight-inning deficit. Then Murphy’s lackluster showing at the plate leaked into his performance at second base. He whiffed on a ground ball to put Hosmer on base, and Perez and Mike Moustakas would complete the comeback with a pair of RBI singles to give the Royals their ultimate 5-3 advantage. 

And in Game 5, New York held a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning. After successfully lobbying to remain in the game, Matt Harvey gave up the first of Kansas City’s two game-tying runs. And the second came courtesy of some enormously aggressive base running by Hosmer, who scored from third after an errant throw on a ground ball that never left the infield. 

Based on the optics of the Royals’ 4-1 margin of victory in the series, their title was never in doubt. But throughout the five-game epic, it very much was. 

Sports Illustrated‘s Tom Verducci called Kansas City “the greatest October comeback team ever.” And it’s nearly impossible to counter that assertion.

“It’s a team that just looks for a little crack,” Yost said, per Verducci. “If we find a little crack, they’re going to make something happen. It’s amazing how they do that. And they do that in a number of ways. But the most important thing is they put the ball in play.” 

Putting the ball in play was Kansas City’s controversial mantra all year. But now, with Yost‘s tactics vindicated, the only controversy that remains is the country’s decimated champagne reserves following the Royals’ celebration.

*All stats courtesy of MLB.com

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The American League is taking the day off ahead of two decisive Game 5’s, so Tuesday’s MLB Playoff stage belongs exclusively to the National League, as the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets look to lock up their respective series. 

Monday’s Home Run Derby at the Wrigley wind tunnel ended with the Cubs on top, giving them a 2-1 lead in their NLDS matchup. And the Mets broke the deadlock in their series in record-breaking fashion with 13 runs against the Dodgers. 

Here, you’ll find a primer for Tuesday’s Game 4 action in the NL, including the betting line, where to watch and predictions for who will come out on top. 

NLDS Schedule: Tuesday, Oct. 13

*Odds courtesy of Odds Shark

St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs (Cubs lead 2-1)

It was pretty windy in Chicago Monday night. 

All that wind, plus the ball-smashing talents of Chicago’s young nucleus, led to six home runs from the Cubs in the victory. That’s a new single-game postseason record. 

Wrigley Field is the venue again Tuesday afternoon. And, for what it’s worth, The Weather Channel thinks the wind will be travelling out once again, with only a slight drop in velocity from 19 mph to 16 mph. 

After Jake Arrieta turned in his worst start in months in Game 3, giving up four earned runs in 5.2 innings, the Cubs hand the ball to righty Jason Hammel Tuesday. The 33-year-old has been unspectacular but relatively effective in his last three starts, earning a 2-1 record with a 3.86 ERA and 13 strikeouts. 

Hammel owns a 4.80 postseason ERA in 15 innings, but he hasn’t thrown a pitch in the playoffs since 2012. 

Opposing Hammel is Cardinals righty John Lackey, who looked like he might no-hit Chicago in Game 1. He threw 7.2 shutout innings in the win Friday, striking out five and issuing just one walk.

With St. Louis staring down the barrel of a win-or-go-home scenario, the Cardinals will give Lackey the call on short rest in the hopes that he bottled up some of his Game 1 dominance for later use. 

Prediction: Chicago’s offensive surge overpowers Lackey on short rest. Cubs win 6-4 and take the series. 

Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets (Mets lead 2-1)

Now’s Clayton Kershaw’s chance. 

Now’s his chance to chip away at that inexplicable 4.99 postseason ERA he’s amassed and finally translate some of his historic regular-season success into an October performance worthy of his standards. 

In Game 1, the reigning NL MVP struck out 11 batters and gave up three earned runs in a 6.2 innings. He was out-dueled by Jacob deGrom, who threw seven shutout innings in the Mets’ victory. 

Luckily for the Dodgers, Kershaw won’t be facing any member of New York’s three-headed pitching monster; the Mets will be sending rookie left-hander Steven Matz to the mound instead. Less luckily for the Dodgers, they’re forced to pitch Kershaw on short rest facing elimination. 

In all likelihood, Los Angeles will also have the option to play Chase Utley despite the two-game suspension MLB gave him Monday. He’s eligible to play until his appeal is heard, and the Los Angeles Times‘ Bill Shaikin says it’s “unlikely” it will be heard before Tuesday’s game. 

From the Mets’ perspective, they enter Game 4 with a bit of momentum. Their 13 runs in Game 3 is the most a team has ever scored in a postseason game, and it’s the most New York has scored since Aug. 24 against the Phillies. 

Prediction: Kershaw suspends his playoff woes and douses the Mets’ hot bats in ice water. Dodgers win 7-2 and avoid elimination. 

*All stats courtesy of MLB.com

Danny Garrison is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report’s Breaking News Team. You can follow him on Twitter @DannyLGarrison. 

Follow @DannyLGarrison

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Washington Nationals have some of the most exciting prospects in baseball, and contrary to popular belief, they’re not all starting pitchers. 

The Nationals do have a surplus at that position, but shortstop Trea Turner’s late addition to the fray and the major league service that second baseman Wilmer Difo and reliever Abel De Los Santos have logged highlight the top talent in the rest of Washington’s farm system. 

Using MLB Pipeline‘s prospect rankings, here are the Nationals’ top minor leaguers at every position.

Begin Slideshow

Before the season, I could’ve written down the names of the Washington Nationals‘ five starting pitchers and it would have only been a slight exaggeration to submit that as a list of the team’s top five All-Star Game candidates. 

But with the game just two weeks away, the Nationals’ rotation is only likely to send one representative to Cincinnati. 

A list of Washington’s potential All-Stars reads much like the script of the Nats’ season as a whole. The starting pitchers are, for the most part, nowhere to be found, and several other players have maxed out their potential to pick up the slack. 

If Bryce Harper failed to put up All-Star numbers for the first half of the season, there would’ve been No. 34 jerseys burning in the streets of D.C. in frustration. But he did, so there aren’t.

The more unlikely candidates come in the form of an aging center fielder who began the season on the DL and a newcomer who’s played out of his natural position for the entirety of his short Nationals career. 

With fan voting determining the starting position of players, Washington is essentially guaranteed to have one starter come July 14 after the latest update revealed Harper is more than five million votes clear of the next closest outfielder. 

But the players and the managers get their voices heard next, when they name the All-Star pitchers and fill out the bench. And that’s where the Nationals can earn the most All-Star nods. 

Five Nats have a shot to join the NL roster at the Midsummer Classic. Here they are, ranked for your convenience, based on likelihood of selection. 

Begin Slideshow

The Washington Nationals‘ erratic first half of the season has been a learning experience for the fans as they come to grips with a team that may not, after all, be the first-ever 162-game winner, and for the clubhouse staff as they conduct detergent-related science experiments to get chocolate sauce out of jersey fabric. 

Baseball rarely ever follows a script, but it looks like the Nationals didn’t even attempt to learn their lines. After opening the season as consensus World Series favorites, Washington promptly started said season with a 3-8 record. The team followed that early face-plant with three months’ worth of peaks and valleys. 

With heroic individual performances serving to balance out inconsistent pitching, the Nationals were one of the hardest teams to predict in the first half of the year. But Washington hasn’t been without flashes of dominance on its way to a 37-33 record and a seat atop the NL East. 

The Nationals are still finding their identity, and once that process is complete the team’s raw talent could overwhelm the rest of baseball. But to hazard any guesses regarding the second half of the season would be just that: guesses. 

So while we wait for the team to advance the story for us, here’s a look back at the anatomy of the Nationals’ first half of the 2015 season. 

Begin Slideshow

Giancarlo Stanton has accomplished a lot in his young career, but this offseason he did something that seemed utterly impossible: He convinced owner Jeffrey Loria to put the Miami Marlins in a position to succeed. 

In November, Loria and the Marlins signed Stanton to the biggest contract in baseball history. The deal served as a $325 million domino that led to an offseason of free-agent signings and trades that made actual baseball sense, something Loria has a track record of ignoring.

In an exhaustive feature on Stanton, ESPN The Magazine‘s Tim Keown wrote that the Marlins star didn’t demand just the 13 years and the parking garage full of Brink’s trucks that came with the deal. Stanton required a commitment to success. 

“I’m not going to sign just any contract because I got hit in the head,” he said. 

The deal ended up including an opt-out after six years and the first no-trade clause Loria has ever granted. Those serve as protection for Stanton in case the front office doesn’t keep its promise to field a winner. 

But so far the organization has held up its end of the bargain.

Michael Morse, Ichiro Suzuki, Dee Gordon, Martin Prado, Dan Haren and Mat Latos all found their way to Miami this winter because of the new leaf the organization has apparently turned over. 

Now, for the first time since they started calling themselves “Miami,” the Marlins can also call themselves contenders.

Begin Slideshow

This winter, the Washington Nationals set themselves up to mow down any team that stands in the way of a World Series title, but now it’s time for the Nats to put their $156 million where their mouth is. 

That number is Washington’s total payroll obligation in 2015, according to Baseball Prospectus.

The Nationals shattered their previous franchise spending record in order to win right now. And it’s hard to see them doing anything other than dominating with the roster general manager Mike Rizzo and company have assembled. 

The list of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez reads more like an All-Star team than a single club’s rotation. The offense that supports that squad features two reigning Silver Sluggers in Anthony Rendon and Ian Desmond and a perennial member of the all-potential team in Bryce Harper. 

Washington will be called a lot of things if its grand experiment doesn’t materialize in a World Series trophy. Failure, disaster and underachiever are some of the nicer insults the Nationals would face in that situation. 

But the way this team is built, the odds of making a run at the championship aren’t exactly stacked against it. 

What follows is your guidebook to the 2015 Nationals as they kick off the most anticipated season in the franchise’s history. 

Begin Slideshow

The Washington Nationals‘ mostly solidified and entirely stacked roster is very low on drama this spring when it comes to position battles. 

Entering camp, the Nats had eight position players locked into everyday roles and five veteran starting pitchers plugged into the rotation.

Injuries shuffled the deck a bit—Denard Span will miss the beginning of the season and Jayson Werth is still probable, but not 100 percent ready, for Opening Day. But Span’s injury just gives eventual-starter Michael A. Taylor a jump on his big league career and Nate McLouth is a perfectly capable placeholder for a few Werth-less games if need be. 

Washington’s real parity is beyond the face value of the starting lineup. 

Tyler Moore and Mike Carp look like the last two Nats standing in a battle for the final spot on the 25-man roster. Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer still don’t know who will start on Opening Day and Gio Gonzalez is making sure he remains a starter in general. 

In this list, we’ll take a look at those less conventional position battles and make a call on who’s done enough in spring training to win them. 

Begin Slideshow

This offseason, the Washington Nationals turned a nice roster into a World Series favorite with a handful of key acquisitions, but that’s not such good news for some borderline big leaguers, who will now have to fight tooth and nail in spring training just to avoid cuts or demotions. 

From one through 24, Washington’s Opening Day 25-man roster looks set in stone, save for a setback in Jayson Werth’s recovery from shoulder surgery that would open up another spot. 

Because of this lack of parity, the best chance anyone on this list has of earning an Opening Day spot is about 50/50. Those percentages go to Tyler Moore and Mike Carp as they duke it out for that last seat on the bench. 

But the severity of the consequences of not earning a coveted big-league roster spot also vary among these four Nationals. 

If Moore doesn’t make the major league squad, he could end up on a different team. If Dan Uggla fails to crack the roster, he could end up looking for a different profession.

The beginning of spring training is somewhat of a social event for most players—relaxed, informal—but for these four players, camp will be a grind from start to finish while they look to stay relevant in the eyes of their coaches.

Begin Slideshow

The Washington Nationals checked off all of their boxes this offseason—fortifying the infield and amplifying the rotation—and now, with spring training upon us, we get our first look at the double take-inducing product the Nats will send out this summer.

Washington has eight everyday field players and five starting pitchers who don’t have to worry about fighting for playing time. All that’s left to decide on that front is the order of the lineup and the rotation, so you’ll have to look elsewhere for compelling position battles. 

This preview is a chance to get familiar with the Nationals who will make the biggest contribution to a potential World Series run, their likely backups and fringe players who may be needed in case of emergency this season.

Begin Slideshow