World Series 2015: Dates, Format, Latest Odds and Predictions

Is it really supposed to be this easy?

The New York Mets came into the National League Championship Series as underdogs because the powerful Chicago Cubs had already beaten the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals in the postseason's previous two rounds. It seemed they had the lineup, featuring outfielder Kyle Schwarber, third baseman Kris Bryant and first baseman Anthony Rizzo, and the big-time pitching, with Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta, to earn a spot in their first World Series since 1945.

The New York Mets would have none of that storyline. They had their own hitting heroes in NLCS Most Valuable Player Daniel Murphy, catcher Travis d'Arnaud and first baseman Lucas Duda to go along with a sensational and deep pitching staff. They not only beat the Cubs, they annihilated them in four games and never allowed the North Siders to take a lead in any game.

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That moment when you advance to the #WorldSeries!!! #LGM pic.twitter.com/dDDolmIKlq

— New York Mets (@Mets) October 22, 2015"

When the World Series begins Tuesday, Oct. 27 at the home of the American League champions, the Mets will likely be underdogs again.

The Kansas City Royals are the defending American League champions who extended the 2014 World Series to the ninth inning of the seventh game against the San Francisco Giants before falling short. They have been motivated to get back to the World Series and to make up for that one-game difference all season.

The Toronto Blue Jays were a powerful team all season with right fielder Jose Bautista, designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and potential AL MVP third baseman Josh Donaldson. When they picked up shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and pitcher David Price at the trade deadline, it raised the talent level on an already impressive team.

But the Mets are not likely to be intimidated by either team. Anytime a squad has a pitching staff that includes Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, it has a chance to pitch a gem in nearly every game. That pitching staff held the Cubs to a .164 team batting average, an all-time low in the NLCS, per SportsCenter.

Game	Date	Venue
1	Tuesday, Oct. 27	at AL city
2	Wednesday, Oct. 28	at AL city
3	Friday, Oct. 30	at New York
4	Saturday, Oct. 31	at New York
5 (if necessary)	Sunday, Nov. 1	at New York
6 (if necessary)	Tuesday, Nov. 3	at AL city
7 (if necessary)	Wednesday, Nov. 4	at AL city

The Royals have strength up and down their lineup, and while they may not be as powerful as the Blue Jays, they have relentless clutch hitters who regularly make contact in key situations, as Grantland's Ben Lindbergh details:  

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Among the Power Pitchers: Does Kansas City's Contact-Heavy Approach Give It a Postseason Edge? by @BenLindbergh https://t.co/xcLjJsDdFp

— Grantland (@Grantland33) October 20, 2015"

Kansas City currently holds a 3-2 lead over the Blue Jays in the ALCS as they return home Friday for Game 6 and, if necessary, Game 7 on Saturday.

Their ability to string hits together was apparent in Game 2 of the series.

Trailing 3-0 as they went to the bottom of the seventh, the Royals rallied to score five runs on clutch hits by first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas, left fielder Alex Gordon and right fielder Alex Rios. They won the game 6-3 to take a crucial victory and put the Blue Jays in an 0-2 hole.

Toronto likes to bludgeon the ball, and their roster features an impressive list of home run hitters. Donaldson belted 41 home runs this year, Bautista had 40 and Encarnacion hit 39 long balls. While stopping Toronto's hitters—or slowing them down—will be a difficult assignment, the Mets have the horses on the mound to give it a good effort.

Team	Odds
Kansas City Royals	+120
New York Mets	+110
Toronto Blue Jays	+900

The X-factor may be Tulowitzki. Few players in baseball carry his stature because he is an athletic, power-hitting shortstop who can turn any pitch around and play game-changing defense. However, the fact that he has been a streaky hitter in the playoffs (.095 batting average vs. Texas; .368 vs. Kansas City) makes it very difficult to predict with any certainty what he could do against New York in the World Series.

Neither organization has won a World Series championship recently. The Blue Jays last won the title in 1993 against the Philadelphia Phillies, while the Mets last triumphed in 1986 in a classic matchup with the Boston Red Sox. The Royals captured the crown the year before against the St. Louis Cardinals.

If the Royals can survive the ALCS and win one of the last two games at home, the belief here is that they have enough talent and drive to beat the Mets in seven hard-fought games.

However, if the Blue Jays shock the defending AL champions and win Games 6 and 7 on the road, they will have a difficult time against the Mets' pitching and clutch hitting. New York wins that matchup in five games.

The Mets have a chance to return home to New York as heroes, catch their breath and prepare to play in the World Series while the two American League teams battle it out.

That's a great feeling, and the Mets will hope they can secure an even better one in the days to come.

Odds via Odds Shark.