Playoff Gameday Thread, #18: The stage is set

Game 1, 5:07 pm Fox. Series tied 0-0

Matt Harvey RHP, 13-8, 2.71

Edinson Volquez RHP, 13-9, 3.55

Curtis Granderson - RF	Alcides Escobar - SS
David Wright - 3B	Ben Zobrist - 2B
Daniel Murphy - 2B	Lorenzo Cain - CF
Yoenis Cespedes - CF	Eric Hosmer - 1B
Lucas Duda - 1B	Kendrys Morales - DH
Travis d'Arnaud - C	Mike Moustakas - 3B
Michael Conforto - LF	Salvador Perez - C
Wilmer Flores - SS	Alex Gordon - LF
Kelly Johnson - DH	Alex Rios - RF

It's interesting that that the last World Series wins for these two teams happened in consecutive years: the Royals won in 1985, and were succeeded by the Mets in 1986. Since then 17 different teams have won the World Series. Or, put another way, thirteen haven't, and a dozen still won't have, by the time the book is closed on this one. It's pretty much a wash as far as the bookies are concerned with either side available at odds of 10-11. That's reflected in the betting on the length of the series, with a four-game sweep the least likely outcome at 19/4, while five games is at 9/4 and both six and seven games sit at 7/4.

Oh, hai, former Diamondback Kelly Johnson in the World Series. Remember when he played for Arizona, in 2010-11, before being traded for Aaron Hill and John McDonald? He's bounced around a lot since then: as well as the Blue Jays, he has spent time with the Rays, Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles and Braves, before being traded from Atlanta to New York a week before the trade deadline.

(For whatever reason, Jim has kept this in the queue and not edited since 4:46 today. I think it's raccoons or something. Anyway after 1 it's 1-0 Royals after an Escobar inside the parker.) - Clefo