This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Yes, the 2015 Fall Classic started Tuesday night featuring two of the hottest teams in baseball. From the American League, we have the team with the best overall record that was able to stave off the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays, the returning American League Champions, the Kansas City Royals. And from the National League, a team with one of the biggest youth movements and starting rotations in all of baseball coming off a sweep of the Cubs in the NLCS and surpassing the Dodgers in five games in the first round, New York’s very own New York Mets. But just how will these two teams stack up over the course of the next week or so? Let’s match these two teams side-by-side and try to find their keys to taking home this year’s World Series title.

New York Mets

It’s the first time a team from New York has been to the World Series since 2009, and the first time the Mets have been back since 2000 and when they, ironically, played the Yankees. The Mets gained some momentum after stunning the Dodgers in Game 5 of the NLDS to face to Cubs, who were looking to break their 108-year curse without a title. The Mets had other ideas and came in to sweep the Cubs in four games (R.I.P. Back to the Future Prophecy). And in those four games, the Mets never trailed, always having a lead or tie. In order for the Mets to bring Queens a third World Series title, they’ll have to accomplish three goals throughout the series. First, the starting pitching needs to stay hot. The Mets may have what I think may be the best and youngest rotation in all of baseball. They’ve been pitching well through the first two rounds, but now is not the time for them to come up short, especially against a Kansas City lineup where every slot has a dangerous name in it. 

Secondly, Daniel Murphy MUST stay hot. This man has been hitting like a machine. He’s homered in his last six straight games and is hitting well over .400. Although the other bats in the order have been contributing, Murphy has seemed to have sparked everyone else’s offensive game. Finally, the Mets cannot lose their momentum. Although they swept the Cubs, the Mets have to sit around for 5 days before they play an actual game. Since 1976, there have been 13 teams that swept their teams into the World Series, and only 5 have reached the promise land. Hopefully the Mets can defy the odds and bring a title home to our very own New York.

Kansas City Royals

As for the Mets’ American League counterpart, the Kansas City Royals are trying to make up for their heartbreaking loss to Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants in 2014. The Royals are also trying to snap a 30-year drought without winning a title. Compared to the Mets, who seemed to be centered around starting pitching, the Royals are one of the best offensive teams in baseball. As previously mentioned, the entire KC lineup has a feared name in any spot you pick. When you have Alex Rios hitting ninth, you know your team is headed in the right direction. 

Here’s what I think are the Royals three step to success and finally taking a championship back to Kansas City. One, play small ball. Not only do the Royals contain contact and power throughout their lineup, but they also have speed anywhere in the order as well as the bench (these speedsters include ALCS MVP, Alicedes Escobar, Lorenzo Cain and Alex Rios, just to name a few). And off the bench, they have rookies Terrance Gore and Cristian Colon. If the Royals can take advantage and run on the Mets pitching to try and get an extra base to produce extra insurance runs, their offense should do just fine. 

This brings me to my next key, their lockdown bullpen. They may not be as intimidating as the three-headed monster in 2014 due to the loss of Greg Holland, but Kelvin Herrara, Wade Davis and the resurgent Ryan Madson are still a sure sign that the opposing offense is coming to a close. If the offense can get a lead anytime before the 7th inning, Kansas City will be in line with a win about 85% of the time. This is the best bullpen in all of baseball and will put any lineup to sleep.

Lastly, the Royals cannot press on the fact that they’re trying to make up for last season. If they keep playing the clutch kind of baseball that they have over the last couple weeks, they should be in good shape for winning this year’s World Series.

This year’s World Series will be great to watch. Both teams have different strengths and weaknesses, and we’ll see how it all plays over the next few games. 

UPDATE: Royals claimed their first World Series title in 30 years Sunday night, leading the series 4-1.