Los Angeles Times

Keys to the series

- — Zach Helfand

High above Wrigley Field, encased in plastic, Kyle Schwarber’s monster 419-foot home run sits atop the Cubs’ video board. He hit it in the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals, and it’s a warning: These fearless Cubs kids can mash. Chicago has hit 12 home runs in five postseason games. That noted, the Mets probably aren’t losing sleep. Their young rotation features four flamethrow­ers. What should concern New York is that the Cubs won the season series, 7-0. Will young hitting win? Or young pitching? The calculatio­n isn’t so simple. The Mets’ Daniel Murphy was a oneman wrecking crew against the Dodgers. And as good as the Mets pitchers are, Chicago’s Jake Arrieta is probably the series’ best pitcher.

Pick: Cubs in seven.

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