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World Series preview and 2007 season reviewby Mark Mitchener - BBC Sport (U1647645) 22 October 2007   Baseball has always been a game which has revelled in its history - and this year's World Series, which begins in Boston on Wednesday, pits together two teams both looking to make a little history of their own. The Giants showed there is no room for sentiment in the modern game by announcing they would not be offering Barry Bonds a new contract The rest of the baseball world paled into insignificance in early August when San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds finally broke Hank Aaron's record of 755 career home runs. Big Barry is very much a polarising figure - and the script had obviously been written that he would set the new record in San Francisco, in front of his own fans, who feel he has been unfairly hounded over persistent claims that he used steroids.Bonds has never tested positive for drug use and has always denied knowingly taking performance-enhancing substances, although his personal trainer Greg Anderson was handed a three-month prison sentence in 2005 for his part in the Balco doping scandal. However, Bonds' critics may have the last laugh after it was announced that the ball with which he broke the record is to be branded with an asterisk by its owners before it is donated to the Hall of Fame, by way of casting doubt over the validity of the record. And the Giants - having basked in the media attention of Bonds' home run race for the last few years - showed there is no room for sentiment in the modern game, by announcing that they would not be offering Bonds a new contract. He is likely to move to the American League as a designated hitter. However, Bonds was not the only big bopper carving his name into history in 2007, as three players - Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez, Frank Thomas and Jim Thome all passed 500 career home runs. Elsewhere, New York Mets pitcher Tom Glavine reached 300 career wins, San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman passed 500 saves, while veteran second baseman Craig Biggio, who retired at the end of the campaign, reached 3,000 career hits in what was the highlight of an otherwise lousy season for his Houston Astros. Indeed, of the four teams to reach the World Series in 2005 and 2006, only last year's finalists Detroit finished with a winning record, although they failed to make the play-offs - while 2005 winners Chicago White Sox and runners-up Houston both had poor seasons, as did 2006 winners St Louis. The season's out-and-out "chokers" were undoubtedly the Mets, who threw away a seemingly unassailable lead in the NL East and were pipped to the title by Philadelphia's late charge. Perennial play-off contenders Atlanta could only finish third in that division - although collectors of sports trivia will have been delighted to see Braves manager Bobby Cox break the record for the highest number of ejections in MLB history. The Mets' city rivals fared little better, as the Yankees overcame a slow start to claw their way back into the AL wild card place, only to fall to Cleveland in the first round of the play-offs. With manager Joe Torre's departure now confirmed, several other top players likely to move on and a new stadium on the horizon for 2009, the times may be a'changing in the Bronx. The Rockies may not have the household names that Boston have, but they have unquestionable team spirit The 2007 All-Star game saw the American League's seeming dominance extend to a 10th consecutive victory as they won 5-4. However, with the NL trailing by one run and the bases loaded, St Louis manager Tony La Russa's decision not to pinch-hit with Cardinals star batter Albert Pujols (his last remaining bench player) seems as mystifying now as it was then.Colorado may particularly have reason to question that decision, as the AL's victory means that games 1, 2, 6 and 7 of the seven-game World Series will be played in Boston, with games 3-5 in Denver. However, the Rockies will surely not be overawed, as they will enter the series having won 21 of their last 22 games. Whether home field advantage plays a part or not, Boston will undoubtedly enter as the bookies' favourites. They have an enviable pitching rotation containing the diverse talents of 20-win ace Josh Beckett, wily veteran Curt Schilling, Japanese star Daisuke ("Dice-K") Matsuzaka and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, backed up by closer Jonathan Papelbon. And while the experts that would have you believe that it's pitching that wins games, there is scarcely a weak spot in their batting line-up with burly slugger David "Big Papi" Ortiz backed up by a strong supporting cast including Manny Ramirez, Mike Lowell and rookie Dustin Pedroia. They are also well-marshalled by manager Terry Francona. But have Colorado read that script? They have exceeded everyone's expectations in the last month, and won an Interleague series at Fenway earlier in the season. Traditionally, visiting pitchers have not always been comfortable at Coors Field, because of its altitude (a mile above sea level) and dimensions - while under NL rules, the Boston pitchers will also have to bat in the games played there. The Rockies may not have the household names that Boston have, but they have unquestionable team spirit - and the stats show that this season, they have been the best fielding team in MLB history. Left fielder Matt Holliday led the NL in batting average (.340) and runs batted in (137), while also blasting 36 home runs. Their pitching star is leftie Jeff Francis, while in spring-heeled centre fielder Willy Taveras, they have one of the quickest players in baseball - which should be as useful at Fenway as it is in the wide open spaces of Coors Field. So, who do you think will triumph this October? Can the rookie Rockies end the dreams of Red Sox Nation? Who will be the stand-out players - and what are your highs and lows from the 2007 season? Let us know what you think. Latest 10 commentsRead members' comments or add your own
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solboy42 (U9276926) posted Oct 29, 2007 Ok thanks for that. I am enlightened! By the amount of interest in this it seems like an lot of people's questions have been answered...Didn't Cuba used to particpiate in thsi pre Castro era?
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lurch1875 (U1919652) posted Oct 29, 2007 ok, so Red Sox rule the roost - can't wait for the Back Bay party tomorrow. And Please, Please, Please Mr Ford resign Mike Lowell....
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JackRubysDog (U4308254) posted Oct 29, 2007 The Superbowl does not have the long history of the World Series, having only begun in the sixties, so I'm sure the first winners were deemed "The World Champions" so to echo Baseball's heritage.
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scottgoredsox (U10042462) posted Oct 29, 2007 Well, I think any team that plays in Major League Baseball would have to be based in North America. Otherwise the amount of travel involved to play games would not be feasible. Look at what happened this past weekend when the NFL (National Football League, i.e. American football) played a game in London. Travel in this league is not a very big issue b/c teams only play 1 game per week, and in this case travel time from the East Coast (where both of the game participants, Miami and New York, are based) to London is not that much farther than travelling to a game in California. But the league was so worried about the effects of the long trip on players that it gave both teams a bye week next week! This would never fly in baseball, when teams play games every day, with usually just one day off (or sometimes none) per week. In the past when regular season games have been played outside the US (Japan, Mexico), they are played in the very beginning of the season so it doesn't disrupt the rest of the schedule.
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jww41005 (U3294144)
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scottgoredsox (U10042462) posted Oct 29, 2007 JackRubys,
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spence_sox (U3335602) posted Oct 29, 2007 the world series....
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U4598702 - banned (U4598702)
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niched (U10208459) posted Oct 29, 2007 The Baseball World Cup is the international baseball competition (which began only last year) featuring the best players in the world playing for their respective countries. Japan won it last year, beating Cuba. It is structured like the football (soccer) World Cup. I was at the game where the U.S. lost to Mexico
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WhiteCamry (U2321601) posted Oct 30, 2007 When the Dodgers and Giants moved from NY to California in 1958 neither could have done it alone. Until then the western-most teams were the Kansas City Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. Even with transcontinental flight coming into its own, no team was willing to fly out to California to play three games in as many days against just one team, then fly back. But with two major league teams in California making it a week’s trip, it was feasible. Comment on this article
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