Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 World Series edition for October 27, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* Game one of the World Series is tonight in San Francisco, 7:57pm Eastern on FOX. Gametime temp: 64.
* The pitching matchup. Cliff Lee for Texas, Tim Lincecum for the Giants.
* Reports say the Mets new General Manager is baseball veteran Sandy Alderson.
* LeBron James and Miami will not go undefeated. They lost their opener in Boston, 88-80. Could they go winless?
* The Lakers receive their championship rings and get by Houston 112-110.
* Good guy Jim Courier is the new captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team.
2. Moments In Time
When Willie McCovey lined that ball in 1962 I thought the Giants had won game 7 against the Yankees. Only, it found Bobby Richardson's glove at second base. It took an earthquake and a big comeback by the Angels to deprive the Giants in 1989 and 2002. Of course the Giants have had some great World Series moments, too. Mays' catch in '54. Cristy Mathewson winning 3 games, all by shutout, in 6 days in 1905. It seems when the Giants are in the World Series it's always something. Can't wait to see what happens this time. Actually, I can't wait to hear what happens, thanks to Cablevision and FOX. I'm surprised somebody hasn't channeled the late Les Keiter, who recreated Giants games on the radio after the team left New York. Wouldn't that be a fun listen?
3. More And Less
The new head of the baseball players union, Michael Weiner, says the players are open to adding more wild card teams in 2012 and expanding the opening playoff round from best of 5 games to 7. He said the players wouldn't be opposed to cutting the season down from 162 games. I'm guessing the players wouldn't be in favor of cutting their salaries, just the number of games. And owners aren't exactly interested in reducing the schedule. Of course, as usual, nobody asks the fans what they'd like.
4. Money Ball
Does money buy happiness? Subscriber Chris C. points out, "So can we finally put the argument to bed that money equates to championships? The Giants are #10, and the Rangers are #27 (in team payroll). If payroll automatically equated to championships, the Yanks would be the Harlem Globetrotters of MLB."
And the Washington Generals would be played by? There are any number of worthy candidates regardless of their payrolls.
5. Rally Thong
When he played for the Yankees, Jason Giambi would don a gold thong under his uniform when he tried to break a slump. And in San Francisco, Aubrey Huff wore a red rhinestone-studded thong around the clubhouse in August, and there's been no stopping the Giants ever since. A Giants fan came up with a cool video to rally his favorite team.
Maybe it'll help get you in the mood for tonight's game. At the very least you'll know what the rally thong is all about. That's what I'm here for.
Happy Birthday: The great Pirates slugger and Mets announcer Ralph Kiner. 88.
Bonus Birthday: One of the former Mrs. Donald Trumps, Marla Maples. 47.
Today In Sports: The Curse of the Bambino is broken. The Boston Red Sox, of all people, win the World Series. 2004.
Bonus Event: No Joy in Mudville. Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio divorce after 9 months of happily wedded bliss. 1954.