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Media firm Magna research today published its estimates of the audiences for the World Series from 1991. They broke the data down by audience per game in each series (of which, of course, there are a possible 7). There was no Series in 1994 due to a strike. These numbers are estimates, and I have no idea of their potential error; that is, their appropriate plus/minus. Also, the ratings do not show other ways besides traditional TV that people use to follow the Series. I listen to the radio, for example, and sometimes surf to Major League Baseball’s website to...

Pedro vs Andy

Former President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch for a baseball game in Japan Tuesday during his first visit since he left office. Bush joined former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to watch the game between the Yomiuri Giants and Nippon Ham Fighters. Bush changed into a baseball jacket before taking the mound in the Tokyo Dome to throw the pitch before Game 3 of the Japan Series. He chatted briefly with several players before joining Koizumi in a private box. Also in the box were Japanese home run king Sadaharu Oh and U.S. Ambassador to Japan...

<p>TOKYO — Former President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the Japan Series between the Yomiuri Giants and Nippon Ham Fighters.</p> <p>Bush, wearing a Yomiuri warmup jacket, took the mound Tuesday at Tokyo Dome and threw a pitch to Giants catcher Shinnosuke Abe that bounced once in the dirt before being caught.</p>

A Philadelphia newspaper has apologized to readers for mistakenly running an ad congratulating the Philadelphia Phillies on winning back-to-back World Series titles. The Yankees held a commanding 3-1 lead in the championship as of Monday, the day the ad was printed in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The White House could not have imagined it was a step behind generous Daily News readers when it invited a wounded Marine to join the First Lady at tonight's opening game of the World Series. Lance Cpl. Michael Stilson had already gotten a pair of tickets as part of an outpouring by News readers offering to help wounded vets see the Yankees try for another world championship. Of course, the 22-year-old recovering at Bethesda Naval Medical Center was still more than honored by the offer from the White House. He did not want just to say thanks, but no thanks....

Michelle Obama and Jill Biden will attend Game One of the World Series in NYC Wednesday -- and both will take the field for opening ceremonies. Major League Baseball announced just now that as part of a program dedicated to welcoming back veterans, the first and second lady will accompany two dignitaries: Navy World War II vet and Yankee legend Yogi Berra, and Tony Odierno, who lost an arm in Iraq. Odierno is the son of Gen. Raymond Odierno, commanding general of the multi-national force in Iraq. The younger Odierno received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his...

A self-described “desperate blonde” was arrested after she attempted to trade sex for World Series tickets, police said. Susan Finkelstein, a 43-year-old Philadelphia woman, took out an ad on the website Craigslist declaring her wish for seats at the "Fall Classic." “Desperate Blonde Needs WS Tix,” the title of the ad read, according to police. Police who viewed the ad apparently believed Finkelstein went into foul territory when she described what she’d be willing to do for the tickets. “Diehard Phillies fan – gorgeous tall buxom blonde – in desperate need of two World Series tickets,” the ad went on....

NEW YORK — A position-by-position look at the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees going into the World Series, starting Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium: ___ First Base Phillies: Ryan Howard. The NL championship series MVP was downright fearsome in the first two playoff rounds, batting .355 with two homers, 14 RBIs, four doubles, a triple and seven walks. All that after hitting 45 home runs and tying for the major league lead with 141 RBIs during the regular season. One of baseball's premier sluggers, the 2006 NL MVP lost 40 pounds last offseason and became a much better all-around...

Some fans will do anything to go to the World Series. Bensalem police said they arrested a Philadelphia woman Tuesday after she offered to perform various sex acts to an undercover officer in exchange for tickets. According to police, Susan Finkelstein, 43, posted an ad on Craigslist that read: "DESPERATE BLONDE NEEDS WS TIX (Philadelphia) "Diehard Phillies fan—gorgeous tall buxom blonde— in desperate need of two World Series Tickets. Price negotiable--- I'm the creative type! Maybe we can help each other!" An undercover officer responded to the ad, police said, and arrested Finkelstein after she made her offer. Finkelstein, of...

The Houston Astros will hold a press conference this afternoon to announce the hiring of Brad Mills as the new field Manager for the team. Brad Mills, who spent the last six years working under former college roommate and teammate Terry Francona as the bench coach for the Boston Red Sox, has been named as the new manager of the Astros.

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP)—An ESPN spokesman says the production assistant whose affair with Steve Phillips led to the baseball analyst’s firing is no longer with the sports network. Spokesman Mike Soltys said Monday that Brooke Hundley doesn’t work at ESPN anymore. He declined to say whether she quit or was fired. Hundley did not immediately return a phone message Monday. Connecticut-based ESPN fired Phillips on Sunday night, less than a week after he admitted to an affair with the 22-year-old assistant. A representative for Phillips has also said he was entering a treatment facility. ESPN says Phillips’ ability to be an...

"I can't push this enough," Mark McGwire said addressing his Cardinals' players. "Steroids help you hit." McGwire, former Home Run King, will return to the St. Louis Cardinals as their new hitting coach, and he has a simple slogan: "Get Big...Illegally" McGwire proceeded to pull a Mike Singletary during his meeting and pull down his pants revealing his testicles had disappeared. "Would you rather have big balls or hit the balls big?" McGwire asked. The Cardinals players seemed to take to the slogan and clearly so did management. "I'm on board," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "Cheating is the...

NEW YORK – Everyone here wanted to talk about six years ago. Champagne corks whizzed like stray bullets, and beer flowed at Oktoberfest, Yankees-style, and New York was abuzz because its team was back in the World Series for the first time since 2003. Which was all well and good, certainly, if not off by a digit.

CLEVELAND (AP)—The Cleveland Indians hired Manny Acta to be their manager, giving him the job about three months after he was fired by the Washington Nationals. Acta signed a three-year contract with a club option for 2013, Indians spokesman Bart Swain said Sunday. Additional terms were not disclosed. “I am very excited to become part of the Cleveland Indians family,” Acta said. “I look forward to working with this talented group of young men who seem to possess a lot of energy and passion for their work.” The Indians chose Acta after a second interview over former New York Mets...

It was bad news if you were a fan looking forward to Game 6 tonight. But when the official announcement of a rainout was made in New York, it was good news for the Angels. Now Mike Scioscia will have all sorts of options with his starting rotation, including the strong possibility that he could come back with John Lackey, on three days' rest, in a potential Game 7 on Monday. It also means he not only will have Joe Saunders starting Game 6, but he could have Jered Weaver, who had been scheduled to start Game 7, available in...

The 1989 movie “Field of Dreams” was about an Iowa farmer, Ray Kinsella, who was supernaturally commanded to build a baseball field on his farm. Once built, the 1919 Chicago White Sox were reincarnated to play on it. There is a Field of Dreams in Philadelphia – like the movie, this field also has reincarnated a past team - because the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies seem to be a reincarnation of the 1929 Philadelphia Athletics. They have several things in common. The 2009 Philadelphia Phillies ...

The strangest thing about the Philadelphia Phillies' two-out, two-run game-winning rally in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday night was how many players swore it was inevitable. "You're sitting on the bench visualizing what's going to happen, and then it just happens," said closer Brad Lidge. "We always expect to win," said reliever Scott Eyre. "It's just belief," added shortstop Jimmy Rollins.

PHILLIES WON!!!!

If nothing else, little-known Manny Acta, the first of four finalists for the Indians' managing job, has a strong grip on reality. "Every team wants Tony La Russa or Joe Torre to walk through the door and manage their team," said Acta. "The reality is these jobs don't go to guys like that. They go to guys like me." Thus, the job of managing the rebuilding Indians will go to Acta — or to one of three guys like him. Two guys who won't be walking through the door — in addition to La Russa and Torre — are former...

As fans of the Yankees have had much to enjoy this October -- from the Alex Rodriguez resurgence to the first classic games at the new Yankee Stadium -- it has been a difficult month for fans of the Mets. Sure, the break from seeing one Met after another fall to the ground in pain has been welcome. But what pleasure can a National League New York fan get watching the Mets' primary in-division rival head inexorably toward a battle with the team's primary in-city rival? The answer is a simple one: the broadcasting of Dodgers announcer Vin Scully. With...

ALCS Yankees-Angels Sat night, NLCS Phillies-Dodgers Sat night. Talk about 'em here. Going in: Yankees lead Angels 1 game to none, Phils and Dodgers are tied at a game apiece. From 40 degree (wind chill 25) NYC to 93 degree LA, it's baseball's league championship series.

Tynan: "I was too stupid with my mouth"Irish tenor Ronan Tynan is belting out red-faced apologies today for alleged anti-Semitic remarks he made to a Jewish doctor looking at an apartment in his East Side building -- comments, he said, that were merely a joke. Famous for singing "God Bless America" at Yankee stadium, "Ave Maria" at the funeral of Ronald Reagan and songs for Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Tynan is now striking a chord of penitence and reconciliation. "It was stupid of me to be so callous, and I would never want to hurt anybody's feelings," Tynan told NBC New...

...Game 1 of the NLCS pits Cole Hamels and the Philadelphia Phillies against Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers in a match-up of dynamic young lefties. Both teams boast powerful offenses to challenge those starters. ... Two big questions loom over Game 1, and in this series: Will Joe Torre do what Jim Tracy wouldn’t? Ryan Howard went 6-for-12 vs right-handed pitchers and 0-for-4 vs. lefties in the Phillies’ first-round series. Over the course of his career, he’s put up Hall of Fame numbers vs. righties and utility-infielder numbers vs. lefties. Yet time and time again, Rockies manager Jim...

During Friday's playoff game at Yankee Stadium, Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins hit an 11th-inning fly ball down the left-field line that landed clearly fair, a foot inside the line. As millions looked on, umpire Phil Cuzzi, who was standing just 10 feet away, fixed his eyes on the spot and gave his signal: Foul. This blown call wasn't the only reason the Twins lost the game. They were eventually swept by the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series. But all anyone could talk about was Mr. Cuzzi's gaffe. Once again in baseball's postseason, a spate...

Last year, the Dodgers were on the high of Mannymania as they entered the National League Championship Series and LA fans felt invincible. The Phillies had good pitching, but the Dodgers were hot — the World Series seemed easily within reach. The Phillies won in five games and went on to win the World Series. The Dodgers went home. This year, the two teams meet again in the Championship Series and for the Dodgers, revenge is a dish best served… really, it doesn’t matter how it’s served as long as it’s served to Philadelphia. And these Dodgers are better equipped...

How Sweep It Is: Angels Exorcise Demons, Defeat Boston in Playoffs by Johnathan Kroncke Scribe Written on October 11, 2009 BOSTON - OCTOBER 11: The Angels were beaten. They had to be. Down 5-2 in the eighth inning and facing two stellar relievers lined up to close the game, they could only look to tomorrow and a Game Four match-up between Joe Saunders and Jon Lester. Or at least, that's what it looked like. But appearances can be deceiving. Once again, I must defer to the great linguist Yogi Berra who famously declared, “It ain't over 'till it's over.” Unbelievably,...

Vladimir Guerrero and the Los Angeles Angels shrugged off their postseason failures and swept the Boston Red Sox out of the playoffs.

Top 9th: LA Angels - B. Abreu doubled to left, E. Aybar scored, C. Figgins to third - V. Guerrero singled to shallow center, C. Figgins and B. Abreu scored, T. Hunter to second

Sox prolonging the inevitable embarassment. Good for TBS, I guess.

Join in here to talk about today's playoff games. All times Eastern: Angels at Red Sox 12:07, Yankees at Twins 7:07 pm, Phillies at Rockies 10:07 Dodgers won entry to the NLCS yesterday.

How the West Was Won: My Boys from the 'Hood....:-)

Snow Shuts Down Game 3 for Phillies, Rockies Those with tickets can use them for Sunday's game By ARNIE STAPLETON and ASHA BEH Updated 12:45 PM EDT, Sat, Oct 10, 2009 Shutterstock The weather gurus were right. It's cold and snowy in Denver. And Game 3 of the Philadelphia Phillies-Colorado Rockies playoff on Saturday night has been postponed because of it. A cold front moved into Denver overnight, dropping temperatures into the teens with record lows for the date. Coors Field was covered with a thin layer of snow and ice Saturday morning and flurries were expected to continue through...

With the series between the Rockies and Phillies tied at a game apiece, Game 3 has been rescheduled for Sunday at 8:07 p.m. MT. Game 4 has been moved to Monday, with game time to be announced prior to the start of Sunday's contest. Snow began falling Friday night in the Denver metro area as the temperature dropped to 17 degrees in the Mile High City overnight, breaking the record low of 25 for the date, set in 1905. Coors Field was blanketed in snow by Saturday morning, and the white stuff was expected to keep coming down into the...

OK, I'll start this one, too, just in case it gets interesting.Josh Becket vs. Jered Weaver.

CHICAGO - Lefty Barry Obama threw a perfect game and hit five five-run homers to lead the Chica-- No, wait. . . . Sorry, false alarm.

...Caray became TBS's lead voice two years ago, the network's first as a playoffs rights-holder. He immediately made it clear that he knows his baseball . . . expressions. He's like an interpreter who can speak with a French accent but doesn't know French...

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First of all, the first base umpire is smoking crack. Or he's really desperate about his gambling debts.Second, Angels Stadium. Not only is that fake rock sculpture out past center field tacky, not only does it make the place look like a scene from the Flintstones, but those little fireworks that go off when a home run is hit out there are a really juvenile touch. Otherwise, it's a pretty good game.

Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski spoke to the media for more than an hour Thursday about last season and next year. The first question and many more that followed were about Miguel Cabrera's infamous weekend.

LOS ANGELES -- The game turned on the glove of the left fielder, and we're not talking about Manny Ramirez. St. Louis' Matt Holliday dropped James Loney's slicing line drive with two outs in the bottom of the ninth that would have ended the game. With the reprieve, Ronnie Belliard singled off Ryan Franklin to tie the score and pinch-hitter Mark Loretta singled home Casey Blake for a stunning 3-2 Dodgers win over the Cardinals in Game 2 of the NL Division Series. In the winning rally, Holliday's error was followed by a Blake walk, Belliard's RBI single, a passed...

... We're longing for a Freeway Series, when blue flags and red flags would jostle for supremacy in the carpool lane, when neighbors and friends would have to declare their loyalty. Dodgers or Angels? ...

The game has started, and you can watch it LIVE on TBS right now!

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Yankees v. Twins. Game 1 ALDS

NLDS Game 1. Rockies v. Phillies

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—The Minnesota Twins seem to think that 162 regular-season games aren’t enough. The Twins will host the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday in a tiebreaker for the American League Central title and a trip the playoffs. It is the second straight season that the Twins have needed a 163rd game to finish the season, a first in league history. (snip) The Tigers had another concern: Their best slugger, first baseman Miguel Cabrera(notes), was taken to a police station early Saturday after what police said was a fight with his wife. Cabrera’s blood-alcohol content was three times the legal limit for...

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Ted Williams' frozen head for batting practice at cryogenics lab: book BY Nathaniel Vinton DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Updated Friday, October 2nd 2009, 10:44 AM Head of Ted Williams was abused by employees at Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Ariz., whistleblower says. AP Ted Williams, who spent his entire career with the Red Sox, died in 2002 at the age of 83. 'Frozen,' by former Alcor exec Larry Johnson, makes shocking claims about how employees treated Ted Williams' frozen head. Take our PollCryonics: Critical or near-criminal? In "Frozen," Larry Johnson, a former exec at the Alcor Life Extension Foundation...