They arrive early and leave late - That's not a prejudice just a simple fact and they do it in every section of the stadium, I've even seen them do it when a pitcher has a no hitter going - They may be passionate about their team but they're passionate in their cars creeping out of the parking lot.

Man, I'd love to have playoff baseball start at 5 PM local time. It'd give me something to watch before prime time TV shows start. I could watch both The Office and playoff baseball! And without the Yankees involved the games might have a shot at being over in a timely manner (stupid patient lineups).

Alas, I live on the East Coast, and so in addition to dealing with increasingly-cold NYC weather I must choose between baseball and TV (baseball, duh) and get to bed late during the World Series.

Ratings-wise, I will add that the Subway Series was a total bust. A Freeway Series would probably be worse, even if it would also be a lot more balanced than the Big Bad Yankees punishing my gutsy but outmatched wild card Mets all those years ago.

I disagree with that as a substantial overstatement, Z. I've been to numerous Dodgers games. Yes, some leave early, but in my experience it has been nowhere near a mjority of the people.

Indeed, one of my favorite experiences in a baseball stadium came during a Dodgers' game in 2007. It was a Friday night game that went extra innings. I was in the upper deck down the leftfield line. The section was packed -- cheap seats, lots of working class fans that allegedly never come to the Stadium -- and they (a) cheered loud; (b) cheered smart; and (c) stayed until the walkoff home run in the bottom of the 10th.

Maybe the high rollers leave early, but they only represent a small portion of the crowd.

It would be the 5 freeway, not the 405!

I'll grant that the most direct route between the stadiums is I-5. On the other hand, no one is really going to be driving between the stadiums in this series, are they? All of the fans rich enough to afford World Series tickets -- and the players themselves -- probably live in wealthy West L.A. or the beach communities, no? Wouldn't 405 be a better option for those folks? And at least according to Google Maps, the 1-5 route "in traffic" would take considerably longer than 405.

I really have to plead ignorance here. The times I've been to the Big A from Los Angeles, I took the 405, but I wasn't the one doing the navigating. Everyone: give me your opinion: If 1-5 is a truly better route from the parts of L.A. where actual World Series attendants are likely to live to Anaheim, I'll change the signs.

405? Really, how can you write an entire, apparently well-researched article and get the headline wrong? Jeff's right, it's the 5.

Right on, Jeff. Once I saw that 405 freeway sign at the top of the page I thought WTF? Who drives from Disneyland to Burbank that way?

I-5 no doubts, not even a question.

Gotta be the 5, it's the only freeway that links the two and it has the exits you can use to get to both stadiums (Katella for Angels, Stadium Way for Dodgers). Besides the 405 is way worse in traffic and then you'll just be stuck on another freeway to go East and actually get to either stadium.

Most fans don't live on the West Side either. That may be where the big money is, but not the fans. I don't think there are very many Angels fans in LA county at all, and a huge number of Dodger fans are regular, working class folks who just love the team. Lots of them have mini season packages which will allow them to buy tickets to the game, although not in the "tv viewable" section or with "stereotypical look" if FOX goes Hollywood as you predict.

I personally have waited my entire life for a FWY series. My father as well, but he won't be able to see it because he is no longer with us. Even when he was dying he rooted his Angels on. So for you
to say "Z" that there is no passion in the west coast fans all I have to say is that this is passion at its greatest and for the record my father stayed at every game he went to until the last out was made even if his team us down 10-0 because he always said "Alot can happen when a team is down to it's last out"...The Angels and Dodgers might not both make it the World Series but I have to congratulate them for making it this far and one series closer to a FWY series. Especially the Angels who have had to overcome many obstacles just to make it this far... Go ANGELS!

It's the I-5 and no Angeleno would take the I-405 to go between stadiums. Both Dodger and Angel stadium are located right off the I-5. Please change the sign.

Most angels fans live in Orange County. You will have to take the 5 freeway or the 57 freeway to get to the stadium. I've been to New York and Boston and Chicago for games and yes they are pationate but a series between Angels and Dodgers is as pasionate as any. It even will divide families here in Southern California. Specialy in Orange county where most of the Angel fans live and are still angry at being called the Los Angeles angels and not the Anaheim Angels as they rightfully should be called. It's impossible to get tickets to a preseason or regular season Angels Dodgers series Imagine the prices for world series tickets!

Couple things, Craig. One, the posters above me are right - the I-5 is the way to go. Not only does it directly link the stadia, but the 405 is WAY out of the way. Sure, you can generally use it to get from LA to OC, but it won't take you anywhere near either stadium. And no, most Angel fans are NOT in the beach cities. There are certainly a decent number there, but there are far more in north OC and even in the Inland Empire.

And as for the shadows, it might be a slight issue the first couple games, but the time changes on October 31, which will eliminate the shadows problem for the rest of the series.

Also, thanks for the love for us West Coast fans. We are certainly passionate about baseball out here and it would be nice if people knew about it.

Yes that is right. We will allways remember game six of the 2002 series. Six outs away down four runs and the monkey came out!!! Angel stadium is seldon empty since then. And the nice thing about it is that its mostly kids who go to those games and they do stay till the end.

re: the ratings being used to rationalize showing more lame boston-new york games being televised

I can't help but think that the probable air-time of the west coast games just feeds this. People on the west coast aren't off work at 5, they are on their way home. I grew up in LA, and we didn't see dad until 6 or 630, because he was stuck in traffic (on the 405!)...so, unless everyone skips work early, at least the first hour or so is going to be missed by everyone from san diego to seattle. And the people on the east coast have to wait until 8 pm for the game, so even the ones who are interested will likely drop off after a bit or just won't watch because they got distracted by other things by the time the game came on... The networks are already anticipating that the east coast won't watch, so write them off. Play the games at regular game time, see what the ratings are REALLY like on the west coast, when the game is played at a reasonable hour for west coast viewers. It's the network's own damn fault if they can't figure out how to market a series this compelling, and just default to Manny, the skinny blondes and that damn song.

They should be played at their regular time. Not five, maybe six. Anyway wasn't one of the postseason games in 2000 played at 8:00 pacific time. I believe it was the mets game. It takes almost an hour to get into the stadium as it is. Now imagine trafic during rush hour? At least you could watch the Angels game from the 57 freeway.

All you SoCalers can relax 'bout your numbers, 'cause it's gonna be an I-95 Series . . .

I'm a New England native who's been out here since '82, and I finally know why L.A. fans arrive late and leave early (more prevalent at Dodger Stadium, and in ALL sections). They do not treat the game as a drama with a beginning, middle and end, but as a social event, a party. And how do you approach a cool party? You arrive late, and you leave early. Beating traffic is an absurd excuse. They have bad traffic everywhere.

And the 5 is correct. Only far West Siders take the 405 and then across on the 22 to Anaheim.

Baseball is a joke. I rather watch snail races.

I challenge everyone to try and get to a baseball on time in L.A. Somehting like 1 to 2 million people come into the L.A. basin everyday for work! Public transportation sucks! So if you wanna make a game ontime you have to leave like 3hrs before first pitch which is normally at 7. This means you have leave work early. Try tellin ur boss u gotta leave work early cause traffic is gonna be bad going to the Dodger or Angel game. See if you still have a job in this economy after telling ur boss that.

A few people do treat it like a social event. But not the mayority. Public transit is the worst here. Anaheim Stadim at least has the train station in the parking lot and a lot of people do go to the game on train. Granted is nothing like back east, but it is something. Dodger stadium on the other hand is in the worst location for trafic and without a hint of public transit, not even buses. And you cannot walk to the stadium because its on a hill. Besides you could get mugged if you do that.

My opinion from the Midwest, now that both of our teams are out of it: I'm glad the Angels got rid of the Red Sox. Here, in middle America, we're sick of hearing of the Yankees and Red Sox as if they are the only two teams that matter in baseball. I would LOVE a "Freeway series" compared to having it on the East Coast.

Don't get me wrong, I've been out to the East Coast, and I love the fans' dedication to the game out there. But I'm just sick of hearing about two teams, specifically, in the national media over and over.

Plus, I'm a White Sox fan, and I want to see Jim Thome have his shot at getting a World Series ring.

Simon the Subway Series in NY wasn't a total bust, the lowest rated series still is last year followed 07 Boston-Colorado and by 06 St.Louis - Detroit and 05 with Chicago-Houston.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wstv.shtml

Jim the Yankees haven't been in the World Series since 2003 you make it sound like they have been there every year. Looks like Boston and St. Louis have the edge for most series in the last 5 years.

forget the snail races id rather watch your mom on cops again.

I'm with you on the public transportation issue. If they had a light rail or subway that went from the West Side to Chavez Ravine I would take it to every game. But because I'm nuts about baseball, I make arrangements to leave a bit earlier and nail down the short cuts to get into the park quicker. It's a jungle out there!

As far as Anaheim goes, I never go down for weeknight games unless I have the day off. It's at least a 90-minute drive at rush hour.

If you are going to look strickly at ratings the Yankees probably have the biggest fan base throughout the country of the rmaining 4 teams but an all LA series will draw only out in southern California. The higest road attendance though is the Chicago Cubs followed by the Yankees and the Dodgers. INterestingly the team wth the lowest road attendance is the Angels 30th out of 30.

I'm also a transplanted Bostonian who arrived in L.A., and I happen to have lived right next door to Dodger Stadium for the last five years (so I can walk there and not have to pay the ever-increasing parking fee...YAY!). I can tell you the following things that I've found through personal observation about the Dodgers and their fans:

1) The comments about Dodger fans being mostly working class are largely correct. Yes, celebs show up as well, but the vast majority of the fans are the locals.

2) The traffic situation around the stadium is very real. There are unfortunately few outlets around the stadium to allow for the increase in overall traffic that has occurred here over the years. Yes, Dodger fans tend to be more fair-weather than say, Red Sox Nation, but the traffic problem is genuine...I see it every time I come home in the early evening when a game is on. Being a local, I know the back roads to get to my place, so I'm OK, but the poor guys who're in their cars to go to the game often find the entrance arteries (like Sunset Blvd.) nearly paralyzed with cars. So I'm not surprised at all any more that there are those who leave early...more often than not it actually makes a good deal of sense.

3) Baseball announcing will not be the same once Vin Scully retires after next season. We in the southland have been spoiled by having decades of something approaching joy listening to this man spin his art of words. Vin is the last of the old-school breed of legendary baseball announcers, and when he goes, his like will not come again.

Once they start the series, can we push California into the ocean and say bye-bye?

You should see the traffic in the Bronx it isn't a walk in the park. Plus the main crossing from NJ into NY is one of the most heavely traveled bridges in the country even with a game going on.

Even without a game going on

Not to throw a curve, but it may be easier to take the 57 north to the 60 west and from there I5 to get from Anaheim to LA. Depends upon the time of day.

LA fans are a joke. I was absolutely stunned by the lack of filled seats during the World Series last year when I watch my Phils roll 'em.

The 1st and 2nd inning commercial break pan outs of the stadium showed an extremely large number of empty seats. Not to mention, I'll never forget watching the people leave in droves up the damn ramps at the bottom of the 7th when they were down by 3, I couldn't believe it!

And don't pull the traffic excuse card. Philly and New York aren't exactly countryside strolls. What do we do if we're fortunate enough to score a ticket to the World Series? We take off from work. For two days. One for the tailgating, the other for the hangover. Nuff said.

As I Giants fan, I don't know if I could stomach a freeway series...

Spoken like a true East Coast jerk. With a personality like that, you must be a Boston or New York fan.. they've got an excess of lowlife jerks.

Amen, bro. What a bunch of whiners.

GO PHILLLIES!!!!!!!!!

Although I live near the 405, please make it the I-5 Series. I think the folks in the urban core of LA would appreciate the nod. You hit the nail on the head when you said the networks will do the "California-style" coverage and emphasize the Hollywood thing. If we have a freeway series, pleae drive the I-5 and highlight what much of LA is really like, both gritty and laid back at the same time.

Did you have to bring that up?!
And SoCAL residents, be careful what you wish for! NoCAL always wanted a bridge series, and we got it AND a 7.0 earthquake!

Really? I'm very surprised, as a member of Red Sox Nation, that the Red Sox isn't among your top three in road attendance. But that doesn't really factor into the discussion. I think in all honesty, it's really only the fans of the teams involved who actually care enough to watch the World Series. I doubt many in either the Midwest or the East would watch a Freeway Series. But that should not be the only criteria, and I feel it's unfair to try to play to other audiences, instead of scheduling the games when the fans of the actual teams involved will be home and can watch their team play. If I were a Dodger fan or an Angel fan, I would surely be unhappy with a 5:00 pm start . . . .have to miss the opening ceremonies? the beginning innings of the games? no, that would not be fair. So even though I'm a Red Sox fan, I have to say that the scheduling is unfair to the fams of the teams who have played so well all year, and have earned their right to play in the Series. And frankly, I do hope it IS a Freeway series, because of course I don't want the Yankees to win! I think everyone else in baseball gets pretty tired of us playing the Yankees year after year after year . . . I'm sorry we didn't make the Series, but that's the way it goes. I would also like to see other games televised throughout the season besides Red Sox vs. Yankees . . .I can get those games on our Boston station. I'd love to see other teams play on the national stations, I'd get to see more players and more games that way.

What was all this bout I-405 series? You must mean a 495 series, right? On that point the important thing the Yankees learned in part this season while losing to the Phillies 2 out of 3 was....not to make excuses.

Ladyfan Boston was 6th on the list when you sort it b road attendance. When you sort it by home attendance Boston is 2nd.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance/_/sort/awayPct

I agree whole heartedly and as far as I am concerned in the division series the Phillies got the worst 2:00 and 10:00 starts. The big problem is the Networks and MLB do play it off as a National Event and you and I konw for the most part it isn't. Last year witht the Yankees not in the playoffs I have to admit I followed the games in the news and online but didn't watch that much. I so agree the Yankee/Red Sox rivalry is over kill to a lot of other markets but blame that on the unbalanced schedual. I am geting tired of Boston,Toronto,Tampa and Baltimore 18 games a year each but then again I am tired f the 6 games against the Mets as well. Regardless 10:00 starts for west coast games against east coast teams is not really in the fans interest either.

Wouldn't that be an I-95 series?

Personally I'd like to see a Yankees-Dodgers series. It would be interesting on a lot of fronts:

1) While it is the most common Series matchup (even after the move from Brooklyn to LA), it last happened 28 years ago, in 1981.

2) You have BOTH of America's biggest media markets involved

3) The Yankees against Joe Torre in the World Series is an intriguing matchup in my view.

The only reason I think Dodgers-Angels would be interesting is that L.A. is the only current or former 2 team market to never have both teams play each other in the series (I'm not counting Baltimore-Washington as a 2 team market here as they were both in the same league in that past version of that).

A fan of baseball, while disappointed that his or her team did not make it to the World Series, will watch the World Series regardless of who is participating. A baseball fan wants to see great baseball. I'm no Yankees fan, but I will still watch them play the World Series if they make it. If you don't like baseball, don't watch it. If you don't want to watch the World Series because your team isn't in it, then don't watch it. My teams are out. I will still watch the World Series, above any and all other shows (Think TiVo!) because I like baseball. It's the sport that matters; not necessarily who is playing it.

The only thing is the media would dwell on the Joe Torre - Yankees element to the point they would ruin the series.

405? Really? In traffic?

Sorry pal, you were on the 22 near Anaheim, not the 405.

Wow.

But since when do you guys think this is going to be a so called freeway series, you guys sound like Obama supporters, dont you guys forget that to get to that freeway, you first have a stop in the BRONX, And you might get a surprise

If this becomes a Highway series, I will tune this series out and turn to Football, Basketball and Hockey . I would rather see a cross country series between either the Phillies vs Angeles or Dodgers vs. Yankee's. A Highway series IMHO would be big loser to Selig and MLB. Just look at how they handled the Phillies vs. Rockies games and made the defending WSC play a day game all because of ratings? Is it about the sport or the money anymore? Rhetorical question, as money is the answer.

BTW...if there is a complaint about the weather as noted above "Last year's ski-mask series between the Phillies and Rays was not a whole hell of a lot of fun" I think that is wrong. Look at the nationally televised parade that followed that game that was the largest ever for any sport. If you ask anyone that lives or is a Phillies fan, I doubt that anyone would say it was not fun.

If weather is a problem, look at the idiot Selig again for not shortening the season. Want to avoid cold weather Word Series games? Shorten the season, eliminate inter-league play and go back to a two division league eliminating a wildcard. This will never happen, as the game of Baseball is not a game anymore and has not been for ages, but rather big business.

Wasn't there some guy wearing an opposing team jersey at Dodger stadium that was shot because he was a fan of the opposing team? I am not sure if that has ever happened in Philly or NY? Harassment,yes. but shooting someone? gang bangers of LA gotta love it!

1) Traffic: Dodger Stadium resides in a ravine - surrounded by hills. There is one way in, one way out. With no public transit option, those 40,000+ fans take their 20,000-30,000 cars to and from the game. As a child, I remember spending over an hour traveling couple miles from the parking lot to the freeway. I guarantee Boston and New York do not have such concerns.

Anaheim Stadium is immediately adjacent to the 57 Freeway. That connects to all points south, north, east and west within a 1 mile radius.

2) The I-5 cuts right through downtown LA and Anaheim. All east/west freeways connect with it.

3) Culture. You guys are spending a lot of time bashing LA Dodger fans. If they were really that crummy, they wouldn't be leading the ENTIRE LEAGUE in attendance this year!! (1. Dodgers, 2. Yankees, 3. Phillies, 4. Cards, 5. Angels)

This is especially interesting because while the Yanks have a new shrine, the Dodgers are playing in a 50-year old stadium. The metropolitan area extends 60 miles inland from the shore, so to suggest only West LA people attend Dodgers games ignores the majority of their attendees - people who live *east* and *north* of LA (the Angels dominate *south* of LA, esp in Orange County).

Last I checked, the Yankees were having trouble selling their own season seats. So don't get hypocritical when a $20 ticket holder jumps the gun and decides to bail a little early.

4) Ratings. Who cares? I know many East Coast folks didn't care for the 2002 World Series between the Angels and Giants, but when you ask *actual* experts what the most exciting series in the last decade was, they'll point to '02. Why? An extraordinary amount of runs scored (one team scored double digits in 6/7 games), a large number of home runs, and a Game 6 that will go down in history as one of the most exciting ever played.

Who cares about ratings when you can have good baseball? (And yes, the Dodgers and Angels can provide good baseball.)

Even though I'm a Rockies fan, I'm hoping for an all-LA Series. And I say start the games at 7 p.m Pacific time. Forget the East Coast. I'm sick to death of their whining about start times and everything being about them -- even when they're not in it. Let the local fans go to and tune into the games at times that are normal for them.
The World Series usually isn't an event of national interest anyway because a) a small-market team nobody has heard of is playing in it, or b) because the Yankees or Red Sox are in it, and most of us are sick of seeing them on ESPN all year anyway (speaking of New York bias in general, has anyone noticed how all of ESPN's shows on Monday and Tuesday led with Dolphins-Jets MNF instead of a baseball PLAYOFF game?).
Let the local fans enjoy the fruits of their home teams' labors (and the bitter East Coasters can go back to their griping and whining about living in their awful cities).

Agree 100% Love of the sport is what makes it special. Not the shirts playing, the player wearing the shirt may not be wearing that color next season.

If this was pre 1969 I would agree the best is the best, even pre 1995 you could still argue that point but with a wild card and 2 series to get there, the best doesn't always show up. How many Super Bowls have been duds but they were the best.

I agree. This is hands down the most intriguing story line in baseball. Imagine Torre coming back to Yankee Stadium to face off against them. It's like something out of a movie. That said, we can talk all day until we are blue in the face, but there is a reason they play the games. I'm looking forward to some great LCS games.

I do watch as many games as I can during the regular season and there are some matchups that are good and some that are boring. TO take your logic further every World Series should be exciting but lets face it not ever matchup is. There were years when the Division Series or the League Championship Series were better the the World Series. 2003 the ACLS was way more intense and exciting then the World Series, 1995 the Division Series between Seattle and NY was the most intense series that year. Not all World Series are that good and some times it does come down to the teams.

I agree however the media will end up over playing it.

I agree with Jason.....I am sooooo tired of the East Coast dictating the start times of the games!!! The time should be set by the local teams to benefit their local fans. I would have loved to have attended the NDLS between the Dodgers and the Rockies, but the second game started at 3:07 P.M.!!! Sure, there were empty seats in the stands...there were even tickets still for sale on the Dodgers web site...people were still at WORK!!! And don't get me started on the Rockies-Phillies nightmare in the snow! Why didn't TBS/Selig move up the time into the vacated Dodgers/Cardinals time slot? There was absolutely no reason whatsoever for those two teams to have been playing in 20 degree weather!! I am a Dodger fan, thru and thru, and drive from north of Bakersfield (approx. 2 1/2 hr. drive)to attend several games a year. Depending on traffic for a 7:10P.M. start time, I am sometimes one of those people who arrives in the 2nd inning. But remember, we have the great Vin Scully making the call for the first three innings. We maybe stuck in our cars, but we are still "there in the stands" with Vin's wonderful descriptions!!

Miriam, why blame the East Coast? Blame the idiots such as Selig and MLB. Not sure why your dumping this on a geographic location? It is not like us Philly fans wanted day games during the work week. But as I have done since the NL playoff's in the days of Danny Ozark and the 70's Phillies up until now...I take off work and go to the game if I have a ticket or else listen on the radio/cell phone today.

The made the Phillies games afternoon games and yet made the Colorad hosted games a late afternoon/early evening games?? I guess that is the East Coast doing that as well?

Regardless of who makes it to this series finals, I will watch it and maybe I will have to DVR it.

I just don't get some of these posts in blaming a geographic location of the country for the times games start? Why not blame your team owners that all have a say in this be it left or right coast. And if you want to blame someone, write MLB and Selig himself. if that wont work, just send a self addressed post card to "East Coast" c/o MLB subject: stop ruining Baseball!!! and people say the East Coast people are whiners

Not to drone on about this East Coast dicating crap, but if I remeber correctly, last years World Series games had been delayed for a monumentally dumb late starting timesstart time of 9PM EST so that the West Coast could tune in?

If it were a prime-time TV series and not the World Series, it might be in danger of being canceled.

Forget the east coast dictating times, if an east coast team is in is it fair the games should start at 10:00 basically making it almost impossible for most working people to be able to watch and still get up for work. You mean to tell me you can't start a game at 6:00 west coast time at least giving a fair break to both coasts. The Yankee playoff games against Minnesota started at 6:00 EST and although it was tought to get to the game Friday I was still able to do it. Phillies fans did get the worst of it and considering their team is the current World Champs it just shows that MLB and the Networks don't care really care about the fans on either coast.

Nice post concerning the logistics of Dodger Stadium. While it is truely the most beautiful park in all of baseball.....I love watching the setting sun behind the hills and palm trees....getting in and out of the park hasn't changed much since it was opened in 1962. Some modifications have been tried in order to make you park near the gate you enter/exit, rather than park near your seats. Lots of people protested this change until they realized they could change the gate they enter simply by arriving by a different freeway. Although Dodger Stadium is in a ravine with only one way in and out, that way in and out connects with several freeways north/south/east/west.

screw the east coast, for too long we've had to put up with this east coast bias. GO ANGELS

Leaving early: Fans do this. Always have, always will. The only time I left early is when I was triple parked on Opening Day. Should of got there earlier to get a better park spot.
That said, I was at Game 1 of the 1988 WS. 4-3 A's in the eighth. I observed no less than 5,000 people leave that game early, tail lights in the parking lot when Gibson came to bat.
Do you think any of those who left early would ever admit that they were in their cars? Of course not. Their line from that, "it's not over 'til it's over" day forth would be, "I was there." Signed, Traffic jam w/no regrets.

Bonus: Vin Scully would be on the air 'til November. That's reason enough!

Leaving early: Fans do this. Always have, always will. The only time I left early is when I was triple parked on Opening Day. Should of got there earlier to get a better park spot.
That said, I was at Game 1 of the 1988 WS. 4-3 A's in the eighth. I observed no less than 5,000 people leave that game early, tail lights in the parking lot when Gibson came to bat.
Do you think any of those who left early would ever admit that they were in their cars? Of course not. Their line from that, "it's not over 'til it's over" day forth would be, "I was there." Signed, Traffic jam w/no regrets.

Bonus: Vin Scully would be on the air 'til November. That's reason enough!

I live in Germany, I watch the World Series and baseball during the season at 2AM. What do you have to say now?

The traffic argument doesn't hold water. NY & Philly & Boston have the same issues with leaving after the game, every big city does. Suck it up or take mass transit.

Weather...agreed, I wish the playoffs didn't go until November in the north or east...but that's what you get with this wild card B.S.

Fans...I don't know anything about L.A. fans except I hate thundersticks and rally monkeys!!! It's childish and it makes you look like amateurs. Knock it off!

Why is the Yankees/Red Sux coverage such a big deal and gets so much press?!??! 90 years of rivalry and the ability to bring the best players in the game to a national audience while drawing tons of revenue for advertisers, baseball and teams, that's why. And it you don't wanna watch the lousy network coverage (cause network announcers mostly s@ck) throw on your local teams network and watch that game.

How about some day games?!? I mean, kids don't even get to see full games anymore 'cause they're going well past their bedtimes.

I guess everybody on this board agrees to disagree concerning what's wrong with baseball and the world series in particular. It's kinda like politics, where some people will be happy, and others will be angry. Can't please everyone all the time. My biggest issue with baseball today is interleague play as a whole. Part of the world series "mystique" if you will, is having a team from the National League play a team from the American League of which neither team has played each other before. To me, that was the most exciting aspect of the world series. Not knowing much about the other team, what kind of strategies would the managers play out to win?? Also, with the American League using the DH, how would the National League utilize players for their version of the DH?? Interleague play has watered this down because teams that might be playing each other in the world series have played each other during the season (exception might be Angels-Phillies, or Yankees-Dodgers). So the mystique isn't there anymore. I also think the interleague games lengthen the season. Baseball needs to go back to it's roots with teams playing within their own league except for the all-star game and world series. The only exception could be what the Cubs and White Sox did for many years: have one or two games against each other a year for charity.

I was in Anaheium Stadium for its opening day - my 16th birthday. I managed its "German specialties" concession stand while I was in college (sauerbraten and Polish sausage!). Later I lived in Burbank and Echo Park and went to hundreds of Dodgers games.

The I-5 is absolutely the way people go to both stadiums, from all over - whether Bakersfield up north or from Laguna Beach down south (yeah, they take the 405 to a cutoff across to the I-5). there are a number of points to get into the two parks that cut down onf some of the worst traffic, but the best solution by far is to arrive early and park where your favorite quick exit route is quickly accessed after the game. (Hint at Dodger Stadium - go out by way of the Echo Park area exit.)

I now live in Florida and have no way to go to these games, but the observation that a Freeway World Series would bring disdain from Easterners is absolutely true. both teams have more fans out this way than you might think, but there is virtually no coverage of their games and often the scores are in the paper two days later because of deadline times for Eastern publications.

If Easterners a while back got all het up about a "Subway Series" in new York, then why NOT get all excited now about a "Freeway Series" in Southern California? It would be GREAT!

My only problem with a Freeway series is the
Yankees or Mets will not be participating :-(

If it happens, GREAT.........

NYC had it's SUBWAY SERIES.......SO WHY NOT .......

Yankees will play Dodgers in the Series, I THINK......

Yankees will win # 27

have fun and go craZy ............

I second that and STOP the home field being
given to the ALLSTAR GAME WINNER ,,,,

I second that and STOP the home field being
given to the ALLSTAR GAME WINNER ,,,,

I think the main reason why people have the impression that Southern California fans arrive late and leave early is because of the ridiculous traffic. I've gone to games at both stadiums, and getting there is simply a nightmare. Fans in many cities can take the subway to their stadium, but in LA there isn't a good way to get there without dealing with grueling traffic. After suffering in tough traffic to get to a game, if it's a blowout many fans just want to leave so they don't have to deal with the crowd again. That being said, I do not think fans here would leave an important or tight game.

Well, if it's a shutout game like 4-0 then you can't blame the LA fans for leaving early. The 110 and the 5 are horrendous when there's a home game.

Personally, however, I've learned that it ain't over 'till it's over!! We saw that last week in the division series with BOTH LA teams rallying in the 9th!

Now if anyone saw that Dodgers game, tell me...with the score as it was with two outs how many fans stayed? Did you hear that roar when Loretta hit that ball? What wasn't shown on tv was how many fans stayed AFTER THE GAME ENDED! LA fans love their teams and can be no doubt about it.

Now is a freeway series good for baseball? Probably not. With minimal national coverage mlb may suffer financially

Let me just say that I couldnt care less about Fox's ratings. I dont care if the rest of the world doesnt want to watch the World Series between the Angels and Dodgers. Baseball isnt about ratings, its about pride for the players and the fans of the team that win the series. I watched ever game of the series last year even though the Angels got slaughtered in the ALDS. Poor sportsmanship is pathetic. If no one wants to watch it in the rest of the country so be it. All I know is CA will be GOING OFF, Im going to game 3 of the ALCS and Game 6 of the Series (if they get there), and the environment here will be like none other. Let the rest of the world go back to work and sulk about it, because the Angels are taking it this year baby!

Can we forget all the talk about what's good for baseball? As an Angel fan I'm fed up with it. It's sickening. What's good for baseball is the two best teams get to the World Series. Forget about ratings and all that other nonsense. I will be watching the umpiring very closely. They can't be allowed to make sure we have a Yankee-Dodger World Series just because some people think that would be best for ratings. If the Angels and Yankees play great games and the Yankees win then fine. If the umps make a lot of bad calls and hand the Yankees the games then I'll just have to give up on baseball. I want the two best teams and that's all that matters.

You're obviously not from around here, so I'll try not to make this sound too condescending: THERE IS NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO DODGER STADIUM, at least not in the way of a regular bus route or a rail system like they have around most other major metro areas like Boston, New York, Chicago, etc. In order for most fans to get to a Dodger game, they have to drive, so when 50,000 people are all attempting to leave at once, it makes for some pretty heavy traffic, especially when the only way to make it back home is to take a freeway. You don't live around here, you've never experienced the b.s. that baseball fans around here have to deal with, so frankly, shut the hell up.

That being said, I sincerely hope both the Dodgers and Angels meet in the World Series, because I believe that would be the best possible match-up in this postseason, and it doesn't hurt that I'm a big fan of both teams either!

Any series that does not include the Yankees and all their money is good for baseball and good for America.

Wimp

The one real thing a Freeway Series would have going for it are actually the ratings, as a Red Sox fan, well as the week as gone on we are all getting to the point that the Angels were just better. Heck within two hours of the game Chone Figgins and Erick Ayabar were already getting chants in Boston of Beat the Yankees. So, what I am saying, is the ridiculous mob of "Red Sox Nation" will be watching and rooting for the Angels from here on out (heck, even if it is just an anti Manny viewpoint, though apparently the Dodgers left fielder and our second baseman are off season work out buddies).

I live in Atlantic Canada, & I would watch a "Freeway Series" myself. I like both the Dodgers & Angels this year, they've been 2 terrific teams this year. Especially the Angels, who've been playing with heavy hearts since the death of Nick Adenhart. The Dodgers are BETTER than last year's team & I think they're also hungrier after losing to Philly last year & are seeking revenge. Sadly, the East Coast media will cry foul if it's an All-California Series because they're always focused & the Sawx & Yanks all season; they'll tell us how 'bad' a Freeway Series would be for baseball. I hear a lot about how the Angels-Giants Series in '02 had bad TV ratings, yet it was a great Series, but because the East Coast media ignored it, it had an effect on the TV ratings IMO. It will not suprise me if it's an LA-LA Series at all.

Now, yes, Yankees-Dodgers would be fantastic as well because it's more of an 'old-school' matchup for longtime baseball fans. How 'bout Yankees-PHILLIES though, that would almost be like 2 All-Star teams playing each other in the Fall Classic. So many stars on both teams, it could make for an exciting Series.

Long story short, I'll take any of Dodgers-Angels, Dodgers-Yankees, or Phillies-Yankees for this year's Series IMO.

a freeway series is what we need, you think westcoast fans cared when the yankees played the marlins,or the redsox played rockies? NOT EVEN CLOSE, WE WOULD'VE RATHER WATCHED GOLD THAN THAT. California love baby!!

GOLF*

Low rating ? Bad for baseball ? LOL ..Eat your hearts out the rest of America and the world . L.A. World Series ...We're loving it !

"THERE IS NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO DODGER STADIUM, at least not in the way of a regular bus route or a rail system like they have around most other major metro areas like Boston, New York, Chicago, etc"

So pretty much the designers are morons and didn't think about this. Stop blaming everyone else and request that your local politicians get their acts together and build a transit system that allows people to get to and from the stadium?!?!

Looks like there will be a freeway series afterall. I95, Philly to NY.

Thank goodness there won't be a freeway series in los angeles. Angel fans are horrible, bitter people. I can't wait to hear how Angel fans throw out the excuses for their team playing horrible ball is going to be the fault of someone else. Too many days off, salary of the yankees, Arod steroids, mariano spitball, you name it - they've already got the excuses lined up. Your team was outplayed, go f yourselves.