He’s Not Too Sure of Initial Reaction

Forget the I-5 Series or the PCH Series, this should be called the WCWS -- West Coast World Series. It’s as goofy and unfriendly an acronym as NLCS or ALDS, isn’t it?

Hank Rosenfeld

Santa Monica

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As I send my son off to bed after the seventh inning of yet another late-starting World Series game, it suddenly hit me why so many fans of the current era leave games early. While growing up they never realized baseball games lasted longer than seven innings!

Paul Long

Upland

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The rally monkey is annoying. And what’s worse is all the press coverage devoted to the obnoxious little primate and his small human imitator. But as annoying as the rally monkey is to me, to Giant fans he’s 10 times worse. And that makes it all worthwhile.

Don Tsuchiyama

Los Angeles

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I’ve just come across cutting-edge technology that can read the mind of Barry Bonds. Here is a transcript of one of his World Series at-bats:

“OK, here I go again. Let’s see what kind of junk this pitcher has. I wonder how far I’ll hit this one? Water ball? Hmmm. OK, I’m in the batter’s box now. Everyone’s watching me, I’m Barry Bonds, the greatest home run hitter there ever was. I’m in the World Series. Here comes the pitch. Eye on the ball. (Crack!) Oh, I just hit another one. I’ll just flick my bat now and start walking to first now. OK, over the wall, I think I’ll start the ol’ trot, the slower the better, because, hey, I’m Barry Bonds. OK, I’m coming to home. Let’s see, is it step on the plate, then point to the sky? Or vice versa? Anyway, back to the dugout. Oh great, my teammates want to high-five me. Do I have to touch them? I mean, come on! I’m Barry Bonds! I’ll do it only because everyone’s watching. Slap! Slap! Slap! I’ll walk away from them all now to my little corner of the dugout. I hope they don’t try to talk to me. I wonder if we’re winning?”

Hector Reyes

Burbank

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Normally, anyone who admires his home runs gets knocked down the next time up. So if the Angels are going to give Barry Bonds a free base, why not plunk him?

As Don Drysdale said, “Why use four pitches to put someone on base intentionally when I can do it with one?”

Dennis Martin

Laguna Niguel

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With apologies to Jim Croce ...

You don’t tug on Superman’s cape, you don’t spit into the wind, you don’t pull the mask of the Lone Ranger and (listen, Mike Scioscia) you don’t pitch to Barry Bonds with runners on base.

Percy chucking one up there to see how far it goes, maybe. But with the Giants down in their own park and you’re stepping on their neck, four wide ones to Bonds, please! Chicken dance or no. Put him on and get the outs and the Series.

Kevin Weir

Monrovia

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I would like to commend the Fox television network for their masterful job in presenting all their promos and commercials during the postseason.

My only regret is that they continually interrupt the above with the insertions of vignettes of the baseball games. One would think they would show a little more consideration for the viewing audience.

Jerry Johnson

Huntington Beach

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Anaheim is in Southern California and, like it or not, Dodger haters, Southern California is Los Angeles. Deal with it.

Beverly Chance

Glendale

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To all you Angel fans who are complaining about your team being associated with Los Angeles, I have one question: How many of you are Laker (or Clipper) fans?

Brian Hittelman

Playa Del Rey

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Anybody who doesn’t think Bobby Thomson’s home run is one of baseball’s top 10 moments, if not the most memorable moment, doesn’t know a fastball from a touchdown.

Tony Medley

Marina Del Rey