Follow Their Rules of the Game

A million thanks to the world champion Angels. Thank you for showing the world how baseball is to be played: one at-bat, one base, one game at a time. No stars who stare at home runs, no pitchers shooting out batters, no flash over fundamentals.

You have destroyed a 41-year-old myth that the Angels are synonymous with futility; you have set a blueprint for how to build a team that fits with the manager’s game plan; and you gave long-suffering fans a championship to be proud of, because it was done the right way, with home-grown talent, coupled with judicious trades and signings.

Albert Camacho

South Pasadena

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I have been an Angel fan since I was 6 years old. I remember going to games with my father, hoping to experience that one magical moment. And, after years of disappointment, lost title hopes, poor trades, living in the shadow of the Dodgers and, of course, those forgettable periwinkle uniforms, I had pretty much given up hope.

Then it happened: Game 6 vs. the Giants. I rocked with the rest of the crowd as our team came back with a vengeance. The excitement and electricity was like no other I’ve ever experienced. It left the Giants and the rest of baseball wondering, “What just happened?” Well, what happened was my “magical moment” had finally arrived.

Steve Wood

Aliso Viejo

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In 1951, when I was an 11-year-old Dodger fan, the New York Giants and Bobby Thomson put a huge bone in my throat. Several pennant victories by the Dodgers over the Giants were never dramatic enough to clear it. A bunch of no-name Angels, true throwbacks to the ‘50s, did the trick quite nicely this weekend. Fifty-one years later, I can breathe again.

Richard Van Wagenen

Newport Beach

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Can someone explain to me how Barry Bonds can have the most productive World Series in history, setting records for a seven-game series (runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, walks, intentional walks) -- some of which will last for decades, if not forever -- and not be voted the 2002 World Series MVP?

One article commented that Troy Glaus (who also had a fine series, of course) had more RBIs than Bonds by a margin of eight to six. How could he not? Bonds was walked intentionally seven times -- most, if not all, of those with men on base. And pitched around on other occasions with men on base. Psychologically he dominated every half-inning in which he came to the plate, or appeared likely to come to the plate.

The award is not defined as the most valuable player on the winning team. Nor is it a Mr. Congeniality award. The sportswriters and broadcasters who did not vote for Bonds should be ashamed of themselves; 50 years from now people will still be looking at the numbers Bonds amassed in this series and wonder which game those voters were watching.

Pat Finley

La Verne

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Even up here in Northern California, when people see my Angel cap, they say something like, “Thanks for beating the Yankees,” or “I’m a Giants fan, but I’ve got to say, you’ve got an amazing team.” Today, as I went to a newsstand in Palo Alto to buy an L.A. Times to read the local coverage of my first World Series victory, the two guys behind the counter (one wearing black and orange) saw my hat and they actually applauded.

Jay Boyarsky

Palo Alto

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We have the NBA champions. We have the World Series champions. Could there be a Super Bowl champion next? Oh, right, I forgot. We haven’t had an NFL team here for eight years. Folks, we are being left out of a party.

Elliot Semmelman

Los Angeles

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If you’ve got baseball in your blood, it doesn’t get any better than this. Thank you, Angels, for the inspiration, the perspiration and the excitation.

Neil Malley

Anaheim

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Dear Mr. Eisner,

Keep the Angels. Sell California Adventure.

Melinda Martin

Orange