Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Angels: Offense juiced by harder balls

SAN FRANCISCO -- The balls were flying in the first two games of the World Series, and the Angels think there's a reason: The baseballs are harder than the ones used during the regular season.

"As soon as I picked up the balls in this Series, I knew there would be a lot of homers," Anaheim closer Troy Percival said. "They're twice as hard as any ball I've played with. They're different from any ball I've ever seen. The seams are nice, there's a good grip on it, but when it's hit, it's gonna go."

Shortstop David Eckstein said the balls not only are harder but smaller than regulation balls. "These balls are definitely wound too tight," he said.

The Angels, who preface any comments by acknowledging that both teams use the same balls, say they have empirical evidence of the difference, having cut open several Series balls. "The World Series ball was a lot tougher to get through," pitcher Al Levine said.

To all this, however, Major League Baseball says baloney.

And, further, hogwash.

MLB officials checked with Rawlings, the manufacturer, and said the Series balls were pulled from a routine lot made in Costa Rica in September and shipped to the teams last week.

"There was nothing unusual about this lot, and as far as we're concerned, these balls are, aside from the stamping, identical to any ball we've used all year," senior vice president Sandy Alderson said.

In other words, there is no difference.

"Unless that gold lettering is harder or heavier than the red or blue," he said.

SMALL BALL: Don't expect the teams to continue their pace of 51/2 homers per game.

Despite the accomplishments of Barry Bonds, there were fewer home runs hit at Pac Bell Park than any other this season. In the postseason, the Giants have hit 16 homers on the road and four at home.

"It's a pitchers' park," Giants general manager Brian Sabean said.

BIG-GAME HUNTER: This will be the sixth straight World Series featuring a Hernandez pitching -- either Livan, who starts tonight for the Giants, or his half-brother, Orlando, who's with the Yankees.

Livan takes pride in his 6-0 postseason record, and manager Dusty Baker thinks there is a reason for it. "A lot has to do with the fact that he's pitched some big games since he's very young," Baker said. "When you're from Cuba and you have to pitch to survive and feed your family, then you're going to have a tendency to be good in big games."

MISCELLANY: The last time the World Series was in San Francisco it was interrupted by an earthquake. ... Anaheim pitchers get to hit during the three games here, but they're not expecting too much. "I try," starter Ramon Ortiz said, "but I'm not a good hitter." ... Of the first 49 Series to be tied at 1, the team winning Game 3 has won the championship 32 times. ... Sunday's 11-10 game featured the second-highest total for a one-run game. The Blue Jays beat the Phillies 15-14 in Game 4 in 1993. ... Anaheim's Darin Erstad has hit in all 11 postseason games. ... If any home run ball touches a 15-foot diameter floating target in McCovey Cove outside Pac Bell Park, Taco Bell will offer a free taco to everyone in the country. The chain said it would pick a window of time on one day when people can redeem a coupon.

-- MARC TOPKIN, TIMES WIRES

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright