The Giants and Tigers have made their final preparations before squaring off in Game 1 of the World Series tonight. Three times in the past, the World Series has matched a team that went to Game 7 in the LCS against a club that swept its series. In all three instances, the team coming off a Game 7 win breezed to the championship. The home team plans to send left-hander Barry Zito to the mound to face Tigers ace Justin Verlander in Game 1 of the best-of-seven title showdown. Doug Fister will start Game 2 for Detroit against Madison Bumgarner. San Francisco has home-field advantage thanks to the NL's victory in this summer's All-Star game.
The Boston Red Sox have introduced John Farrell as their new manager. Farrell appeared Tuesday at a news conference with club officials two days after the team announced it had reached an agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays to allow him to leave with one year left on his three-year contract as manager. The Red Sox sent infielder Mike Aviles to Toronto and obtained reliever David Carpenter in the deal. At the news conference, Farrell said he's familiar with some players and members of the front office from his experience with the team, but said he won't take for granted his relationships with players. Farrell was Boston's pitching coach from 2007-10 under Terry Francona. He takes over for Bobby Valentine, who was fired after one of the worst seasons in team history. The Red Sox finished in last place in the AL East with a 69-93 record, their worst since 1965 and four games behind the Blue Jays. Farrell is the 46th manager in franchise history.
Over in the NFL a Buffalo development group has unveiled a proposal to build a $1.4 billion waterfront sports and entertainment complex that would include a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills.
In another turn in the Lance Armstrong doping scandal The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency thinks cycling's world body must remove the officials who presided over the drug-tainted Lance Armstrong era for the sport can regain credibility. WADA President John Fahey tells Australia's Fox Sports that the UCI has to "take the blinkers off" and examine its own past.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press