By John Solomon
How the government's punishing of the exposure of official wrongdoing can linger for years
It takes talent to win a World Series, of course, but luck and timing also are huge factors. As the Washington Nationals aspire to a championship in 2013, here's a look at how the past five World Series winners reached the top.
They'll play in the Far East and the Far West _ and in the Caribbean, too. Wherever they are, Miguel Cabrera and R.A. Dickey and dozens of All-Stars in the World Baseball Classic know the team to beat: two-time WBC winner Japan.
Ryan Vogelsong has a little running joke that he is going to plunk San Francisco teammate Pablo Sandoval in the World Baseball Classic to keep the Panda from a three-homer game like the one he produced in Game 1 of the World Series last fall.
They'll play in the Far East and the Far West _ and in the Caribbean, too. Wherever they are, Miguel Cabrera and R.A. Dickey and dozens of All-Stars in the World Baseball Classic know the team to beat: two-time WBC winner Japan.
Ryan Vogelsong has a little running joke that he is going to plunk San Francisco teammate Pablo Sandoval in the World Baseball Classic to keep the Panda from a three-homer game like the one he produced in Game 1 of the World Series last fall.
Second baseman Marco Scutaro is staying in San Francisco, right where he wanted to be.
Shane Victorino bolted for Boston, Marco Scutaro stayed with San Francisco, and the Miami Marlins shed more payroll in a late-night trade.
Second baseman Marco Scutaro is staying in San Francisco, agreeing to a $20 million, three-year contract with the Giants.
San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer wants to add more World Series championships to the two his franchise has captured the past three seasons.
Sergio Romo closes it out by throwing a called third strike past Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera.
Big-time pitching by Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt.
It ended exactly the way it should have, with the Triple Crown winner frozen at the plate.
Marco Scutaro comes through again for the Giants _ who else?
Tigers starter Max Scherzer was lifted with one out in the top of the seventh. With a runner on second, rookie Drew Smyly retired Brandon Crawford on a flyball and Octavio Dotel got Angel Pagan on a grounder to second to keep the score tied.
On a ragged baseball diamond in Maracay, Venezuela, its grass tall and infield dirt pockmarked, nearly 200 boys practice for hours every day. Many of them are inspired by the example of Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera, who learned the game on this very field.
He frequently said how much he enjoyed playing for San Francisco and that he hoped he would return.
Scutaro, who celebrated his 37th birthday Tuesday and then partied some more with his teammates a day later before this group parts ways for the winter, said it's a no-brainer he would like to return.
