You may all hate Scott Boras -- many people do -- but there is no denying he still ranks among the most influential figures in baseball. If you need any more proof, look at the possibility of a Red Sox-Dodgers World Series, which moved one step closer Monday night with Boston's 3-2 win in the American League Division Series, eliminating the Angels.

According to most reports, it is believed that Boras, the agent for Manny Ramirez, orchestrated the Ramirez drama in Boston that led to his trade to the Dodgers. It is reasonable to assume the Dodgers don't win the National League West without Manny Ramirez -- which must have given Boras a little extra satisfaction, since the Dodgers beat out the Arizona Diamondbacks for the division crown, the team run by Boras' former arch rival in the agency business, Jeff Moorad.

The three-way deal involving the Pittsburgh Pirates would result in Jason Bay going to Boston. Bay scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday night. Who is reported to be Bay's agent? Scott Boras.

And, to warm the heart of Nationals fans, who is the agent for Steven Strasberg, the pitcher who is projected to be the number one pick -- which is Washington's -- in the 2009 draft? Scott Boras.

There were tales of Boras' demise at this time last season, when during Game Four of the 2007 World Series, he announced that Alex Rodriguez had opted out of his contract with the New York Yankees. Boras drew heavy criticism for the timing of the announcement, and when A-Rod later severed his relationship with Boras, the agent's detractors hoped it would be the beginning of the end for the agent.

Now we are on the verge of the Scott Boras World Series.

Leftover bytes

Kimbo Slice may be done as as a mixed martial arts attraction, but that doesn't mean he still doesn't have sideshow value. I'd be stunned if Vince McMahon or some other wrestling promotion doesn't try to squeeze something out of him. And, of course, there is always Slice vs. Mike Tyson, certainly a worthy circus. UFC will offer its next show, UFC 89, from England, live on Spike TV here in America on Oct. 18. That's not good news for HBO, which is putting on the pay-per-view fight that same night between Kelly Pavlik and Philadelphia's Bernard Hopkins. And the Pavlik-Hopkins bout could be hurt far worse if the Phillies-Dodgers series goes to seven games. That game is scheduled for Oct. 18. ...

I read that Martin Scorcese is going to make a movie about the old mob boss I used to write about in northeastern Pennsylvania -- Russell Bufalino. He is going to make a film based on the 2004 book, "I Heard You Paint Houses," about the life of mob hitman Frank Sheeran, who was close to Bufalino and is believed to have been the hitman involved in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, at the order of Bufalino.

To learn more about Thom Loverro, go to www.thomloverro.com>

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