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CNN Live Saturday

Giants, Angels Get Ready to Square Off in Game 1 of October Classic

Aired October 19, 2002 - 13:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The Giants and the Angels are ready to go to task. Tonight is game one of the October classic and all eyes are on Anaheim, California and that's where we find our Josie Karp.
And, Josie, what a year this is. This is a special series for a couple of reasons. You've got two wildcard teams and then you've got perhaps one of the greatest players of this generation -- Barry Bonds.

JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. And this has really become the biggest story of this World Series -- Barry Bonds. And there are a couple of theories as to why. One is maybe because there's been a long time between the end of the league championship series and the start of this World Series. But the main reason -- the one that most people fall back on -- is -- you know what -- Barry Bonds just is this good.

And there's a reason that everyone has to focus on how the Angels are going to pitch to him. Are the Angels going to pitch to him because he is arguably the best hitter of his generation and certainly the most feared hitter in this World Series?

There's been a lot of hoopla surrounding the slugger but, for his part, Bonds has been predictably understated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARRY BONDS, SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: Well, if I didn't get here I would go back to training and try again and I think that's what we all would do.

And I have the opportunity to be here. I'm excited to be here. It's something I've worked for forever. And every Angel player over there has worked for it ever since we were in Little League. And we're the two teams that now have that opportunity to have our time -- our day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARP: In his 17th season at 38 years old, this is Barry Bonds' first appearance in the World Series and to this point he's really laid to rest the theory that he couldn't perform in the post season.

He has four home runs and 10 runs batted in to go along with his 286 average. So, Fredricka, to this point I say because reputations can really be made in the World Series and people might forget what you've done up to this point.

WHITFIELD: It really does indeed seem the case that it's Barry Bonds against the pitcher. It's Barry Bonds against the world in this series.

KARP: It does. And everyone wanted to know how would he handle the spotlight shining on him like this because he has a reputation for not being the easiest person to deal with. That's from a media perspective -- it's from a teammate perspective.

Here's a guy who this season got into a scuffle with one of his own teammates in the dugout. But so far everything's been just fine.

As I said before, he's been predictably understated. This is a person who has really sealed off his emotions and he's really not showing any yet.

WHITFIELD: Wow! And now what about the sentiment there at the stadium? If we can talk a little bit about what preparations are being made? You've got an awful lot of activity behind you, of course, as they get the field ready but what about the perimeter of that stadium?

KARP: Well, down on the field here they're doing all of the things associated with the World Series. It's not a World Series unless there is bunting. You have to have red, white and blue around those boxes behind me.

But we're getting used to this over the past year -- the heightened security at sporting events and whether it be the Super Bowl or the World Series.

There is a couple of interesting notes security-wise. One is -- they have increased the no fly zone over this stadium to five nautical miles. But baseball had wanted them to ban those banner-toting aircraft that you sometimes see over events like this but they declined to do that

And that's interesting because earlier this season a single engine aircraft did crash in the parking lot at Edison Field here. It wasn't anything terrorism-related but it certainly is something that baseball was hoping could be avoided with some sort of ban.

And the other interesting security note to point out is that a National Guard unit from Los Alamutos (ph) has been deployed and they specialize in dealing with chemical and biological weapons.

They're on call just in case, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right -- our Josie Karp at Edison Field in Anaheim. Thank you very much. Enjoy the game.

KARP: Thanks, Fredricka.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com



October Classic>


Aired October 19, 2002 - 13:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The Giants and the Angels are ready to go to task. Tonight is game one of the October classic and all eyes are on Anaheim, California and that's where we find our Josie Karp.
And, Josie, what a year this is. This is a special series for a couple of reasons. You've got two wildcard teams and then you've got perhaps one of the greatest players of this generation -- Barry Bonds.

JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. And this has really become the biggest story of this World Series -- Barry Bonds. And there are a couple of theories as to why. One is maybe because there's been a long time between the end of the league championship series and the start of this World Series. But the main reason -- the one that most people fall back on -- is -- you know what -- Barry Bonds just is this good.

And there's a reason that everyone has to focus on how the Angels are going to pitch to him. Are the Angels going to pitch to him because he is arguably the best hitter of his generation and certainly the most feared hitter in this World Series?

There's been a lot of hoopla surrounding the slugger but, for his part, Bonds has been predictably understated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARRY BONDS, SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: Well, if I didn't get here I would go back to training and try again and I think that's what we all would do.

And I have the opportunity to be here. I'm excited to be here. It's something I've worked for forever. And every Angel player over there has worked for it ever since we were in Little League. And we're the two teams that now have that opportunity to have our time -- our day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARP: In his 17th season at 38 years old, this is Barry Bonds' first appearance in the World Series and to this point he's really laid to rest the theory that he couldn't perform in the post season.

He has four home runs and 10 runs batted in to go along with his 286 average. So, Fredricka, to this point I say because reputations can really be made in the World Series and people might forget what you've done up to this point.

WHITFIELD: It really does indeed seem the case that it's Barry Bonds against the pitcher. It's Barry Bonds against the world in this series.

KARP: It does. And everyone wanted to know how would he handle the spotlight shining on him like this because he has a reputation for not being the easiest person to deal with. That's from a media perspective -- it's from a teammate perspective.

Here's a guy who this season got into a scuffle with one of his own teammates in the dugout. But so far everything's been just fine.

As I said before, he's been predictably understated. This is a person who has really sealed off his emotions and he's really not showing any yet.

WHITFIELD: Wow! And now what about the sentiment there at the stadium? If we can talk a little bit about what preparations are being made? You've got an awful lot of activity behind you, of course, as they get the field ready but what about the perimeter of that stadium?

KARP: Well, down on the field here they're doing all of the things associated with the World Series. It's not a World Series unless there is bunting. You have to have red, white and blue around those boxes behind me.

But we're getting used to this over the past year -- the heightened security at sporting events and whether it be the Super Bowl or the World Series.

There is a couple of interesting notes security-wise. One is -- they have increased the no fly zone over this stadium to five nautical miles. But baseball had wanted them to ban those banner-toting aircraft that you sometimes see over events like this but they declined to do that

And that's interesting because earlier this season a single engine aircraft did crash in the parking lot at Edison Field here. It wasn't anything terrorism-related but it certainly is something that baseball was hoping could be avoided with some sort of ban.

And the other interesting security note to point out is that a National Guard unit from Los Alamutos (ph) has been deployed and they specialize in dealing with chemical and biological weapons.

They're on call just in case, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right -- our Josie Karp at Edison Field in Anaheim. Thank you very much. Enjoy the game.

KARP: Thanks, Fredricka.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com



October Classic>