Tonight in Miami's Pro Player Stadium, a Cuban defector and rookie pitching star called Livan Hernandez will open hostilities in one of the most intriguing World Series in years.

Kevin Brown pitched a complete game as the Florida Marlins became the quickest expansion team to reach the World Series by beating the defending champions, the Atlanta Braves, to win the National League Championship Series.

As the baseball season reaches its climax and heads toward the World Series, which starts next Saturday, October 18, I thought it would be interesting to see how the Internet covers America's game.

The Baltimore Orioles started well in their attempt to reach a World Series since 1983, taming the Cleveland Indians 3-0 in the first game of the American League Championship Series.

TODAY'S

Baseball

Tim Cornwell on the tycoon's bid to buy a part of history

It is beginning to look as if 34-year-old Roger Clemens is worth the huge free agent contract he signed to join the Toronto Blue Jays in the off-season.

John Carlin in Washington says a minor is about to make a Major killing

The Chicago White Sox have made Albert Belle the game's highest-paid player, signing him to a five-year contract estimated to be worth more than $50m (pounds 30m).

The four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux held the St Louis Cardinals to one run as the Atlanta Braves forced a deciding game in the National League Championship Series with a 3-1 win. In the World Series final starting tomorrow, the winners meet the New York Yankees whose slugger Darryl Strawberry has a hairline fracture of his toe but expects to be fit.

The Atlanta Braves kept alive their hopes of retaining the World Series with a 14-0 demolition of the St Louis Cardinals on Monday. The victory cut the Cardinals' lead to 3-2 in the best-of-seven-games National League Championship Series.

Roberto Alomar, the Baltimore Orioles' second baseman, will serve his five-game suspension for spitting at an umpire next season after withdrawing his appeal against the ban. However, this still leaves the umpires to decide whether to boycott further matches in the divisional play-offs of the American and National Leagues in protest of what they believe is a too lenient penalty.

A threat by umpires to boycott the play-offs after a player spat at an official was yesterday called off at the last minute.