New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine longs for the day when the World Series will truly be a global event.
"Hopefully one day, not only will the season begin with the Mets playing the (Yomiuri) Giants here in a game, but also possibly in the future the season will end with the Mets playing the Giants in what would then be a true World Series," Valentine remarked Wednesday at a press conference to promote the MLB Opening Series in Tokyo this March, which will feature his Mets and the Chicago Cubs in a pair of regular-season encounters.
Prior to the Mets-Cubs tilts on March 29 and 30 at the Tokyo Dome, the Mets will take on the Seibu Lions and the Cubs will face the Yomiuri Giants on March 27 in a pair of exhibition contests before the clubs switch opponents (Lions-Cubs, Giants-Mets) for their final preseason games the following day.