You can tell books by these covers

Now in receipt of the 2005 team media guides, it's time to award medals to those organizations that separated themselves from the pack in terms of graphic design. From the files of "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all," the Diamondbacks and Royals elected to simply stick their team logo on the cover, but most every other team took poetic license and liberty.

Gold. Red Sox. They waited 86 years to slam out a cover that said "championship" somewhere, and they stuck the landing for a perfect score. With the now-famous picture of Doug Mientkiewicz hugging Keith Foulke after the final out of the World Series in the background, a simple, eloquent paragraph poetically sums it up: "This championship isn't about these 25 guys. This is for every fan who has been to Fenway Park. This is for Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio and Ted. This is for Yaz and Lonborg, Tiant and Fisk, Evans and Rice. This championship is for everyone who came so close and for everyone who cared so much." Elegant prose of which famous Sox fans/authors Stephen King and John Updike would be proud.

Silver, Cubs. Hall of Fame icons Billy Williams, Ernie Banks and Fergie Jenkins are standing with Class of '05 Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, each smiling and wearing the Cubs uniform of his era. Much better than the alternate cover, which features Kent Mercker and Moises Alou pointing index fingers at ex-team broadcaster Steve Stone.

Bronze. Rangers. This may seem fishy considering Rangers PR man Greg Elkin has the capacity to get me free Mavericks playoff tickets or tell me off, but he earns this spot legitimately by recognizing the team's memorable "victory lap." After last season's final home game, having just been eliminated in the A.L West race by the Angels, manager Buck Showalter led the troops on an impromptu circle around the ballpark, shaking hands with and high-riving the cheering fans. The Rangers' media guide is fronted by a heartwarming photo of that scene.

Noteworthy. Brewers. For the second time in l0 years, "Mr. Baseball," Bob Uecker, is on the cover. This either is a rousing endorsement of his work on Mr. Belvedere or a sad statement about the current players on Milwaukee's team.

Don't get me wrong; I was a big fan of Ueck's soulful portrayal of George Owens, father of Kevin and Heather and the irrepressible little Wesley. Many nights, while my friends were all out on dates. I languished at home eating Cheetos and enjoying the new episodes, starring Christopher Hewitt as Belvedere. To some, just as Sean Connery always will be James Bond, Hewitt always will be Belvedere.

Anyway, congrats to the Red Sox, not only for breaking the Curse but for taking the gold in the 2005 Media Guide Games.

Josh Lewin is the television voice of the Rangers and a play-by-play announcer for FOX's Saturday Game of the Week.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Sporting News Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning