HOT CORNER

A consumer’s guide to the best and worst of sports media and merchandise. Ground rules: If it can be read, played, heard, observed, worn, viewed, dialed or downloaded, it’s in play here. One exception: No products will be endorsed.

What: “Anaheim Angels: World Series Champions”

Publisher: Sports Publishing L.L.C.

Price: $22.95

*

This 8 1/2x11 slick paperback book is for Angel fans, old and new, who just can’t get enough about their team’s improbable journey to the franchise’s first World Series championship.

Major League Baseball Productions has already produced two DVD/VHS films about the Angels’ season -- one focusing on the World Series and postseason and another, requested by the team, that focuses on the regular season.

In this book, the first 102 pages deal with the regular season. The remaining 58 pages feature the postseason. The photos, all in color, are of excellent quality, and the stories, aptly written by Associated Press writers, take the reader through the season.

The first story, by Ken Peters, looks at the team during spring training. The next story is about the Angels spoiling the Texas Rangers’ home opener on April 5, then there’s a gap until April 24, when the Angels ended a four-game losing streak by defeating the Seattle Mariners.

Besides game stories, there are profile features interspersed throughout on Manager Mike Scioscia and key players.

There’s even a story on the rally monkey.

At the end of the book are AP game stories on each of the seven World Series games, followed by a profile of World Series most valuable player Troy Glaus.

The book, which makes a good collector’s item, also contains box scores and statistics. Plus, attached inside the front cover, is a CD-ROM offering a photo gallery, wallpaper, Web links, and more statistics.

-- Larry Stewart