Does lack of glamour teams hurt World Series? YEA: Most fans have no dog in this fight

Three random things I’d rather watch than a Rangers-Giants World Series game?1. Jay Leno’s attempt to fill the 10 p.m. prime-time slot.2. Western South Dakota versus Southern West Virginia college football highlights.3. Infomercial selling “Greatest Hits of the 60’s and 70’s.”Really, the list is endless. Major League Baseball should have just ended the season once the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies bowed out of the American and National League championship series. Because the alternative – a Texas-San Fran Series – is just too uninspiring to watch.Who’s got a dog in this fight? Not many people, unless you count Philadelphians wanting to see another quick hook for Cliff Lee. These teams hardly command large loyalties. They’re not even the only pro ball teams in their own state, although you can’t blame them for playing in two of the largest states in the Union. Still, there is no equivalent to “Red Sox Nation” in the Lone Star State ? and there is no “Evil Empire” in the onetime Bear Flag Republic.Worse yet, neither team has put together enough of a historical highlight reel to earn it a place in the pantheon of great Major League squads. After distinguishing themselves in New York, the Giants weren’t so successful when they moved to San Francisco. This is only their fourth World Series (the previous three were losses) since the relocation. Yet this sorry record looks outstanding when compared to the Rangers’ lack of playoff success ? three first-round exits against the Bronx Bombers in the 1990s.It is no accident that one of these Fall Classic foes plays in a desert and the other plays in a cold, windy, foggy, depressing place (and that’s just in the summertime). For this leads me to the third reason – strike three, if you will – against tuning in to the Series this year, and perhaps it is the most fundamental reason not to watch: the fact that these teams were constructed so inorganically.The Rangers got themselves a hired gun in Lee ? the Giants acquired Pirates star Freddy Sanchez, whom the Bucs had once gotten from the Red Sox ? and in the most bizarre story of the Series, one player – the Rangers’ Bengie Molina – is now taking the field against the team with whom he began this season. We rail against sluggers artificially speeding up the growth process with steroids and human growth hormone ? and yet we cheer on teams whose general managers pretty much do the same thing with their lineups.I know, I’m being a big hypocrite here. Boston has tried the hired-gun approach in the past, whether with relievers (Rick Aguilera in 1995, Eric Gagne in 2007) ? the revolving door of Orlando Cabrera in 2004, Edgar Renteria in 2005 and Alex Gonzalez in 2006/09 ? and playoff heroes Dave Roberts and Doug Mientkiewicz in 2004. The Yankees have a long and successful record with hired guns, from Roger Maris to Reggie Jackson to Alex Rodriguez. But these teams also won with players brought up from their farm systems, which seem more like an afterthought for Texas and San Fran. The Sox and Yankees additionally had history to enhance the drama, whether trying to add to it or (in the Sox’ case) alter it. And you can make this case for National League teams, too ? someday, somehow, the Cubs will win Series title No. 3, and TV ratings will climb like ivy.It was great to hear Tony Bennett sing “God Bless America” and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” Wednesday night. But because of who’s playing in this Series, I left my interest in baseball behind when the Yanks and Phils lost in the playoffs.Rich Tenorio is The Item’s sports copy editor.