The Detroit Tigers are in the World Series - and they have made it in the most impressive fashion.

After eliminating the mighty New York Yankees, they went on to complete a 4-0 sweep of the Oakland A's to win their first American League Championship since 1984. They now wait for the winner of the National League Championship Series, in which the St Louis Cardinals currently lead the NY Mets.

Like football, baseball has been culturally segregating Europe and the US. While baseball has gained significant popularity in countries like Japan, the Dominican Republic, Korea and Panama, it has failed to get any attention from the old continent. Yet lack of international interest has not prevented Major League Baseball from generating a monstrous economy. The median MLB team payroll for 2006 was $68 million, the highest in sports - and the New York Yankees have extended an astronomic amount of nearly $195 million on players' salaries alone, similar to Chelsea and Real Madrid.

However, it’s not money that makes baseball so special. The fact is the game has been producing triumphant underdogs, unlikely heroes and large doses of drama - materials romance is made of.

Kenny Rogers is an example of what makes me love baseball so much. He has been playing the game for 25 years, 18 of them in the major leagues. He has played for six different teams, some more then once, and while he did manage to record a perfect game in 1994, he was about to finish his career without making a significant mark on the sport.

His post-season record has been horrible and he has earned the not-so-flattering nickname of "The Gambler". But now Rogers is peaking at the age of 42 after having been suspended and released last year by his home and intended retirement team, the Texas Rangers.