Fox Television announced today that starting next year they will be making significant changes in how the World Series is presented.

“Although this year’s World Series had good ratings, we cannot guarantee that every year two big market teams like New York and Philadelphia will be playing.  So we’ve decided to use the strength’s that Fox has to revamp the format of the Series” said a Fox executive who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Full details have yet to be released but it has been confirmed that with next year’s series, the athletes will be replaced by actors on Fox television shows.

“Let’s face it we don’t know how athletes are going to perform in the Series.  They may strike out 8 times and that’s just boring.  Instead why not put a uniform on Hugh Laurie.  Think about the dramatic possibilities.  At the plate he notices something wrong with the pitcher.  He runs out to the mound just as the pitcher collapses of some unknown and horrid disease that only Dr. Gregory House can detect and cure.  Doesn’t that sound more exciting?  It’ll have the audience riveted and it’ll increase ratings.”

While these changes have yet to be approved by Major League Baseball Fox executives are confident that MLB will go along with whatever Fox has in mind.

“We pretty much own baseball and Bud Selig anyway so it’s just a formality having them sign off on what we want to do.”

Already Kiefer Sutherland, aka Jack Bauer of popular TV show “24” has signed on to play in next year’s World Series.  Kiefer will learn that terrorists have placed a dirty bomb inside the chest protector of the home plate umpire.  As Jack Bauer he will struggle to defuse the bomb while trying to protect his daughter and battling with his conscience, snipers in the bleachers and the nasty curveball of opposing pitcher David Boreanaz, Detective Seeley Booth of Fox’s popular show “Bones.”

Jeff Foxworthy of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader” will play a devoted father and baseball fan who tries to explain exactly what the infield fly rule is to his son.  Hilarity ensues as it turns out he is not in fact smarter than a fifth grader.

There is some opposition from baseball traditionalists.  Tim McCarver called the new format “The dumbest thing to happen to baseball since the DH and the Mets trading Nolan Ryan.”  McCarver was immediately fired by Fox.  He will be replaced in the broadcast booth by TV Chef Gordan Ramsay.

“That’ll lead to lots of conflict” said a Fox spokesman.  “I expect him to have Joe Buck in tears halfway through the first inning.  Now that’s exciting television.”

It is rumored that Cleveland from the new animated “The Cleveland Show” will throw out the first ball, though that had not been confirmed as of yet.

“We are looking forward to bringing baseball into the 21st Century” said a Fox spokesman.  “I think America will be excited by the changes.”

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