HOT CORNER

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

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What: The Official 2002 World Series videotape and DVD: “Heaven in Seven”

Producers: Major League Baseball Productions

Price: $19.95

Angel fans, new and old, here’s the videotape and DVD you’ve been waiting for. And it’s quite a show, although all the producers really had to do was follow the script. How could they miss?

The scene is set with highlights from the regular season, including the Angels’ 6-14 start, Barry Bonds’ achievements and the Oakland Athletics’ 20-game win streak. Then come highlights of the first two rounds of the playoffs, including the Angels coming back from a 6-1 deficit to defeat the New York Yankees, 9-6, in Game 3 of the division series.

Finally comes the nitty gritty -- a game-by-game review of a most memorable seven-game World Series.

The video is 100 minutes, and the DVD offers 30 minutes of bonus coverage. A case could be made that the editing could have been tighter. But there was a lot of ground to cover.

The video and DVD include interviews from all the principals and plenty of behind-the-scene shots. One particularly emotional moment shows Tim Salmon and Jackie Autry, both drenched in champagne, hugging in the Angel locker room.

The video and DVD, which will premiere at a private screening tonight, become available in stores Tuesday.

-- Larry Stewart