Talk about a dream matchup

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Give me a Dodgers-Red Sox World Series.

Before the latest collapse of the Cubs, folks in Chicago were dreaming about a Windy City Subway Series . . . Out here in SoCal, the few people who actually care about baseball have touted a Freeway Series . . . There's always been a fascination with Red Sox-Cubs - in the days before the BoSox snapped their Curse, horrormeister Stephen King suggested that Cubs-Red Sox would trigger the Apocalypse.

But what the world needs now is Red Sox-Dodgers. It's the only way for this goofy baseball year to play out.

The Boston-LA story lines are infinite.

It would bring Frank McCourt home to Boston. The Southie businessman (LA Times columnist T.J. Simers calls McCourt "the parking lot attendant") tried to buy the Red Sox in 2001. Poor guy. No one told him the fix was in. Commissioner Bud Selig rigged the sale process to make sure John Henry and Friends got the team, and McCourt wound up "settling" for the Dodgers. McCourt also sold his Brookline house to Henry for $13 million. Henry immediately petitioned to have the McCourt house torn down so he could build a dream house on the land.

Dodgers-Red Sox would bring Nomar Garciaparra back to town. It would give us more opportunities to hear the sneering shortstop tell us how much he loved playing in Boston. We never get tired of hearing that whopper.

We could see Derek Lowe starting Game 1 against the Red Sox at Fenway. Along with Jason Varitek, Lowe is a reminder that Dan Duquette didn't do such a bad job as Red Sox general manager. Never forget that Duquette acquired Lowe and Varitek for Heathcliff Slocumb July 31, 1997. That deal changed a lot of things. Lowe won the American League Division Series, AL Championship Series, and World Series clinching games for the Red Sox in 2004 and is now the Dodgers' best starter. He's also about to become a free agent.

Sox-Dodgers would remind us of the golden spring of 2008 when the Celtics destroyed the Lakers yet again, while fans chanted, "Beat LA!"

There's more. How sweet would it be to see Joe Torre managing in the third-base dugout at Fenway again? It would be the ultimate redemption for one of the class acts in all of baseball. Maybe Zim could make the trip up from Tampa and spend the afternoons with Joe at Suffolk.

Sox-Dodgers would also bring public relations maestro Charles Steinberg back to Fenway. In an effort to outdo his old work in Boston, Steinberg might try to reassemble what's left of the Beatles for opening ceremonies at Dodger Stadium.

With any luck, a Boston-Los Angeles World Series would bring Vin Scully and Sandy Koufax to our town. They are Dodger royalty.

Scully is the god of baseball play-by-play. He has fond memories of covering a Boston University football game against Maryland from Fenway's rooftop on a cold November day in 1949. He also has a place in Red Sox lore. Scully was the man making the TV call ("behind the bag!") when Mookie Wilson's grounder slithered between the ankles of Bill Buckner.

Koufax pitched at Fenway in one of the 1961 All-Star Games. He worked two innings, giving up two hits. He struck out Mickey Mantle in his second inning on the Fenway mound. How's that for a collision of greatness?

Koufax and Scully came to Boston with the Dodgers when the ancient franchise played at Fenway for the first time in the summer of 2004.

What about the 1916 World Series, you ask? (OK, maybe you didn't ask; we're going to tell you anyway.) Didn't the Dodgers come to Fenway then?

Actually, no. In 1916, the Dodgers weren't from Los Angeles and they weren't the Dodgers. They were the Brooklyn Robins - named after manager Wilbert Robinson, who was born in Bolton, Mass. The Dodgers were the Bridegrooms and the Superbas before they were the Robins. They didn't become "Dodgers" until 1932.

The Red Sox did not play the Dodgers/Robins at Fenway in the 1916 World Series because Braves Field had more seats. On Oct. 9, 1916, Babe Ruth went the distance in a 14-inning, 2-1 win over Brooklyn in front of 41,373 at Braves Field.

Young Ruth, who never got to pitch in the Sox' 1915 World Series win over the Phillies, had this message for manager Bill Carrigan after his masterpiece against the Robins: "I told you a year ago I could take care of those National League bums and you never gave me a chance."

Babe's World Series winner's share was $4,000.

Oh, one more thing. I almost forgot. A Dodgers-Red Sox World Series would bring Manny Ramírez back to Boston. This would close the loop on one of the strangest, most incredible sports stories of our time. Manny has been downright Ruthian since he left Boston. He's the most popular Southern California athlete since Shaquille O'Neal. You simply cannot put a price on the prospect of seeing Manny with the Dodgers at Fenway against the Red Sox in the World Series.

Dodgers-Red Sox. It's got to happen.

Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at dshaughnessy@globe.com.