In yet another trite but undeniably efficient marketing scheme, Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) restaurant Taco Bell is offering one free Beef Crunchy Taco to every American if a base is stolen in the 2007 World Series.

Just one pilfered sack in the entire best-of-seven series, and a single taco -- likely worth less than your time and effort to make the trip -- can be yours for the taking.

Oh -- you have just three hours to redeem it. Between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on a Tuesday. Tuesday to be determined (October 30 if the first base is stolen in Game 1 or 2, November 6 if the first base is stolen in Game 3 or later).

Participating locations only.

For their sake, I hope America's college freshmen can get out of class and take advantage, if indeed a base is stolen in this year's series. Even as much of a laugher as this promotion is, it's totally plausible that no bases will be stolen.


Taco Bell announced the promotion Monday morning, less than 12 hours after active stolen base leader Kenny Lofton's Cleveland Indians were eliminated by the Boston Red Sox in an ugly, comical American League pennant clincher. MLB season steals leader Jose Reyes (78) is resting up with the rest of the Mets. Our fall classic contenders, the Red Sox (98) and the Colorado Rockies (100), have mediocre stolen base numbers on the year -- both less than half of the Mets' regular-season total.

When the Red Sox hosted their National League counterparts back in June (Colorado took two of three), Boston's incredibly patience-trying shortstop Julio Lugo managed the only stolen base of the interleague series. Lord only knows how he got on base to begin with.

Just as when Russia's free-falling Mir space station failed to hit Taco Bell's South Pacific target back in 2001, just as when Barry Bonds failed to homer into a floating Taco Bell target in McCovey Cove in the 2002 World Series, and just as with other fun, frivolous promotions I don't care to exhume, Taco Bell may yet again leave America starving! Curse you, Yum Brands!