Here's what the governors of Florida and Pennsylvania have wagered on the World Series:
Florida oranges and crab claws or Philly cheesesteak and soft pretzels.
That's what Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and his Pennsylvania counterpart, Ed Rendell, have riding on the World Series.
"I know it will be a great series, and I am honored that Gov. Rendell has agreed to a friendly wager," Crist said.
A lesson from the AP in the ground rules covering the catwalks at Tropicana Field:
1. Batted ball that strikes either of the two lower catwalks over fair territory: Home run.
2. Batted ball over fair territory that is not judged a home run and remains on a catwalk: Double.
3. Batted ball that is not judged a home run and strikes a catwalk in fair territory shall be judged fair or foul in relation to where it strikes the ground or is touched by a fielder. If caught by fielder, batter is out and runners advance at own risk.
4. Batted ball that strikes a catwalk over foul territory: Dead ball. Ball to be judged foul, regardless of where it strikes the ground or is touched by fielder. Cannot be caught for an out.
You don't even have to like baseball to groove to this music.
This Phillies fan stopped on a trip to Death Valley to tout his beloved team . . .
And here's some more in case you didn't get enough . . .
Is Charlie Manuel, right, a master manager?
Was the Phillies win in Game a result of Joe Torre's incompetence or Charlie Manuel's cagy manipulations?
Read more on Charlie getting the last chuckle.
Here's excerpt from the story:
The mythology is already starting, and the Phillies haven't yet dispatched the Dodgers in the NLCS.
But from the Left Coast to the Delaware Valley yesterday, on talk radio, on TV and in angry blogs and furious e-mails, fans and even some media folk are creating a myth for the ages.
They're saying the reason the Phils are on the verge of their sixth World Series in 125 years is because Charlie Manuel is outmanaging Joe Torre.
Dodger fans are roasting the man who won four World Series rings with the Yankees for getting snookered by Uncle Charlie, who understands that a manager's primary job is to keep his players happy. Executing arcane strategic "moves" is not nearly so high a priority.
2
Number of Phillies players who were in the big leagues the last time the Phillies were this close to a World Series. Can you name them? (Click on the jump to see if you are right)
15
Number of MLB teams out of 30 that have appeared in a World Series since 1993, when the Phillies fell to the Blue Jays in six games on Joe Carter's walkoff home run.
12 and 9
Ages of Shane Victorino and Cole Hamels in 1993.
And here's a fun link to a story that tells us why the Phillies postseason runs always seem to make life better.
. . . if you happen to be in L.A. tonight, that is.
Paul Vigna of The Philadelphia Daily News (and a former sports editor here at the York Daily Record) reported this on his blog:
Average ticket prices for Game 4 were $102, and they are the same for Game 5 tomorrow night, according to StubHub's daily report. In fact, the average price of a ticket for the three games at Dodger Stadium is down to $114. In fact, the lowest priced ticket was for $5 to Game 3 for a spot in the upper deck. A number of seats are going for below face value, in the $16 to $20 range.
Meanwhile, neither the quantity (around 3,400) nor the average price ($252) has changed much at all for a possible Game 6 at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night.
It's a good time to be a West Coast Phillie fan.
