The Phillies hope their home crowd, which was “raucous during the last two postseason rounds, can provide an advantage” during Games 3 and 4 of the World Series, according to Matt Breen of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. Phillies LF Kyle Schwarber said, “They’ve been unbelievable every time we’ve been at home. We feel like it’s another element that a visiting team is going to have to go through. They’ve been great through this whole postseason. We’re excited to get back and can’t wait to get out there on the line for the intros and see the fans.” The Phillies have won all five of their home games this month and their crowd “seemed to have an effect" on both the Braves and Padres. It was a “sea of red rally towels as the fans, many of whom stood during the entire game, never seemed to let up” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 10/30).
TOP OF THE WORLD: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jason Gay writes Philadelphia “feels like the place to be in sports at the moment.” The Flyers are 5-2-1, tied for a “respectable second” in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division and the Union are headed to the MLS Cup. Gay writes Philadelphia right now is “the sports capital of the universe.” The Eagles “are rolling.” Gay: “(They) have surpassed even the most hopeful early predictions.” He added that the Phillies have “sprinkled magic dust on their city and the baseball playoffs.” Gay: “Houston has all the tools necessary to prevail, but do you really want to bet against Philadelphia right now?” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/31).
LOSING INTEREST? In Boston, Dan Shaughnessy wrote it “feels like this once-national event is shrinking by the hour.” The World Series is a “huge deal” in Houston. Likewise, Games 3 and 4 in Philadelphia are “going to be epic.” Two cities “care about this event madly.” Shaughnessy: “But the rest of our country? Not so much.” A quick scan of the press box in Houston reveals nobody is “reporting for outlets in old baseball towns.” Reporters from Philadelphia and Houston are “covering wall-to-wall,” but this is “not a big event for municipalities that once cared deeply about baseball.” They are “all “watching college and NFL football” (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/29).
