The city of Philadelphia is probably praying the Phillies go at least another 28 years before winning anything ever again.

- J Posnanki says that even as winners, Philadelphians stay in character (and that’s not a compliment). (Kansas City Star)

- Kevin Blackistone writes that baseball needs a shorter season. (AOL Sports)

- Jim Caple calls for more suspended Series games. (ESPN)

- John Romano writes that in just one year, the Rays changed everything. (St. Petersburg Times)

- Marc Lancaster notes that just two days later, the Phillies finished the job. (Tampa Tribune)

- Tim Brown says that the Rays just can’t grasp losing. (Yahoo! Sports)

During Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday night, Rays family members and employees say they were harassed and abused by Phillies fans at Citizens Bank Park to an unacceptable degree.

Children were cursed at, and one 9-year-old boy had beer poured on him. A Rays family member stayed locked in a bathroom stall because, he said, Phillies fans were banging on the walls and threatening him.

Also, according to a quote from Rays manager Joe Maddon before game four last night, his granddaughter spent her Saturday night getting pelted with mustard packets.

“I think it’s really humorous, actually. Down by the dugout I had a good time with a bunch of guys sitting up in the stands. I was actually giving a guy a hard time for drinking Coors Light in Philadelphia. We went back and forth with that, and I said where’s the Schmidt’s? At least some Rolling Rock. Don’t be going with Coors Light. It’s so unfashionable for a Philly dude. So I was all over him about that, so we had a good time. I mean, the biggest part is my families. If we could do something about that, throwing mustard packs at my granddaughter is not very cool. The other part about it I’m good with. If you want to be vociferous with us, I am fine with that. If you want to have arguments about the Coors Light versus Rolling Rock, I’m good with that, but leave the families alone.”

While I don’t mind when the home fans give visiting fans crap from time to time, why in the hell do Phillies fans have to go after kids? Pouring a beer on, or throwing mustard at children? Seriously? Is that what you have to do to feel like a badass?

I mean, a beer is expensive enough. In these tough economic times you should not be pouring it over anybody’s head, let alone a kid, you should be drinking it. Of course, it’s probably drinking the beers that got us into this mess in the first place. Phillies fans did have to sit around for an extra hour and a half before the start of game three, which gave them plenty of extra time to down the beers.

Amen.