Oh, They're Playing the World Series?

With all the meltdowns, breakdowns and verbal smack downs of the campaign, baseball slipped into the background. Well, that and the fact that the World Series everyone wanted to see, the Red Sox against the Dodgers, bringing Manny back to Boston for four nights, won't happen.
This series, Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay does have some interesting elements to it. First, the franchises play in crucial swing states, so good luck getting either candidate to announce a favorite!
Second, they represent a bygone era in baseball: two teams largely built from within without heavy reliance on free agency. The Phillies boast three NL MVPs on the infield. The Rays have several number one picks in the draft (losing and losing a lot, year after year will do that).
Both teams are fairly young and seem poised to contend for several years. Neither however, seemed likely to still be playing baseball in late October of this year. The Phillies emerged from the National League East which seemed as though it would be the Mets domain. The Rays, even more amazingly, won the American League East beating the Yankees and the Red Sox. The Rays' entire payroll is equal to the salaries of left side of the Yankee infield (and maybe a middle reliever).
Unfortunately there is not much national interest in this match up. I must confess I have trouble remembering that the Series is going on. I have managed to catch the last couple of innings of Games 1 and 2, but it is not an event that I, or probably many people outside of Tampa and Philadelphia, are blocking out time for. Fox may have to figure out a way to incorporate American Idol into the games to raise viewership. Maybe have Randy, Paula and Simon umpire? Maybe force the pitcher to be critiqued by the Judges after each inning? I can hear Simon now "that 2-2 slider was an appalling choice of pitches and you deserve to go home after tonight".
So, while these are two interesting young teams who have been built the right way, it seems that nobody really cares. We like drama and a storyline. The World Series is more interesting when the Yankees are there. We thought this might be the year of the Cubs. Manny vs. the Red Sox.
The World Series is often not what we want and normally a painful remeinder of the failed season that just ended (or if you're a Cubs fan, the failed 100 seasons). The two teams playing this year are worth a look and deserve our admiration for beating back the Goliaths from New York and Boston. Still, it might take an incomprehensible Paula commentary in the broadcast booth the get many of us to watch.