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The matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays during the World Series could be the lowest-rated World Series ever. I guess this is due to the fact that fans are clamoring for a Red Sox-Dodgers matchup. Fox’s World Series hopes started off promising, with the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox in the playoffs. But the Cubs, Angels and White Sox fell in the first round and the Dodgers were eliminated by the Phillies in the second. The low-profile Rays, the worst team in baseball last year, then finished off the defending champion Red Sox on Sunday night.

In the last 10 years, the highest-rated Series was the seven-game Florida Marlins-Cleveland Indians matchup, which averaged a 16.7 rating/29 share. There have only been three others since then to go over 15, most recently the 2004 Series in which Boston ended an 86-year drought to beat the St. Louis Cardinals in four straight.

But Fox Sports president Ed Goren still remains optimistic. Goren looks to the 1997 Series, with a relatively unknown Marlins up against the Indians. Game 7 averaged a 25.7 rating as Florida won.