Technically, I suppose, today is a work day.

Reality is another thing.

I’m wondering how much is going to get done in a lot of offices today. I’m also wondering if absenteeismm, both from work and school, jumps.
Blame Phillies Phever.

It’s likely to be rampant today.

There’s nothing like day baseball -- day playoff baseball -- on a gorgeous early fall afternoon to bring on some serious sniffles.

But at least we should be able to focus and get some things done until game time, 3 p.m., right?

Uh, not exactly.

The Phillies are conspiring to diminish output in the workplace, and contributing to some serious juvenile delinquency, luring kids out of school.

Good for them.

The Phillies don’t want fans to have to wait to enjoy a moment they’ve waited 14 years to experience again.

They’re getting the party started at noon with an October-Phest (if you haven’t noticed everything is spelled with a ‘ph’ these days) outside Citizens Bank Park.

And get this, you don’t even need a ticket. There will be music, free swings in their batting cage and ice cream samplings. And, of course, what would a sports party in Philly be without face-painting.

Workplace productivity might actually be even lower if this series goes four games.

That’s because Game 4 will be played Sunday in Denver. At the lovely hour of 10 p.m. I chatted with our beat writer, Dennis Deitch, yesterday about what this might mean to us in terms of covering the story and when the game might actually be over. Consider it a safe bet that you should plan on being up until at least 1 a.m.

But let me play devil’s advocate here. Remember baseball is not played with a clock. They play until someone wins. An extra-inning affair Sunday night in Denver could be a real nightmare. If you have a couple of hours, I’ll tell you what kind of problems that creates for newspapers.

But what the hell, we’re willing to take one for the team. Go Phils. And yes, count me among those hoping for a sweep.