A confession here. I have a favorite number from last night’s big Phillies win.

It is not 1, as in the Phils taking a 1-0 lead in the World Series.

It is not 3, as in the number of runs they scored.

It is not 7, the number of strong innings from ace starter Cole Hamels.

Nor is it 0, the number of base-runners allowed by relievers Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge in the eighth and ninth.

It is 3:23. That’s how long it took to play the game. Three hours and 23 minutes. With an 8:35 start, the game ended right around midnight.

I am a newspaper editor. I deal with something every day. It’s called a deadline. It’s a little like having a loaded gun pointed at your head every night.

Playing World Series games in prime time might be convenient for TV, but it wreaks havoc with newspapers.

The truth is, we’d hate to find ourselves in the position of having to print newspapers without the result of the game in them. The truth is that’s a possibility. Remember, baseball is the one game that is not played with a clock. Throw in network TV, a late start, and a ton of commercials, and these games take forever to play.

That’s another reason for me to be a Cole Hamels’ fan. The games in which he pitches happen to move at a pretty good clip.

Last night we were able to sub a special front page, with lots of color, because the game ended at a reasonable hour.

Of course, on Saturday, when the Series heads north to South Philly and Citizens Bank Park, they are talking about the serious possibility of rain.

That could mean a rain delay. I don’t even want to think about it.