Asking up to $25K for World Series tix

Two tickets, infield, $12,000.

Each.

That's the top asking price at StubHub.com for actual seats to Game 3 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park, scheduled for Halloween.

Game 5 here? The price goes up to $20,000 - for outfield seats.

And that's not counting the head-scratching listings for standing-room seats at $20,000 each for Game 3, $25,000 for Game 5.

Must be some guy who told his wife, "OK, honey, I'll try to sell my tickets," but who really wants to go.

That's basically right, said Christian Anderson of FanSnap.com, which lists seats offered through about a dozen online services.

"They're what we call 'make me move' prices . . . The guy wants to go to the game, but will pass it up if someone will give him $20,000."

As of today, StubHub's average price in Philly is actually down a little from last year - $838 vs. $903, said Joelle Ferrer, spokeswoman for the service, which had several thousand seats available this morning.

FanSnap put the average at $1,650.

And the prices could go up.

Suppose the Phillies take a 3-1 lead, the way they did against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Oh my God, can you imagine the Phillies having a clinching game of the World Series against the Yankees in Philadelphia? It would definitely be the biggest ticket in Philadelphia sports history," said Jeremi Conaway, vice president of Wanamaker Ticket Office, a local broker with offices at 16th and Market Streets.

Game 4 on Sunday, Nov. 1, could also rise in value, if Philly and New York fans get psyched for seeing both the Eagles-Giants game in the afternoon, then the Phillies at night, he said.

Forget about getting tickets at face value from the Phillies. Any tickets not taken by season-ticket holders were offered to fans who entered a lottery that closed a couple of weeks ago. Any suddenly available tickets - turned in by an opposing team, for instance - will go to people on the lottery list, explained John Weber, vice president of sales and ticket operations.

"No tickets will be sold at the windows," he said.

The most expensive seats make the least costly ones sound cheap, but they're not.

How about $600 for a standing-room ticket to Game 3? That's the ballpark figure at Totally Tickets, ebay and StubHub, according to FanSnap.com.

For $600, you could get into 15 regular-season games.

Even the lowest auction bids on StubHub exceed $400 - for Philadelphia.

Too bad you didn't act last week, when the average seat went for $244, according to StubHub's Ferrer.

Is there any way now to spend less - besides winning some radio contest or getting a late invite from a friend?

Buy from a reputable local broker, like Wanamaker Tickets, ABC Tickets or Ticket Warehouse, said Conaway.

You'll save the 10 to 15 percent in fees that get tacked on by online resellers, he said.

Many of the same tickets offered locally are also posted on those sites, he said.

Another idea, if you don't mind traveling: Buy tickets at Yankee Stadium. Today.

Because the Yankees haven't clinched yet - they could tonight - the demand hasn't peaked.

Some tickets for Game 1 of the World Series, scheduled for Wednesday in the Bronx, are going for about $400 each, through TicketNetwork, ebay and RazorGator, according to FanSnap.

Tickets for Anaheim - should the Angels come back and win - are cheaper.