PHILADELPHIA — Warning: Don't mention the "F" word to Philadelphia center fielder Shane Victorino.

The one that implies he might be playing in the World Series at something less than 100 percent physically.

"Shane, are you worried about getting the flu,'' someone asked the St. Anthony High alum from Maui in the midst of media inquisition yesterday as the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees took a break in the action before the Series resumes tonight here at Citizen's Bank Park.

You would've thought he'd asked the man called the "Flyin' Hawaiian" if he'd ever committed a heinous crime the way he reacted. Victorino immediately pulled away from the pack, promptly ending the interview on the spot.

Clearly, this was a subject Victorino wanted to avoid at all costs.

In fact, the reigning Major League champion Phillies' clubhouse as a whole was pretty much a ghost town. While manager Charlie Manuel regaled listeners with stories of his time playing in Japan — where he just missed making the catch on Sadaharu Oh's then Hank Aaron-record-breaking 756th home run, most of his players were virtually nowhere to be seen.

Or, like Victorino, not at all forthcoming.

"There's nothing to fear,'' said Victorino, when asked if he was worried Thursday's Game 2 loss that tied the series at a game apiece might linger into Game 3 today.

"It was one loss. You're trying to make it a lot worse than it is. We've moved on."

Besides, Victorino and the Phillies are looking forward to having the fans on their side, especially considering they've gone 10-1 in their own yard in the postseason the last two years.

Coming off a three-game home sweep of the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, they can't wait to see the rally towels waving en masse over the next three nights.

"Definitely, it's going to be exciting,'' said Victorino, hitting .250 (2-for-8) through the first two games, including a ninth-inning RBI single during the Phils' 6-1 Game 1 win. "It's going to be loud tomorrow.

"It was big to win a game on the road. Now we're back in our ballpark. We think we can beat them. We didn't get it done last night. But that's over with.''

Now, Victorino and the Phillies will focus on trying to regain the Series' advantage against veteran lefthander Andy Pettitte, who's won 16 postseason games throughout a stellar career.

"He's tough,'' said Victorino, who's had success — getting three hits in six previous at bats — against Pettitte. "He's going to try to keep us off balance and he's got great control.

"We need to get out of the gate early. Try and score some early runs and get our offense going."

To this point the Phillies haven't really done much at the plate, getting two solo Chase Utley homers in Game 1 off C.C. Sabathia, before breaking it open against the Yankee bullpen in the late innings. Then in Game 2, they were handcuffed by righthander A.J. Burnett, who threw 22 first pitch strikes and held them to four hits and a run over seven innings.

As for Victorino, he's popped up a few times and hasn't really stung the ball the way he did in the NLCS, where he hit two homers and drove in six.

While his overall postseason numbers (.341-3-8 and two steals) are even better, none of that matters now.

"I don't think it matters what you've done to this point,'' said the 28-year-old Victorino, who hit .292 with 10 homers, 62 RBIs and 25 steals this season, becoming the first Isle-born position player (nonpitcher) to be named to the All-Star team. "We're just focusing on one game.

"I think that's the character of this club. Just go out and do what you're capable of.''

While Victorino hasn't worked the pitchers the way he can to set the table for the big bats of Utley, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth, others have been wondering if it might be because of something else. Like the flu?

Just don't ask him about it.