Paul and Matt revisit the offense's rediscovered success in the Royals series, wonder what the heck to do about Taijuan Walker, and ponder if the Phillies can finally take care of business against the Braves.

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After a flat start to the homestand, the Phillies have swung back to looking like their old selves this week. Powered by a tide-turning Kyle Schwarber grand slam and an unlikely cycle from unsung hero Weston Wilson, the Phils have rebuilt their division lead to 8 games ahead of Sunday's series finale with Washington. A tough road test lies ahead, so just how back do we think the Phils really are? Paul and Matt break it down.

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The quest for 100 wins and beyond had a minor setback this week in the Phils' first games back stateside since London, but they're really no worse for wear. Plus, the cavalry is coming in the form of Brandon Marsh (already returned) and Trea Turner (to be activated Monday). With a hot homestand on deck, the Phillies will look to right the ship and get back to their winning (more often) ways.

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Is the burden from the last 10 years, and the previous 4 in particular, too much to overcome right now? Is the thought of another Phillies (redacted) that overpowering? Paul and Matt, on the heels of another poor showing in Atlanta, work through why the fan base's feeling of this team, still very much in playoff position, feels like it's hanging by a thread. Plus: The "uniqueness" of this playoff push in Phillies history, the need for every little advantage, and one Phillies player who may be on an early Hall of Fame track.

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The pendulum has swung back yet again, and the Phillies have wrapped up a 5-1 homestand. It's time to pay a little attention to the magic numbers to clinch (and how to calculate them) for the first time in a long time. Plus, Paul and Matt draft a playoff pitching staff and give props to the new offensive powerhouses in the lineup's 9-spot.

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Scrub it from your brains. That Arizona/San Francisco road trip didn't happen. It's all about looking forward and ahead to be a big homestand, where the Phillies could re-pad their lead by taking games from the Marlins and Nationals. That should be the expectation, but will this truly be a new reality for the Phillies? Paul and Matt dig into the demons.

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It's been a long time since the Phillies were an actual, literal playoff team. But they're in a great position at the end of August, so is it time to get more optimistic? How do we even go about doing that? Plus, yearning for a team at full health come October, and forgetting about the Mountain Time Zone.

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So, that Mets series wasn't great...but it's also far from the end of the world. Paul and Matt try to explain why this past weekend's series doesn't mean the Phils are a total postseason pretender, and kick off the process of relearning what it's like to really root (no cheering in the press box) for a team that's in the playoffs.

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The Good Phight's Ethan Witte joins Paul to look back at the week that was against the Mets and Reds, look ahead to their respective rematches, and wishcast an April 2023 that involves some fun starting pitching possibilities.

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Paul and Matt, still feeling good for the moment, talk about the "Good Team + Bad Opponents" mix of the recent schedule and how that will change this week, the J.T. Realmuto revival, and the curious case of Bryson Stott.

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Paul and Matt recap the Trade Deadline, from Robertson and Syndergaard and Marsh coming in, to Brown and Moniak and O'Hoppe heading out. How good should we feel about these moves? Did they do enough? Plus, what does this mean for the top trio of Abel, Painter, and McGarry now that they're staying put?

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In their first post-All Star series, the Phillies were swept, at home, by the Cubs; Nick Castellanos was booed, then asked about it in a tense locker room interview (and post-interview) with NBC's Jim Salisbury; the offense and the 5th starter's spot each came up short; and we're still no closer to getting a good feel for what this team's trade deadline activity might look like. Things are going well at the moment.

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Alright maybe not literally...but the Phillies' relief corps has been great, and a huge reason why they've stayed in the postseason hunt without Bryce Harper & co. Can they keep it up? Do they need help? How would we prioritize the team's trade needs, and whose first halves are we buying or selling?

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After giving Europe a taste of their particular brand of baseball in a characteristically weird two-game set, the Phillies return home from London for an American League road test against the Red Sox and Orioles. Paul and Matt look back on London — from David Dahl to Gregory Soto — and look ahead to the Injured List cavalry of Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh returning.

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All-Star selections are in, and the Phils have two pretty high-profile snubs accompanying their two electees. Will that matter? Plus, the trade deadline planning takes yet another turn as the starting rotation takes a couple of hits and the Phillies prep for running out a depleted roster in Toronto.

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Paul and Matt dig deep on Didi, what it takes to keep players happy, Zack Wheeler's reinvented dominance, Matt Vierling as Ben Zobrist, and embracing the chaos of "why not?"

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Bryce Harper is hurt. The season has changed. With 88 games left, and 5 weeks until the trade deadline, what comes next for these Phillies? Paul and Matt chat it out.

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Paul and Matt dig into the near and far futures of second base and catcher, what it means to "win a game you shouldn't have," and the Wall of Fame.

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Matt returns to us now, at the turn of the tide, from beneath Citizens Bank Park to review what's real or not real about this team versus six weeks ago, and to eulogize the Joe Girardi Era.

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Destiny Lugardo (@destiny_lugardo) of Phillies Nation and Leo Morgenstern (@morgensternmlb) of SI Phillies join Paul to bask in the glow of last weekend's Angels series before figuring out just how much to believe in this being the start of something great, and what needs to happen this month in order to keep it great (35 homers from Kyle Schwarber would be nice).

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A brief solo show from Paul on the dangerous roads the Phillies currently find themselves skidding along.

Resources for helping the people and community of Uvalde, TX: https://www.npr.org/2022/05/25/1101161673/how-to-help-uvalde-school-shooting

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Phillies meme curator Ballin' (the pen name of Twitter's @inthephanattic) joins Paul to discuss her craft of Phillies content collection and creation, try to figure out why the "fun" element of these Phillies can sometimes go missing, and reveals the Beefy Boy of the Day in a pod exclusive (that has since been spoiled, but we're counting it).

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Baseball Prospectus's Rob Orr (@NotTheBobbyOrr) joins the show to talk about his journey from the Phillies writing sphere to the national stage at BP, the Phillies' (mostly) successful 7-game road trip, and how we all can learn to love the Phils' prospect pipeline again.

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Phillies Nation's Destiny Lugardo (@destiny_lugardo) pops by for a session on whether last week's Mets collapse "defines" the Phillies, the ever-tightening leash around Joe Girardi, looking forward to Rhys Hoskins's next slump breakout, and whether the West Coast road trip will be worth staying up for.

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Hoby Milner! Oliver Dunn! Matt Klentak! And some guy named Rhys Hoskins. The Brewers are in town for the Phillies' last regular set before this weekend's London Series, with a warm welcome expected for (at least) one of those guys. Paul and Matt recap the injury situation, lament Whit Merrifield a little, and look ahead to the Phils and Mets unleashing their particular brand of baseball on some unsuspecting Europeans.

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A quick bonus conversation with the Phillies front office leader on her rise from the Phillies blog world to one of the highest positions with the club. (Editor's note: Technical difficulties meant Paul needed to use a backup mic, which only kinda makes him sound like he's underwater.)

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Paul and Matt relive the multiple personalities of last week's Rockies sweep and Mets series loss, try to reset their expectations for what a "good" offense is with this year's ball and run-scoring trends, and envision a time capsule to be opened in mid-June what Matt returns.

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Matt and Paul revisit the infield situation (for the 4th, and definitely not last, time), come to some sort of grips on the inevitability of Ronald Torreyes and José Alvarado, and wonder how to get a request down to the batting practice DJ.

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A rough first battle with divisional opponents leaves the Phils a bit bruised at 4-6, but bigger questions are lingering. When will Zack Wheeler be 100%? How soon is too soon to be making big lineup changes? And is Alec Bohm's fate really just to be another semi-failed Triple-A graduation?

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Paul and Matt recap the home-opening series victory against the A's and cower in fear of what supernatural terrors the first Phils/Mets series of the year will bring.

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A quick bonus hit as Paul wraps up this round of listener-submitted over/unders that were cut for time in episode 3.

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Paul and Matt tackle some tweeted over/unders, picture a full season that goes (mostly) right, and approach physical illness at the mention of John Lannan.

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Staying in step with Hollywood's biggest night, Paul and Matt contemplate who could be the 2022 Phillies' Best Actor, Supporting Actor, and more. And of course, no award show would be complete without an afterparty, where third base continues to be the hot topic among the VIPs.

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There's a whiff of hope in the air around Clearwater and the greater Philadelphia area. The Phillies have made some big moves, and are all-in on an offense-heavy roster for this season. Can they conjure up memories of the 2007 team's offensive barrage, or will a lack of depth eventually do them in?

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There is no greater equalizer, no force more compelling, no gravity more inescapable than that of some grating defeats out west. It is inevitable. The Phillies finish navigating their stretch out in The Forbidden Lands having finally lost a series and consecutive games. Now, with Ronald Acuña Jr.'s season ending prematurely, the onus is squarely on the Phillies to keep the Braves at arm's length.

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The Phillies continue to capitalize with the cards they're dealt, sweeping the Nationals over the weekend to reach a ludicrous 20 games over .500 before Memorial Day. Paul and Matt go over how the schedule has helped (but not caused) the hot start, the useful Kody Clemens, and a growing fascination with Cristopher Sánchez.

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Another week, another winning record. Despite some dings and dents, the Phillies kept their no-loss series streak alive. Now, they take on two more NL East rivals in what should be a slightly tougher test than the one the Marlins provided. Paul and Matt talk about roster fits and flexibility, the reemergence of Bryson Stott, and how to strategize for potential summer trade pickups.

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Phillies Pitching Coach Caleb Cotham (@ceetwo35) joins Paul and Matt as his (practically) league-leading staff has helped carry the Phils to their best start in years. He shares his thoughts on preparation and injury avoidance, game planning and altering repertoires. Plus, Paul and Matt on the Trea Turner injury and what lies ahead for the middle of the infield.

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Paul and Matt's first Twitch simulcast episode (of which you are hearing the audio-only portion, naturally) finds them evaluating the ups and downs, reals and not-reals of the season's first nearly-complete calendar month.

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The Phillies did what they were supposed to, and then some, sweeping consecutive home series against two downtrodden teams. Now, the tests resume on a swing across the country from Ohio to California. Paul and Matt review the team's readiness for keeping the division close, the coming rotation shuffle with Taijuan Walker's return, and take a moment to appreciate the team being in the midst of a new "golden age."

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As we continue to wait to herald the offense's arrival, the pitching continues to carry the day and keep the Phils afloat. With two of the league's more down-and-out teams coming to Philly this week, now would be the time to bust out the big bats.

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Rare is the team that can make "20 games over .500 and 7.5 games up in the division" feel so...bad? Recency bias is a hell of a drug. But the Phillies have some issues that are beginning to crystalize into concerns; how much longer do we need to wait for them to right the ship? And will they be able to sail like they were earlier in the year? Paul and Matt dig in.

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It's not quite the fast start everyone was hoping for, but at 4-5 the Phillies are far from a disaster out of the gate. They carry some lineup concerns, but with strong pitching carrying most of the load, there are encouraging signs (even for those who have struggled) to be found as the team wraps its first roadtrip.

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The Braves bolt out of the gate looking like a regular season power again, while the Phillies scrape together a salvaging Sunday win. Plus some thoughts on stated intentions (generally speaking) and how it'll be "still early" for the likes of Johan Rojas and Brandon Marsh for a little while yet.

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Roster reviews! Positional breakdowns! Over/unders and props! A little bit too much laughing about Edmundo Sosa's aggressive approach! It must be time for the 2024 Phillies season preview. Join us on the journey and get ready for the opening series against the Braves.

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As we begin the final week's worth of spring games, the Phillies have a couple of injury contingencies to think about: How will Bryce Harper's ability to play 1B impact the bench spot battle, and how long will Orion Kerkering need to ramp up? Plus, Ranger's early availability and the impacts the Giants' Blake Snell move could have on the Wild Card race.

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Nearing the home stretch of the spring, the focus is squarely on health. As long as everyone stays healthy, this time is all about "swinging through it." Paul and Matt dig into what that means for Johan Rojas's slow start and the positional dominoes around him, as well as the Spring Breakout coming up this weekend.

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Paul and Matt hop on to talk through Monday's news of Zack Wheeler's long-awaited extension, implications for the talent development pipeline, and how the somewhat unique deal for a somewhat unique pitcher stacks up to others across the league.

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It's Matt's last check-in on location in Clearwater, and with just a handful of games in the bag, the guys chat about a back field game invention, Cris Sánchez's reinvention, and a lack of apprehension around Bryce Harper's (entirely too early) Gold Glove case.

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