Breaking ball and a call. Strike three. Third strike out for Zach. He's going to just watch it go. A grand slam for Bryson Stott.

And there's a high fly ball. Deep right field. Huffer watches it fly.

From W.HY and Billy Penn, this is your midweek edition of Hittin Season, a Philadelphia

Phillies podcast. My name is Justin Clue, and I write for baseball prospectus and boy,

baseball season is underway. You've already had your first regular season episode of Hitton Season with my

colleagues, John Stoleness, and Liz Rocher following opening day. But the Phillies have played

even more baseball since then. And I was actually down in Washington to catch the last two games

of that series. The Aeronola and Christopher Sanchez, Aaronola and Jesus Lazzardo starts, as well as the

Philly's home opener, which I have to say, I'm rolled up to last year's home opener on a much

mistier, quieter, grayer day than the home opener this year. I feel like the mood last year

was a little more subdued.

Part of that was the weather.

It can also just be kind of hard to get to a game at 3 o'clock on a Thursday.

But, yeah, this year, the difference was very clear.

There was a, you know, the weather was obviously different.

It was a beautiful, gorgeous day.

The sun was everywhere. The sky was the swirling blue.

It was, uh, it was picturesque for sure. Parking lots full of people playing cornhole, having a good time.

Everybody was in a good mood. It was, it was kind of interesting. I mean, the Super Bowl effect is real,

I will say. Um, but there was that whole point this spring that the Phillies were feeling a little,

maybe a little unloved or weren't getting the buzz that they thought they were going to get

coming into the regular season.

...