The final four are set, the lockout clock is ticking, and the Phillies' offseason is already taking shape. Josh Liddick and Austin Myers break it all down on Catchin’ Phils.

The Brewers opened the NLCS with a 2-1 victory over the Dodgers in a pitcher’s duel, and the Guardians and Rays are set for the ALCS. Three of the four remaining teams are small or mid-market clubs, with the CBA expiring December 1. So what does that mean for the salary cap fight? Josh and Austin dig into it, and into what the Phillies can learn from teams that built through player development.

Then it's on to the Phillies' offseason. Austin makes the case for locking up Don Mattingly. Josh makes the case for Aidan Miller, who is tearing up the Arizona Fall League, as the third baseman in 2027. They also get into the Japanese posting window, which opens November 1, and why Teruaki Sato, the Hanshin Tigers' Triple Crown winner, could be a fit.

Plus, a rough stretch for Philly sports. The Eagles' last-second loss in London puts Nick Sirianni's game management under the microscope, the Flyers are still searching for their first win, and the Sixers tip off with LeBron on October 20. The guys also shout out the Union, who might be the most fun team in the city right now.

Is this the year small-market baseball finally takes down the Dodgers?

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin' Phils ⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠.

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Episode timestamps:

00:00 — Intro and episode preview

00:26 — LCS kickoff: Brewers edge Dodgers in NLCS Game 1

02:11 — Small markets take over October

09:09 — Could the Phillies have hung with the final four?

14:20 — Picking our dream World Series

17:40 — CBA looming: Salary cap, parity and the Dodgers

26:18 — Buying talent vs. player development: The Phillies problem

28:38 — Phillies offseason priorities: The manager question

38:33 — Aidan Miller and the third base plan

42:48 — Teruaki Sato and the Japanese posting window

48:26 — Eagles heartbreak in London: Is Sirianni on the hot seat?

56:36 — Flyers winless start

1:00:24 — Sixers opening night and LeBron

1:04:02 — Shoutout to the Union

1:07:40 — Wrap-up