Red September, Part 1: Here comes Iguchi

Philadelphia, 2007.

The citywide beer garden shortage has led to large groups of esteemed socialites wandering, glassy-eyed and disoriented, into intersections and causing massive traffic delays. The reaction to Genesis' set list at the Wells Fargo Center is lukewarm at best. And Chase Utley's hand, once in pieces, is trying its best to heal in time for the playoffs.

Yes. The playoffs.

It's serendipitous that Utley's replacement, Tadahito Iguchi ,would announce his retirement today, ten years later, as he sparked the Phillies' September 2007 run with a big hit and the walk-off run in a four-game sweep of the Mets at the end of August. We can all remember when the Phillies overtook the Mets in the season's last month, at one point seven games back with 17 left to play, so why not take the day off work and listen to Part 1 of our mini series on one of the most magical times in Phillies history.

In this first episode, we talk about that pivotal four-game sweep, but also some headier topics: The tribalism of fandom. The unconscious alcoholism of baseball. Witnessing a team reach rock bottom. The lifespan of a slugger like Ryan Howard. And what it's like to have the best seat and the loudest voice in the park during a playoff race.

Featuring interviews with our own Liz Roscher and Paul Boye; Brian Salvatore of Amazin' Avenue; Mets fans Jeff Paternostro and Jarrett Seidler of Baseball Prospectus; Tyler Kepner of the New York Times; Marshall Harris of CSN Philly; and the Phillies' immortal public address announcer, Dan Baker.