But that's plenty of time to start thinking about next year, not just with the players (Cliff Lee is coming back, while Brett Myers, Pedro Feliz and Miguel Cairo are leaving, as you may have heard), but also the broadcast booth.

As you know, the Phillies lost their Voice in April, when Harry Kalas died before a 9-8 Phillies win in Washington. Kalas was one of a kind and can never be properly replaced, but the team and Comcast have to give fans more than they got this year, right?

Here are my suggestions:

From the outside: Go hard after Harry's son, Todd Kalas, to take over his dad's role as top play-by-play man on television. A split role between TV and radio would also work. Currently the pre- and postgame host and in-game reporter for the Tampa Bay Rays, Todd might not want to follow in his dad's large footsteps, but it's worth a shot.

There's also a terrific play-by-play announcer right down the road in Washington in Bob Carpenter who has never had an affiliation with the Phillies, but has done baseball for years for ESPN and now for the Nationals. He could fit into Harry's old role, as well. You never know, but he might be tired of watching the Nats and working with Rob Dibble by now.

Inside shuffle: Radio play-by-play announcer Scott Franzke and analyst Larry Andersen are well-liked by most fans and have a good rapport, but they tend to get caught up in things that don't involve the game -- inside jokes, press box food, keeping score, etc. That would make them a suitable pair for TV. With the game right in front of you, their humor and personalities would blend well and you wouldn't have to depend on them to call every pitch.

That would make room for Tom McCarthy and longtime Phillies analyst Chris Wheeler on the radio. Radio play-by-play hasn't always been McCarthy's greatest talent, but it is something that improved during his time with the Mets, and Wheels loves to talk about the game and only the game -- which would keep everyone aware of what's going on at all times. Gary Matthews could then be sprinkled in here and there on both media, reporting from the "Cheap Seats," so to speak.