It started with a joke while road tripping across Pennsylvania. Five of the six Phillies affiliates are located within 2.5 hours of one another. What if we went to the five of them — in order from Single A Short Season to The Show — in a week? And what if we timed it just right, so we actually saw someone called up from one level to the next?

Idle speculation led to internet searches of game schedules. And game schedules told us that yes, it just might be possible … there was a week in 2012 when we could do it, but alas, that week had already passed. But 2013 was a different story.

In February 2013, with spring training dream that was rapidly approaching reality, we met to plan. With Bells Two Hearted Ale in hand we dug through the 2013 baseball schedules and found the sweet spot: a single week in July when the stars aligned.

We bought the tickets. We took the vacation days. And come July 2013 #calledup is coming to a Phillies stadium near you. View the schedule.