Thanks for all the help, everyone! I'm finding that the most challenging and scary part of this whole process, for me, (post-application anxiety, that is), is related to the need/desire to be tactful and strategic in soliciting information. It's challenging to find he best way to word things with people you've never met, and when it's all electronic communication. Especially for someone as inherently neurotic and socially awkward as I am...
Thanks DontFly & TakeruK - those points are very helpful!
I've been trying to choose programs that "check a number of boxes" (namely, have people working in Ancient Phil, Kant, Hegel & phenomenology), but it's been difficult to find a department that offers great teachers in all those areas (of course), so my new challenge has been trying to find the best compromise. The program I mentioned has a rock star in one of those areas (the POI who may be retiring), but the rest I'm not so sure about. Still, I'm starting to think that it may not be worth the gamble.