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| Chase Utley has been scratched from the Phillies' lineup today due to an upper respiratory infection, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. |
Our View: As you probably could have figured out yourself, this is not anything that should alter his value in the least bit, as he should be over the illness in a few days. He remains the cream of the crop at second base, and you can expect him to be nabbed somewhere in the first half of the first round of your draft.
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| According to FOXSports.com, Chase Utley is working with a new trainer and has become quicker and more athletic. |
Our View: Derek Jeter went through the same process two seasons ago and it apparently worked wonders for him. This is good news for current and prospective Utley owners, as he has apparently increased his speed and put any lingering concerns about his balky hip in the distant background. Another positive for someone who was already 23-of-23 in stolen base attempts last season. He is expected to become more durable and flexible with the training as well, which should allow him to play longer.
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| Chase Utley continued his smoking hot World Series on Monday as the Phillies beat the Yankees 8-6. Utley went 2-for-3 with two homers, three runs scored, and four RBI in the win. |
Our View: Utley has now tied a World Series record with five homers, which just illustrates how important he has been to the team. The Phils will need him to continue to hit the ball if they are going to come back and defend their title.
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| Chase Utley hit his third home run of the World Series off of C.C. Sabathia in Sunday's loss to the Yankees. He also had a double in the game to go with two RBI and a run scored. |
Our View: Utley had not logged a hit since Game 1, but clearly seems to have Sabathia's number. Sabathia is normally dominant against left-handers but he has yet to figure out Utley. Utley and the Phillies will likely have to heat up if they want a chance to see Sabathia again this postseason.
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| Chase Utley hit two solo home runs off of CC Sabathia on Wednesday night, giving Cliff Lee all the runs he would need in a 6-1 Phillies victory in game one of the World Series on Wednesday night. |
Our View: Utley helped show why the Phillies are the defending champions on Wednesday night, and made it clear that the Yankees are going to have to play their absolute best baseball to win this series.
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| Chase Utley was 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, two runs scored, and an RBI in the Phillies 6-5 win in Colorado on Sunday night. |
Our View: Utley has at least one hit and one run in each of the first three games of the series. He ranked third in the NL in runs this season and 10th in OBP.
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| The Philadelphia Phillies have decided to rest nearly all of their regulars for Sunday's season finale against the Marlins. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Raul Ibanez, and Shane Victorino are all out of the starting lineup for today's game. |
Our View: The Phils want to keep everyone healthy going into their first-round series against the Rockies this week, so nearly every starter is sitting today. Don't be shocked if a few of these guys get a chance to pinch-hit to stay sharp, but they are out of fantasy consideration for the final day of the regular season.
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| Chase Utley is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's game against the Astros. Utley will be replaced by Eric Bruntlett at second base. |
Our View: Now that the Phils have clinched, they will likely rest some of their star players. That's all this is, so expect Utley to be back at second base tomorrow.
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| Chase Utley was the only Philly to record a hit in the final game of Tuesday's doubleheader. He went 2-for-4 with a double and a single in the 3-0 loss to the Marlins. |
Our View: Utley has been ice cold in the regular season's final month. He's hitting just .244 with two homers and seven RBI in September.
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| Chase Utley went 1-for-5 with a triple and an RBI in the Phillies' 4-2 win over the Braves. Utley now has 91 RBI on the season. |
Our View: Utley has somewhat quitely had a huge season for the Phillies, and he continued his stellar play today. He will be close to 100 RBI by the end of the season, and his .294 average and 31 homers are both very solid numbers.
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| Chase Utley drove in the game's only run with a first inning single on Sunday night. He was 1-for-3 on the day and his 89th RBI gave the Phillies a 1-0 win over the Mets. |
Our View: Utley had the big hit Sunday, but he has cooled for the Philles down the stretch. He's hitting just .213 in September, but on the bright side five of his ten hits have gone for extra bases.
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| Chase Utley helped lead the Phillies in tonight's 4-2 win over the Mets at Citizens Bank Park, as he went 2-for-4 with an RBI. He hit a single and a double. |
Our View: Utley performed well, after only batting .147 over nine games this month heading into tonight's game. He recorded his 87th RBI, and is on pace to top 100 for the fifth straight year.
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| Chase Utley will return to the Phillies' lineup on Sunday. Utley missed Saturday's game with a swollen foot. |
Our View: Utley ran in the outfield when he got to the park today, and the foot felt much better than it did yesterday. He will still be day-to-day going forward, but he is in the lineup today.
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| Chase Utley is out of the Phillies lineup on Saturday with a swollen foot, according to The News Journal. |
Our View: Miguel Cairo is starting in his place. He is considered day-to-day.
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| Chase Utley's solo home run in the bottom of the first turned out to be the only run the Phillies would score on Saturday, as the Phils lost a rain-shortened eight-inning game 9-1 to the Braves at home. |
Our View: With 28 home runs and a month left to play, Utley has a good shot at surpassing his career-high total of 33 from last season.
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| Chase Utley is being given the day off to rest on Sunday, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. |
Our View: Eric Bruntlett will take his place at second base. Utley was 2-for-4 with a home run in the Phils win over the Mets on Saturday, and will be back in the lineup for the finale to their four-game series on Monday.
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| Chase Utley went 2-for-4 with a home run, a run scored, and two RBI in the Phillies' 4-1 win over the Mets on Saturday. |
Our View: Utley hasn't missed a beat this season, and his 26 homers and 81 RBI are excellent for a second baseman. His average now over .300 at .301, and there is no reason to think Utley will slow down as the Phillies enter the stretch run.
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| The Phillies didn't get much going offensively on Thursday, but Chase Utley did what he could as his team fell to the Giants 7-2. Utley went 1-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored, and an RBI in the loss. |
Our View: Utley took pitcher Jonathan Sanchez deep in the sixth inning, but the Phillies didn't score again the rest of the game. Utley remains an elite fantasy second baseman, and hitting in the loaded Phillies' lineup should guarantee he stays there the rest of the season.
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| Chase Utley helped carry the Phillies in tonight's 9-4 win over San Diego at Citizens Bank Park, as he went 1-for-3 with a single and an RBI. |
Our View: Utley now has 67 RBI, with 15 coming in July. He is batting .297 so far this month as well.
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| Chase Utley went 2-for-5 with a single and a solo homer off Micah Owings in tonight's 9-6 win over the Reds at Citizens Bank Park. |
Our View: Utley hit a homer in three of his last five games, and has 20 for the season. Tonight's shot marks the 150th homer of his career as well.
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| Chase Utley left the yard for a second-straight night, finishing 2-for-3 with four RBI. |
Our View: Utley is now just one home run away from notching his fifth-straight 20-homer season. So much for the hip concerns at the beginning of the year, as Utley is on pace to break his own career high of 33 home runs that he set last year.
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| Chase Utley went 1-for-2 with a solo homer off ace Johan Santana in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He also drew one walk. |
Our View: Utley collected his 18th homer of the season, and leads the Phillies with 56 runs scored. He is hitting .301 as well.
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| Chase Utley went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base in the Phillies' 7-2 win over the Mets on Friday. |
Our View: Utley hit .320 in June after a miserable May, and looks to be back on track as the game's premier fantasy second sacker.
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| Chase Utley went 2-for-5 with a solo homer off Derek Lowe in tonight's 5-4 loss at Atlanta. His other hit was a single. |
Our View: Utley hit six homers in June, and has 17 for the season. He had 19 RBI in the month as well.
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| Chase Utley doubled, tripled and drove in a pair of runs in four trips to the plate on Sunday. He also drew a walk as the Phillies hung on to beat the Blue Jays 5-4. |
Our View: Utley is hitting .302 with 16 homers and 51 RBI and remains arguably the best fantasy option at second base.
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| Chase Utley had a monster game on Tuesday, going 3-for-5 with two runs and a season high four RBIs as the Phillies crushed Tampa Bay 10-1. |
Our View: Utley is working hard to earn his status as the front-runner for the NL's second base All-Star nod, and again having a monster season. There is no excuse not to start him every night.
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| Chase Utley hit an 11th-inning home run to give the Phillies a 5-4 win over the Mets on Wednesday. It was his second round-tripper of the game. He finished the night 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. |
Our View: Utley is carrying an awesome 1.028 OPS on the season and he is fourth in the NL with 15 home runs. He has three solo home runs in the first two games of the Phillies current series in New York.
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| Chase Utley was productive in Friday's 4-3 loss at Los Angeles, as he went 2-for-5 with two RBI. He hit a single and a double. |
Our View: Utley extended his hitting streak to 10 games, and raised his season average to .302.
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| Chase Utley was 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the Phillies' 6-2 loss to the Braves on Saturday. |
Our View: Bad foot or not, Utley can still rake. As long as he can stand to play through the pain, the Phillies will keep him in the lineup. His bat is just too important to miss. The All Star second sacker now has 10 home runs, 23 RBI and is hitting .323. Don't be shy about playing him every day. The Phils need him too much.
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| Chase Utley is nursing a bruised right foot that hurts when he is running, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. |
Our View: His foot gets sore and tightens up during a game. Skipper Charlie Manuel did not indicate that Utley may be forced to miss any time with the ailment, and the elite second baseman should remain employed in fantasy lineups.
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| The Wilmington Journal confirms that Chase Utley is back in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets. He had missed the previous two games with a bruised foot. |
Our View: Utley is trying to keep pace with Ian Kinsler in order to maintain his status as the top second baseman in the league. He is hitting .346/.485/.667 with eight home runs and 21 RBI through 23 games. He has drawn 16 walks against just 11 strikeouts through 78 at bats.
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| Chase Utley is expected to return to the starting lineup for tonight's game against the Mets after sitting out Tuesday with a sore left foot, according to DelawareOnline.com. |
Our View: Skipper Charlie Manuel does not view the ailment as a long-term issue. Utley should be fine to employ in fantasy lineups.
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| According to MLB.com, Chase Utley was held out of Tuesday's game against the Cardinals due to a sore left foot. He is considered day-to-day. |
Our View: Apparently Utley's troublesome foot flared up in Monday night's win and the team wanted to be cautious with their superstar. Utley wanted to play on Tuesday and will be available to pinch hit, which bodes well for fantasy owners. He should be back in the lineup tomorrow barring any further complications.
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| Second baseman Chase Utley is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Mets. Eric Bruntlett will take his place at second base and will bat seventh. |
Our View: Utley has played in all 21 games thus far, and as far as we know, he is not sitting due to an injury. Fantasy owners should not be worried.
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| Chase Utley launched another home run on Friday, but it wasn't enough as the Phillies dropped one to the Mets 7-4. Utley was 1-for-2 on the night with the homer, two runs, an RBI, and two walks. |
Our View: Utley looks very good so far this season, and his power numbers haven't suffered at all after his hip injury. He has returned as a elite second baseman, and expect this hot streak to continue for awhile.
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| Chase Utley crunched two home runs in Tuesday's 7-1 win over the Nationals. He was 3-for-4 with three RBI on the day. |
Our View: Utley now has seven home runs on the season to go along with 20 RBI and a .357 average. Looks like the hip concerns are long gone and Utley looks like the first half MVP favorite that he was last season.
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| Second baseman Chase Utley went 2-for-5 with a homer, one run, and three RBI in Friday's loss to the Padres. |
Our View: Were we worried about that hip? We forget. Utley is hitting .394 and performing like the stud we all know and love.
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| Chase Utley came through again for the Phillies in their 7-5 win in Colorado on Sunday. He finished 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base, a home run, three runs scored, and two RBI. His two-run shot off of Manny Corpas in the eighth inning tied the game. |
Our View: Utley has not let his fantasy owners down this season, and despite his offseason hip surgery, he still appears to be the most valuable second baseman in the game. Today's home run was just his first, but he has drawn five walks this season against only three strike outs.
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| Chase Utley is batting .429 so far in the young season and says he has been able to perform all activities without aggravating his hip, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News. "I feel healthy," he said. "I've tried to follow the same routines, and so far it has worked." |
Our View: So far, so good for the Phillies star. He is still a bit of a risk, but fantasy owners should feel very comfortable at this point with him in their lineups.
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| Chase Utley was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Wednesday's 12-11 win over the Braves. He's hitting .364 on the young season. |
Our View: Utley came into the season with a lot of injury concerns and probably slipped a bit on draft day because of them, but he seems healthy and has been hitting well so far. If the hip holds up, Utley will not only be a top second baseman, but a possible MVP candidate as well.
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| Manager Charlie Manuel confirmed on Thursday what had seemed pretty evident for the past few weeks, that Chase Utley, along with third baseman Pedro Feliz, will be ready for Philadelphia's April 5 season opener, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. |
Our View: "They're going to be fine," Manuel said. "I knew it. Watching them and talking to them and knowing the guys, I knew it." Utley, arguably the leading candidate for NL MVP midway through last season before falling off a bit in the second half, should continue to be one of the top-three second basemen off draft boards, along with Ian Kinsler and Dustin Pedroia, and probably makes the best case for the top spot given his track record. He looks completely recovered from offseason hip surgery, having gone 7-for-22 in spring thus far with home runs each of the past two games.
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| Chase Utley hit his second home run of the spring in the Phillies' 10-2 loss to the Yankees on Thursday. |
Our View: Utley is making excellent progress in his return from hip surgery, and his status as the No. 1 second baseman is intact. Ian Kinsler is strong, but with Utley at full health, he should be the first off the board at second base.
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| Chase Utley went 1-for-3 with a single in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Twins. |
Our View: Utley could be drafted as a No. 1 fantasy second baseman, but it is a good idea to add solid insurance behind him to be safe.
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| Skipper Charlie Manuel believes Chase Utley (hip surgery) will be ready to roam second base on opening day, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. |
Our View: This is good news, and Utley is a less risky option, but fantasy owners should still draft him with caution.
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| ESPN.com reports that Chase Utley is impressing those that have watched him play this spring. "He's amazing," said one scout. "He looks like he never had any surgery at all. He doesn't look restricted in any phase of the game." |
Our View: Utley has already been diving for ground balls and showing a lot of grit this spring. The Phillies would probably like to see him be more conscientious of his surgically repaired hip, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Utley should be ready for opening day, but the risk of injury will remain.
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| Chase Utley (hip) saw his first action of the spring on Saturday, according to the Wilmington News Journal. He went 2-for-4 with a ground-rule double in an intrasquad game. |
Our View: Utley is ahead of schedule in his return from hip surgery, but he should be on track to return by opening day. He will likely be held out a few more games prior to returning to Grapefruit League action.
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| Phillies' GM Ruben Amaro Jr. indicated that Chase Utley may be cleared to play in a game soon, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. Amaro said, "Over the next few days, if things go well, hopefully, we can get him in some games." |
Our View: This is encouraging news regarding the chances of him being ready for opening day. Utley is recovering from November hip surgery.
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| Granted he suffers no setbacks, Phillies second baseman Chase Utley should be able to take part in a Grapefruit League game within the next two weeks, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Utley said the last step in his rehab from offseason hip surgery will be to play at a "game pace" for an extended period of time.
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| Chase Utley's surgically repaired hip felt fine after taking batting practice Thursday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. He said, "The hip is fine. I am just trying to get the feel at the plate again."
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Our View: There remains no timetable as to when he may start playing in games, but it remains possible he will be ready to go for opening day.
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| MLB.com reports that Chase Utley took batting practice on Saturday, and reported no problems with his surgically repaired hip. |
Our View: It was actually his second BP session and it seems to indicate that he could very well be ready by opening day, as he hopes. Even if he is ready to go, expect some early season rust from the elite second baseman.
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| Chase Utley is recovering nicely from hip surgery and is optimistic about returning for opening day, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: This is great news for fantasy owners but it would be unrealistic to expect a large impact at the beginning of the season. Utley is yet to face live pitching.
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| Chase Utley, who is recovering from hip surgery, remains on pace to roam second base on opening day, according to MLB.com. He has been taking fielding practice and jogging. He has also been taking "dry swings" in the batting cage. |
Our View: This is encouraging news, but Utley remains a risky fantasy prospect as the Phillies start spring training.
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| Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has started working out in Florida, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. |
Our View: Utley is recovering from hip surgery. He took ground balls but did not start hitting as of yet, though that's supposedly going to happen soon.
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| Chase Utley said he will not get back on the field before he is totally ready, reports Phillies.com. "It's responding well. If that continues to happen, then I don't see why I won't be ready for Opening Day. But if there are some setbacks -- which could be a possibility -- I'm not going to be dumb about it. I'm not going to move through that. I'm going to listen to my body, and when it's ready, it will be ready," he said. |
Our View: Utley's comeback from a hip injury is one of the bigger things fantasy owners will be watching during spring training. He believes he'll be ready for Opening Day, and fantasy owners should still plan on drafting him fairly early.
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| The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is ahead of schedule in his attempts to come back from hip surgery. |
Our View: Utley is just now starting to run on an underwater treadmill, so his availability for opening day is still a question mark. Though that is his goal, it would not be a surprise to see him miss some time to start the season. The team does not want to rush him back, for obvious reasons.
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| Chase Utley is planning on being ready for opening day, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. He said, "Rehab is going well. Things are progressing very well. I don't expect any setbacks. I feel like I'll be ready to go, but it's something I have to be careful of. I want to make sure that we rehab this right. I don't want to have this problem again. But as of now, it's looking good."
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Our View: Utley is favorably recovering from his November hip surgery, and trainer Scott Sheridan and GM Ruben Amaro Jr. share the elite second baseman's optimism that he can be ready for opening day. The club added that they have solid insurance with Eric Bruntlett and top prospect Jason Donald in the event that Utley is not ready though.
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| Phillies' GM Ruben Amaro Jr. noted that Chase Utley is recovering favorably from his November arthroscopic hip surgery, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. Amaro said, "We're real pleased with how things have progressed with Chase in the short time that he has started his rehab."
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Our View: This is encouraging news regarding his chances to be ready to play in early April.
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| Chase Utley underwent arthroscopic hip surgery and is expected to miss four to six months while recovering, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: The elite second baseman is expected to be ready at or shortly after the start of the 2009 regular season.
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| Second baseman Chase Utley will need right hip surgery, and the operation will sideline him for four-to-six months, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Utley had problems with his hip throughout the 2008 season. "The procedure will be an arthroscopic evaluation with treatment of any labral or bony injury," the Phillies said in a statement. "The recovery will allow for the initiation of baseball activities between three and four months, however, the total recovery time may require four to six months." |
Our View: The timeline means Utley is in danger of missing the start of the 2009 season and as much as the first two months. His progress will obviously be a top priority for us come February and March, as Chase is a first-round pick when healthy. Eric Bruntlett appears to currently be the best option to fill in at second while Utley is out, but the Phillies may pursue another backup.
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| Chase Utley won his third straight Silver Slugger, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Utley's first half was incredible as he hit 25 home runs and had 69 RBI before the All-Star break. Utley continues to be the cream of the crop when it comes to offensive second basemen, and should be an early draft pick in fantasy leagues for 2009.
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| Chase Utley hit a two run home run in the sixth inning off of Matt Garza in Game 3 on Saturday. It was his only hit of the game and his second home run of the series. |
Our View: Utley entered the World Series with just one home run in his first 32 at-bats but has found his power stroke against the Rays.
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| Chase Utley began the World Series off with a first inning two-run home run in the Phillies Game 1 win over the Rays. |
Our View: Utley has been huge for the Phillies all season and nothing has changed as Philadelphia is only three wins a win from a championship.
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| Chase Utley commented on Hiroki Kuroda, tonight's opposing hurler for the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLCS, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Utley said, "He's fairly similar to Derek Lowe. Good sinker. Good breaking stuff. Keeps the ball down in the zone. We'll try to be patient."
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Our View: Kuroda is 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts against the Phillies. They have hit just .095, four hits in 13 innings, against him. Utley is hitting 2-for-5 (one homer and two RBI) in the NLCS, with four walks.
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| Chase Utley hit a two-run sixth inning home run to propel the Phillies to a 3-2 win in Game 1 of the NLCS. |
Our View: Utley cooled off in the second half after carrying the Phillies through the first three months of the season. His Homer was followed by a Pat Burrell home run which was the difference in the game.
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| Chase Utley tallied a double and two RBI in the Phillies Game 1 victory over the Brewers. |
Our View: Utley was one of the very best at his position in 2008 recording 104 RBI, 113 runs and 33 home runs. His spot in the Phillies order is one of the best in baseball, just in front of Ryan Howard.
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| Chase Utley hit his 32nd home run of the season on Sunday leaving him just one RBI short of his fourth straight 100-RBI campaign. |
Our View: There is no better power option at the second base position as the worst numbers that Utley has produced the past four season would lead to a .287-22-102-93-9 line. Remember, those are the worst numbers he has recorded in the 5x5 categories the past four years.
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| Chase Utley had three hits which led to an RBI and a runs scored for the Phillies in their 6-4 loss to the Cubs. |
Our View: Utley raised his August average to .278 in what has been his least productive month of his stellar season. Utley is one home run away from tying his career-high of 32, and he needs just 12 more runs scored for a third straight 100-run season.
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| Chase Utley went 2-for-4 with two singles as Philadelphia beat Washington 9-0. Phillies hurler Brett Myers threw a complete game shutout, so all Utley had to do was play defense and watch his pitcher mow batters down. |
Our View: Utley has really struggled this month, as he is hitting just .224 in August. He does have three home runs on the month, but has not picked up an RBI in more than a week.
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| Chase Utley hit his second home run in three games and went 1-for-4 against the Dodgers. |
Our View: Utley has clearly cooled off since his early season heroics, but he is still a great fantasy option, especially considering his position.
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| Chase Utley went 3-for-5 with two RBI for the Phillies on Monday night. |
Our View: Utley is hitting .290 and has 82 RBI for the Phillies as he continues to operate as one of the most valuable hitters in the fantasy game regardless of fielding position.
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| Chase Utley went 1-for-3 with two RBI, both coming on his home run in the Phillies victory over the Pirates. |
Our View: Utley is in the midst of a rough month, with a .212 average in August. He is still a top-flight fantasy second baseman.
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| Phillies manager Charlie Manuel made no secret that in his opinion, Washington Nationals reliever Jesus Colome intentionally hit Philly second baseman Chase Utley, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. "The catcher set right in behind him. Yeah, he threw at him. No doubt about it," Manuel said. |
Our View: Manuel thinks the pitch was retaliation for Phillies hurler Kyle Kendrick hitting Ryan Zimmerman with a pitch that knocked Zimmerman out of the game. There has been no word yet on if any disciplinary action will be taken.
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| Chase Utley went 2-for-4 and hit a two-run home run against the Nationals. It was his first round-tripper since July 3rd. |
Our View: Utley now has a very modest four-game hitting streak, during which he is hitting .375. It's nice to see him hit a home run, as fantasy owners were wondering where all that power went.
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| Chase Utley denied a report from GM Pat Gillick that he is dealing with a right hip injury, according to MLB.com. Utley refused to acknowledge the injury to reporters, and stated, "I have no idea what you're talking about. That's a good question, because I don't know anything about that. I understand why you'd ask the question, because I'd ask the same question."
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Our View: If not a hip ailment, then something else may be bothering Utley, as he is only hitting .234 with four homers since June 3.
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| Chase Utley apologized for cursing the New York fans during the HR Derby Monday at Yankee Stadium, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After the Phillies' second baseman heard boos from the crowd when he was introduced, Utley was heard responding, "Boo? (Bleep) you." A clip of the remark was posted on the Internet within an hour of when it was uttered. Utley said, "It was a poor choice of words. I didn't mean anything by it. I was kind of joking around with my buddy over there, so I do want to apologize."
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Our View: It was a classy move on his part to apologize to the fans in New York.
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| Chase Utley hit his league leading 24th home run and the Phillies scored a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night. |
Our View: Utley, who has recently shown signs of breaking out of a 40 at-bat funk, is hitting an even .300 on the season.
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| Chase Utley continues to lead all NL players in All-Star voting, according to the Miami Herald. |
Our View: Utley has drawn 2,645,027 votes and a starting position is virtually locked up in the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, as he has an edge of more than 1.5 million votes over his closest competition at second base, Mark DeRosa of the Cubs. Utley deserves to start, as he is hitting .297 with 23 homers, 23 doubles, 65 RBI, seven stolen bases, and 60 runs scored over 82 games.
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| Chase Utley broke out of his recent slump and hit a 418-foot home run in the third inning and the Philadelphia Phillies held on for an 8-6 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.
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Our View: After Utley hit a 418-foot shot into the Rangers' bullpen in right-center field and Pat Burrell drew a walk, Howard hit a blast that landed in the second deck of seats above the bullpen. Yes the Phillies showed signs of breaking out of their recent funk.
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| The Philadelphia Phillies have to be wondering if they can win on a consistent basis. But maybe the bigger question is: can they hit outside of Citizen Bank Park?
The Phillies have lost seven of their last eight games, all against American League opponents, and are hitting just .181 (46-for-254) in that span with two homers and 15 runs scored, good for a 1.9 runs per game average. Second baseman Chase Utley , who leads the NL in total All-Star votes, endured an 0-for-24 skid before he doubled in the third inning of Sunday's loss to the Angels. He also turned in a 4-for-5 effort on Wednesday that gave hope to his slump being over, but Utley then went 0-for-4 on Thursday in a 5-0 loss to Rich Harden. |
Our View: This is one of those rare occasions when the entire starting lineup scuffles at the same time. Utley isn't producing but he is followed closely by Ryan Howard (4- for-32, .125), Pat Burrell (4-for-29, .138), Jimmy Rollins (6-for-31, .194) and Geoff Jenkins (0-for-17). Who wants to be the opposing pitcher when this group decides enough is enough?
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| Chase Utley went 4-for-5 on Friday night in the Phillies 4-0 whitewash of the Athletics. |
Our View: It all evens out in the long run doesn't it? After just one hit in seven games, Utley had a big night tonight to push his average back up to .297, just .002 points off his career .299 mark.
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| In the midst of a 0-for-23 skid, Chase Utley was rested on Saturday. "He gave me a no-like look," manager Charlie Manuel said on MLB.com. "Chase doesn't ever want to come out of the lineup. I decided to rest him tonight." |
Our View: That Utley still has a .291-22-63 line on the year shows you what kind of start he was off to before this recent cold spell. Don't worry about him. He'll bounce back.
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| Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell hit consecutive home runs in the first inning, and the Phillies went on to win a 20-2 marathon contest over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night. |
Our View: Utley hit his major league-leading 22nd homer in a game that was Cardinal-ugly from the first-to-the-ninth inning. Utley went 2-for-3 with two runs, three RBI and a walk.
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| Chase Utley went 0-for-4 in Thursday's 5-0 victory over the Reds, while leaving four men on base. |
Our View: That snapped a nine-game hit streak. He had four multi-hit games and seven homers over that span.
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| Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley continues to work as a force of reckoning, going 2-for-3 this evening with a walk and his 17th double of the season as the Phillies put the Reds to bed, 3-2. |
Our View: Utley totaled one RBI and one run scored as well, now sporting at least one RBI in each of his last eight games with at least one run scored in his last nine.
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| Chase Utley went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in Monday's win over the Reds. He leads the majors with 21 homers and currently trails only Josh Hamilton (63) in RBI. |
Our View: Seriously, what else can we say at this point? This is like Bret Boone in 2001 all over again. Except without as much back acne, we presume.
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| Chase Utley was named the NL Player of the Week, according to the AP. Utley crushed five homers and drove in 14 runs last week for the Phillies, and has helped lead the club to the top spot in the NL East Division. He held a .391 average over the award-winning week as well, with 25 total bases. |
Our View: Utley is without a doubt the most valuable fantasy second basemam this season, and he could also be the most valuable player in the entire league.
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| Chase Utley extended his league-leading home run total when he swatted his 20th long ball on Sunday. He finished the day 1-for-2 with two runs, two walks, and a stolen base. Utley is also the first NL player to reach 50 RBI this year. |
Our View: With all apologies to Lance Berkman, Josh Hamilton, and others, we could easily argue that nobody has been more valuable in fantasy leagues this year than Utley.
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| Chase Utley went 1-for-4 with one RBI and blasted his 19th homer of the season in Saturday's 7-3 loss to Florida. |
Our View: He collected his 49th RBI of the season tonight as well, along with his 45th run. Utley continues to satisfy fantasy owners as the top rated second baseman for 2008.
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| Chase Utley went 2-for-5 with two RBI and blasted his 18th homer of the season in Friday's 12-3 win over the Marlins. Ryan Howard collected his 15th homer of the season in the blowout victory as well. |
Our View: Utley also has 48 RBI for the season, with 25 coming in May. Utley has played up to high expectations as the number one ranked fantasy second baseman for 2008.
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| Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley and outfielder Geoff Jenkins both enjoyed wonderful evenings at the park as the Phillies took out the Colorado Rockies 6-1, and both shared nearly identical stat lines. Utley went 1-for-3 on with two walks on the night, hitting his 17th home run of the season to total three RBIs. Jenkins also went 1-for-3, also hitting a home run (his fourth of the season), and also posting three RBIs. |
Our View: Jenkins walked just once, but both men stranded a single runner on base.
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| Chase Utley drove in a career-best six runs, and the Philadelphia Phillies put a 20-5 beat down on the over matched Rockies Monday night.
Utley hit a three-run home run to tie Lance Berkman and Dan Uggla for the major league lead with 16 homers. |
Our View: Utley finished 3-for-6 in the slugfest. The second baseman has 42 RBI, 40 runs, five stolen bases and is now hitting .309 on the season.
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| Chase Utley had two hits on Monday night, his first multi-hit game since May 5th. |
Our View: Utley owns a .301 career average, he is currently hitting .311, so it's not like this recent slowdown has damaged his value whatsoever in the batting average category.
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| Chase Utley went 1-for-5 and is now four for his last 23 (.174) for the Phillies. |
Our View: Utley is hitting .306 with 14 home runs, so its not like we are going to listen to anyone gripe about his past week. This is nothing more than a period of normalization, and Utley should start hitting the ball with authority again very soon.
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| The Phillies managed to suffer the 8-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves despite bombs from the power battery of the order. 2B Chase Utley went 1-for-4 at the plate, totaling two RBIs on his 14th homer of the season. 1B Ryan Howard brought a home run of his own, going 1-for-4 at the plate with his 8th home run of year. |
Our View: Those are the only hits those two players posted and the rest of the group failed to get the job done.
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| Chase Utley went 2-for-4 and recorded his MLB leading 13th home run of the season in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Giants. |
Our View: Utley is hitting .369 with 26 RBI and 28 runs scored over 31 games as well. Utley continues to play up to high expectations of being the top rated second baseman for 2008.
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| Chase Utley was named the NL Player of the Month for April, according to the AP. Utley batted .360 (40-for-111) with a major league-leading 11 homers and 23 RBI in the season’s first month.
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Our View: Utley tied a franchise record by hitting a home run in five consecutive games from April 17-21. Utley has lived up to high expectations of being the top rated second baseman for 2008 so far.
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| The Phillies suffered the 4-2 loss this evening to the San Diego Padres, but 2B Chase Utley managed to keep his bat hot in an effort to reverse their fortunes. Utley went 1-for-4 at the plate, hitting his 11th home run of the season to pick up two RBIs. |
Our View: Utley is now hitting .360 on the season, posting his first home run in six games after slicing seven homers in seven games in mid-April.
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| Chase Utley, the everyday starting second baseman for Philly, made his first start of the season at first base in place of Ryan Howard. |
Our View: Howard, mired in a slump, was given the night off. Utley was 0-4 with a run scored in Friday's win over Pittsburgh.
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| Chase Utley went 3-for-4 in Thursday's 3-1 win over Milwaukee, but he did not register an RBI. |
Our View: Utley has now raised his average to .385 (35-for-91), and impressively still leads the MLB with 10 homers. He has 21 RBI as well, and would have more if Jimmy Rollins didn't go down.
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| Another night, another home run for Chase Utley who hit his 10th home run of the year and his seventh in the last seven games for the Phillies. |
Our View: Utley is blistering hot right now and carrying a Phillies lineup that is without Jimmy Rollins and has a dead weight in the middle of the order in the .181 hitting Ryan Howard.
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| Philadelphia 2B Chase Utley continues to carry the hot bat for the Phillies as they put the 8-6 win against the Colorado Rockies in the books. Utley went 2-for-5 at the plate with his ninth double of the season, adding two RBIs and a run scored to the occasion. |
Our View: Utley is now hitting .357 on the year and has 18 hits over his last 11 games. This is the first game in his last six that Utley has failed to homer.
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| Chase Utley went deep for the fifth straight game on Monday as he hit his major league leading ninth home run. Utley had two hits to push his average to .354. |
Our View: Should we just go ahead and give him the MVP award? Jimmy Rollins is on the DL and Ryan Howard is failing miserably to hit his weight, but Utley just keeps on lining balls all over the park.
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| Chase Utley hit two home runs, his second and third in the last two games, leading the Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the Mets on Sunday night.
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Our View: Utley went 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored.
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| Chase Utley socked his sixth long ball of the season on Saturday as he upped his average to .324 thanks to two hits. |
Our View: Utley is, simply put, the best hitting second baseman in the game.
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| Chase Utley hit his fifth home run of the season and pushed across his 12th run with the long ball on Friday night. |
Our View: Utley continues to be extremely productive even though a few of his mates continue to struggle with putting up big numbers on offense.
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| Chase Utley had two more hits on Saturday for the Phillies as he also scored a run and knocked in a run on the day. Through five games Utley is hitting .412 with three home runs, seven runs and six RBI as he begins what could be a season long push for NL MVP honors. |
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| Chase Utley served the Phillies (not to mention fantasy owners) rather well yesterday in Philly's 8-4 win over Cincinnati. Utley went 2-for-4 at the plate, hitting TWO home runs to total three RBIs, adding three runs scored and one walk along the way. Utley is one of the hottest bats in the league right now, touting three home runs and a batting average of .357 through four games. |
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| Chase Utley hit a solo home run on Monday in the Phillies home opening loss to the Nationals. Utley's day consisted of two hits, two runs and two RBI. The Phillies second baseman arguably would have challenged teammate Jimmy Rollins for the NL MVP had he not suffered a broken hand last summer. |
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| Chase Utley hit a two-run homer, his first of the spring, off of one time top prospect Grant Balfour on Thursday. Utley has been showing off his power this spring, but it has been all or nothing for the All Star second baseman as he is hitting only .273 on the spring. |
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| Chase Utley recorded his third double of the spring and has continued where he left off after returning last September from a hand injury that cost him five weeks of games. Despite missing those five weeks, Utley's 48 doubles tied for third in the National League last year, and he was the only second baseman to record 100 runs scored and 100 RBI. Don't believe the so-called experts that don't buy into positional scarcity, and especially don't believe those who don't consider Utley a first round talent. |
Our View:
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| Chase Utley was given the night off Wednesday, the AP reports. He's expected to be back in the lineup Thursday afternoon for the series finale with the Mets. |
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| Chase Utley returned to the Phillies' lineup on Monday and had three hits, including a solo homer, and drove in a pair. It was his first game since having hand surgery a month ago. |
Our View: He appears to be back to 100 percent. Get Utley back in your lineup ASAP.
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| As expected, the Phillies activated Chase Utley from the disabled list on Monday, according to the Sports Network. He missed 28 games with a broken right hand. Utley is expected to be back in the starting lineup tonight, as the Phillies begin a crucial four-game series with the Mets. It's possible Utley's power output will be down over the next couple of weeks due to the hand injury, but hopefully he will return to form rather quickly. |
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| Chase Utley may be back on the field as soon as Monday, according to the USA Today. He has missed the last month with a broken right hand. Utley is going to wear a pad on his hand when hitting. Fantasy owners can use him this period if they desire, but there is no guarantee he’ll play the entire week. |
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| Chase Utley played his third game with Double-A Reading on his rehab assignment for a broken hand Saturday, the AP reports. Although rumors swirled around that Utley would rejoin the Phillies on Sunday, Charlie Manuel said Utley would probably return Monday. |
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| Chase Utley began a rehab assignment on Friday. He picked up one hit in six at-bats, while taking part in both games of a doubleheader, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. He's scheduled to play at least a couple of more games before coming off the disabled list. |
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| Chase Utley could be ready for a rehab assignment as early as Friday. He's hoping to return from his broken hand early next week, according to the AP. |
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| Chase Utley (hand) took some practice cuts before Tuesday's game, the AP reports. The Phillies hope Utley can return for next week's four-game series with the Mets, which starts Monday. "I swung pretty hard and I feel fine," Utley said. "We'll see how it feels tomorrow. If it feels the same tomorrow, we'll try again with more swings, harder swings." |
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| Chase Utley has been given clearance to increase his workout routine, including swinging the bat. The amount of swinging Utley, who is coming back from a broken bone in his hand, does will depend upon his pain tolerance level, along with comfort and strength in his right hand, according to Sports Network. He will also increase his throwing program without wearing a splint. Utley's return date will be determined later in the week. |
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| Chase Utley will have his broken right hand examined on Monday. He hopes to receive clearance to begin swinging a bat, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. If that happens, and he has no setbacks, Utley could come off the disabled list early next week. |
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| Chase Utley took fielding practice on Tuesday and plans to hit off a tee next week, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Utley is out with a broken right hand and could return late in August. |
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| Chase Utley received a modified splint after a visit with Dr. Randall Culp on Monday, and the injured All-Star will begin light tossing and exercising on Tuesday, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The Phillies still hope Utley can return before the end of the month. He is out due to a broken right hand. |
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| It's now looking like it will be sometime in September before we see Chase Utley again. Utley is progressing well from surgery on his broken right hand, but he is still prohibited from gripping a bat for at least another week, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. "It's a broken bone, you have to let it heal," said Utley, who was originally hoping to return in late August. "Obviously it's disappointing, but there's no point of me trying to come out here, play and reaggravate it. Just have to do what the doctor says and let it heal." |
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| Chase Utley, on the DL with a broken right hand, had stitches removed from his hand on Tuesday, according to the AP. He hasn't been cleared to swing a bat, however. Once he begins swinging, we should get a better idea as to when he'll be ready to return. As of right now, though, we expect him to be back around the end of the month. |
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| Chase Utley, on DL with a broken right hand, said he will see a doctor on Tuesday to evaluate his progress. In the meantime, Utley said he is icing his hand "every few hours to keep the swelling down," according to the AP. He is doing everything he can to stay in game shape. "I'm trying to stay loose, trying to keep my legs in shape," Utley said. "Anything I can do to stay prepared." |
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| Chase Utley underwent right hand surgery on Friday. He is expected to miss about one month. Utley was hit by a pitch on Thursday and fractured the fourth metacarpal. A pin was inserted into his hand in order to stabilize the bone, the AP reports. "I think it will be sooner than (one month)," Utley says. |
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| Chase Utley owners will have to make plans to be without their stud second baseman for awhile. Utley has a broken right hand that is the result of a pitch that hit him in Thursday's game. He was beaned in the fifth inning but stayed in the game, however, X-rays after the contest revealed the break. "As breaks go, it's not that bad of a break," Utley said in the AP. "It's definitely disappointing." It's unclear how long Utley will be out, but he and manager Charlie Manuel didn't think it would be for a month. "I think it will be sooner than that," Manuel said. Utley was placed on the DL after the game, but the Phils haven't replaced him on the roster yet. Manuel said Abraham Nunez would likely start at second while Utley is out. |
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| Chase Utley batted third for the third game in a row Saturday after hitting cleanup the first two games, the AP reports. "Utley hits better in the three hole," manager Charlie Manuel said. Utley had two doubles and an RBI in five at-bats Saturday. |
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| The Phillies signed Chase Utley to a seven-year contract extension worth $85 million. Utley has emerged as the best second baseman in the game over the past year. |
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| Chase Utley was held out of Tuesday's lineup with soreness in his lower body, according to the AP. "He should be OK," manager Charlie Manuel said. "There's a good chance he'll play tomorrow." |
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