Results tagged ‘ Chase Utley ’
Utley Update
Chase Utley offered a quick update on his left knee before batting practice this evening at Wrigley Field.
Here is what he said:
Q: How did you feel taking grounders?
A: Ground balls went pretty well yesterday. I plan on doing some more today. I ran a little bit earlier today, which was nice. It was good to wake up feeling pretty good. That’s a good sign.
Q: You said in Washington you’d start taking ground balls, but it didn’t happen for a couple weeks. Why?
A: I was doing some things inside. I’m trying to get to a point where when we start going for it, I feel pretty comfortable. I’ve realized over the course of this time that the more I push it and feel uncomfortable, the worse it can get. We try to make small progressions. Taking ground balls yesterday was a good sign. I felt pretty good today.
A Step Closer for Utley
Chase Utley is a little closer to rejoining the Phillies.
He physically rejoined them today at Nationals Park, although he remains at least a few weeks away from rejoining the Phillies lineup. Utley, who is on the disabled list with chondromalacia in his left knee, will rehab with the team until he feels ready to begin playing rehab games in Clearwater, Fla.
He spent about two weeks playing in rehab games last season before he rejoined the team.
Could he need just another two weeks this time?
Cover Your Eyes
Freddy Galvis has no reason to hang his head. He has played brilliant defense, and is hitting .214 with four doubles, one home run and five RBIs through 17 games. Those five extra-base hits are tied with Carlos Ruiz for the team lead. Not bad for a guy that had just 121 at-bats above Double-A Reading before this season.
It’s the rest of the offense that has played terribly.
That is why the Phillies clung to the five runs they scored in the ninth inning in last night’s 9-5 loss to the Diamondbacks.
Charlie Manuel called it a morale booster.
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Chase Utley would not offer a timetable for his return, but I would not be surprised if he is back before June 1. He returned to action on May 23 last season, and Utley sure seemed pleased with his progress when we talked to him yesterday. We asked Charlie Manuel if Utley could play some first base upon his return, especially if Ryan Howard is still on the DL. Manuel would not rule out the possibility, but he did not say it was something he was considering, either.
Utley Upbeat; No Timetable for Return
Chase Utley spoke to reporters before tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
He took BP today, and said he felt great. No pain there. He took grounders for the first time. He said he felt some pain in his left knee, but he seemed pretty upbeat.
A few highlights from the interview:
Q: Hitting?
A: Yeah, last two weeks or so I’ve been swinging the bat. No pain whatsoever, which in my opinion, is a positive sign.
Q: Fielding?
A: Still getting used to it in the field. Overall, it’s much improved since the end of spring training.
Going the Wrong Way
Good morning from Arizona.
A few thoughts/facts on one of baseball’s worst offenses through 16 games:
- The Phillies have a .283 on-base percentage, .317 slugging percentage and 2.69 runs per game average. No team (in either league) has finished a season with a lower OBP since the 1968 Mets (.281), a lower SLG since the 1972 Rangers (.290) or a lower runs per game average since the 1942 Phillies (2.61). So unless you think the 2012 Phillies are one of the worst offenses in baseball history, they will improve. But how much? And will it happen in enough time to make a difference?
- The Phillies have scored two or fewer runs in 10 games, and in 5 of their last 6.
- We could see Chase Utley at the ballpark today, while Ryan Howard is scheduled to see a wound specialist in Philadelphia. Is there any shot the Phillies get good news from both?
- I’m an Utley skeptic at this point because he proved to be no better than an average big-league hitter last season. It’s just difficult to believe he will return to All-Star form when he is still battling the same knee problems. (His .769 OPS last year would have ranked 77th out of 146 hitters had he qualified for the statistic.) But here’s something interesting: From April 1 through May 22 last season without Utley in the lineup, the Phillies averaged 3.83 runs per game with a .312 OBP and .364 SLG. From May 23 through July 29 with Utley in the lineup, the Phillies averaged 4.71 runs per game with a .329 OBP and .407 SLG. And from July 30 through the end of the regular season with Utley and Hunter Pence in the lineup, the Phillies averaged 4.54 runs per game with a .324 OBP and a .406 SLG. It is possible even an average Utley can make that much of a difference in the lineup’s performance? It’s something worth thinking about.
- Jim Thome has 2 hits and 9 strikeouts in 16 at-bats. I’ve had fans ask me if they think he is finished. But I’ve got a crazy idea: Play Thome more. If Charlie Manuel believes Thome needs more at-bats, which he said yesterday, then give them to him. What does Manuel have to lose? There had been talk in spring training that Thome might be able to play as many as two games in the field every week. Maybe even three. What happened to that? Thome has started just three times this season. If Thome plays more and his back flares up, it’s not like his absence is going to kill the offense, as little as he has played and as little as he has contributed as a pinch-hitter. (He’s 0-for-7 with 5 strikeouts as a pinch-hitter.) And as much as Thome has struck out, he also has given the Phillies some of their most “professional” at-bats. He is averaging 4.50 pitches per plate appearance. The next closest Phillies players with 16 or more at-bats are Juan Pierre (4.02) and Placido Polanco (3.94). So turn Thome loose. Let’s see how much he has left in the tank. If he produces, great. If he can’t handle the job physically or he continues to struggle, well, then you know.
- Oh, and when Thome starts hit him fourth and Pence third. Maybe Pence would be more comfortable hitting somewhere other than cleanup. He has never hit more than 25 homers or had more than 97 RBIs in a season. Cleanup isn’t his spot, at least when Thome is playing.
- I’ve gotten lots of e-mails and tweets about Domonic Brown, but he is hitting just .263 (15-for-57) with four doubles, one triple and eight RBIs in 15 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He has a .311 on-base percentage and a .368 slugging percentage. As much as John Mayberry Jr. has struggled, I can’t see the Phillies considering Brown as the solution in left field with a .680 OPS in Triple-A.
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Jim Salisbury and I co-authored the book The Rotation, which is now available. Check it out here! Here are our upcoming book signings:
- April 26: Barnes & Noble in Marlton, NJ, 7 p.m.
- April 29: Citizens Bank Park, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
- May 10: Tredyfrrin Public Library in Stafford, PA, 7:30 p.m.
- June 2: Citizens Bank Park, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Check out my Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter.
Howard, Utley Injury Updates (And More!!!!!)
Got injury updates for you:
- Ryan Howard. He visited a wound specialist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital today. “His wound is still healing,” Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “He’s doing well. We’re continuing the same deal.” There is no timetable for Howard’s return. “The biggest challenge was for the wound to get to the skin from how deep it was,” Amaro said. “It’s getting there. It’s getting pretty close. … The question is when does he start doing stuff so it doesn’t compromise the healing process? We’re still on hold as far as that is concerned. Hopefully we’ll know more in the next couple of days.”
- Chase Utley. Utley, who is sidelined because of a chronically injured left knee, continues to rehab in Phoenix. He is expected to rejoin the team next week, when the Phillies travel to Arizona to play the Diamondbacks. “His strength seems to be improving,” Amaro said. “He’s moving forward.” There is no timetable for Utley’s return.
- Michael Martinez. Martinez has a fractured right foot. He will be in a walking boot for another two weeks, when team physician Michael Ciccotti will evaluate him.
- Justin De Fratus. He is rehabbing from a sprained right elbow, and could pitch in an extended Spring Training game Thursday. He could begin a rehab assignment shortly after that. “He’s making very good progress,” Amaro said.
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Jim Salisbury and I co-authored the book The Rotation, which is now available. Check it out here!
Here are our upcoming book signings:
- April 26: Barnes & Noble in Marlton, NJ, 7 p.m.
- April 29: Citizens Bank Park, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
- May 10: Tredyfrrin Public Library in Stafford, PA, 7:30 p.m.
- June 2: Citizens Bank Park, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Check out my Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter.
The Law of Averages
Chase Utley doesn’t say much, but when he talks he can make a lot of sense.
During those seasons when the Phillies had the best offense in the National League, they had slumps like every team. And during those slumps reporters would ask Utley about all the runners they left on base. He normally would say something like, “Yeah, we’d love to score every runner we put on base, but the important thing is we’re getting runners on. If we keep doing that eventually we’re going to score.”
Like, Guys, it’s the law of averages. Relax. Seriously.
(I remember people wanted the Phillies to play small ball during those seasons because they relied too much on the home run. That sounds so ridiculous right now, doesn’t it?)
The Phillies left lots of runners on base during those seasons because they put lots of runners on base.
That’s not happening early this season.
Don’t Look at Galvis, Look Elsewhere
Freddy Galvis started his big-league career 0-for-12, but with one swing he picked up one quarter of his team’s RBIs.
That’s how anemic the Phillies offense has been.
He has one hit and has knocked in two of his team’s eight runs.
Galvis has been getting a lot of attention since the season started. First, he is replacing Chase Utley. Second, he could not get a hit until the fourth game of the season. Third, the entire offense is struggling. All of a sudden a rookie second baseman who is keeping the position warm until Utley returns (whenever that is: May? June? July?) became the focal point of the offense. What are they going to do with this guy? They can’t continue to play him there! Why don’t they start Pete Orr or Ty Wigginton at second base? Can they make a trade? When is Utley coming back?!?!
Galvis Watch: Day 2
Who expected a bruised left foot for Freddy Galvis would be such a big deal in late March?
Galvis, who seemed very unlikely to make the Opening Day roster before camp opened last month, is expected to be the team’s everyday second baseman while Chase Utley recovers from his chronically injured knees. But then Galvis fouled a pitch off the top of his left foot in yesterday’s game against the Pirates, suffering a bruise and making people fear the worst.
“I feel much better today,” Galvis said this morning.
Galvis, who was walking without a limp, said a team doctor examined him in the morning.
“Everything was good,” he said.
Galvis had been scheduled to take the trip to Fort Myers to play the Twins in a Grapefruit League game this afternoon, but there is no reason to push his health, considering Utley, Ryan Howard and Michael Martinez already are opening the season on the disabled list.
Galvis said he hopes he can play as early as Thursday.
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Jim Salisbury and I co-authored the book The Rotation, which is now available. Check it out here!
Here are our upcoming book signings:
- April 2: Barnes & Noble in Plymouth Meeting, PA, 7 p.m.
- April 3: Chester County Book Company in West Chester, PA, 7 p.m.
- April 26: Barnes & Noble in Marlton, NJ, 7 p.m.
The Utley Confusion
There have been a lot of questions regarding Chase Utley’s injured knees.
Ruben Amaro Jr. tried to answer them yesterday.
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The Phillies optioned left-hander Jake Diekman to Minor League camp this morning. They also reassigned right-handers Scott Elarton and Brian Sanches. Diekman and Elarton opened some eyes this camp.
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Jim Salisbury and I co-authored the book The Rotation, which is now available. Check it out here!
Here are our upcoming book signings:
- April 2: Barnes & Noble in Plymouth Meeting, PA, 7 p.m.
- April 3: Chester County Book Company in West Chester, PA, 7 p.m.
- April 26: Barnes & Noble in Marlton, NJ, 7 p.m.
Todd Zolecki
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