Chase Utley, you are the man! We’ve longed to hear something, anything close to that phrase first uttered by Harry Kalas. It doesn’t quite resonate the same way coming from Tom McCarthy or Scott Franzke, however, when they announce the lineup tonight and Utley is batting in his familiar third spot, all will seem right in the world for that moment. That’s how much Chase Utley means to the fans, the city, and a porous batting order.
While no one knows which Utley we will see on the field and at the plate, it matters little. He is head and shoulders above the other players they have that can play at second base – that much everyone can agree on. Will the knee respond to a full workload? How many days will Charlie Manuel set aside for him to take off?
You can be sure Utley will get his fair share of days to rest, at least in the short term, to keep that knee healthy and ready for the stretch run. Who will we see? Which Chase Utley will we get?
The one that was the best second baseman in the game less than two season ago? Or the aging, wiser Utley that has lost a step, yet one that still can contribute? We asked about Dom Brown over the weekend, and we’ll do the same with Chase Utley today:
