Signs Of Life: Utley Impressive In Spring Training Debut
BREAKING NEWS, News, Phillies Tuesday, June 5th, 2012
After nearly three months of rest, healing, and rehabilitation activities, Chase Utley finally participated in his first true game action of the 2012 season.
Utley made his debut in an extended Spring Training game on Monday, going 3-4 with a homerun and a double. The former All-Star played his first game as a DH, and didn’t seem to have any trouble knocking off the rust from being away from the batters box most of the season.
“That’s a good sign,” said manager Charlie Manuel. “When I started seeing him running in the outfield, that was a good sign, and the last couple days here he did that real well.”
While its good to see Utley enjoy some early success at the plate, its clear that the infielder still has a long road ahead of him before a return to the Phillies is imminent. He didn’t feel confident enough in his knees to play in the field during this game, and its likely going to take at least another game or two of playing exclusively as a DH without pain before he does.
However, its encouraging to see Utley finally get himself back into a legitimate game situation. His recovery has been such a slow, drawn out process (with few updates from the Phillies along the way), no one has had any idea of how much progress the veteran has been making. He’s begun to play baseball again, and that can only mean he’ll be returning to the lineup sooner rather than later.
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Posted by Denny Basens
on Jun 5 2012. Filed under BREAKING NEWS, News, Phillies.
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Utleys new batters music should be “yall musta forgot” by roy jones cause it seems like many, on here specifically, have forgotten who this man is and what hes capable of. Just wait. The savior is getting close.
Nice, someone forgot to mention that Jaime Moyer was Pitching…
BoB, please tell me, that you are either joking, or are being sarcastic? If not, go back to sleep & start over again. The savior!? GIVE ME A F^#@ING BREAK! HE’S DONE! He needs to retire, because he has killed this team, 2 straight years.
Yeah Utley will have the same homer run power Otis Nixon had.
I think Phil Niekro was pitching in his wheelchair for an inning.
He would be a good DH.
Amaro needs to trade Hamels and get some prospects and rebuild.
The teams window has closed.
Let’s hope he’s not done. Don’t be so negative Dcar. Maybe he comes around and improves this ball club some how some way. But I’m thinking this just might be his last chance to do so
DMAN, it isn’t negativity. It’s realism. He’s done. If he can’t play in the field, he is doing nothing for us. We don’t have a DH & ZERO teams with any sense, will trade for him. Either he retires, or go’s to the Lourdes fountain, & hopes for a miraculous recovery. Otherwise, he is doing this team, city & fans a disservice, with the false hope, that he is supplying. He’s a lying, stubborn, jack@$$, that should of had this problem taken care of in the off-season, not try to play through it, AGAIN, in spring-training.
birdo is serious, I like his optimism, go phils