(Photo: GCobb.com)
UPDATE – 4:12 PM: Jim Salisbury tweeted this after speaking to Chase Utley.
Utley said he took ground balls at third today to see if it would be option down road. Will do it again. Too early to draw conclusion
— Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyCSN) August 29, 2012
Take it how you will, but this gem came across live on the air minutes ago and was tweeted by SportsRadio 94 WIP's official Twitter account.
Glen Macnow reports from the stadium that Chase Utley is taking grounders at third base. Listen live bit.ly/OEgJWn #Phillies
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) August 29, 2012
UPDATE: @WIPAfternoons tweeted a photo to prove it… a bit grainy, but nonetheless:
Photo-graphic evidence of Utley taking grounders at third base. Interesting. @sportsradiowip twitter.com/WIPAfternoons/…
— WIP Afternoons (@WIPAfternoons) August 29, 2012
21 Responses
Not sure how much sense it makes to put an ailing 33 year old at 3b. Last time he played significant time at 3b appears to be in 2003 at AAA.
I broke this story & cb is stealing it. Hacks!
Silent Bro- where the f*ck is my burger
i dont think chase has the arm for 3B that is the only thing that worries me not the knees…..He has been pretty good at the plate since he returned showing decent power is hustle and leadership is always there i try Galvis instead next year
Gillon get on the story. Worley done for the year.
He has a candy arm
Hes hit .250 all year
Can someone please explain how he has a degenerative condition in his knees, sits out until the end of June, and his knees are well enough for him to play everyday??
He never takes a day off!!!!!
@snow balls
what’s your definition of all year?
fyi through 7 innings, Utley saw 28 pitches last night, good for 20% of all pitches thrown at that point. if our leadoff hitter jimmy isnt going to do his job then we need Uts to do it. Maybe if the other guys on the team knew how to have professional atbats like chase our offense would wear down pitchers better and we’d score more.
also his candy arm looked pretty solid going from the edge of the dirt in the outfield behind 2nd base to 1st base on a line.
i dont know about 3rd base though, what is fransden hurt? he’s been solid there.
phillies suck
@boom
exactly … you’re obviously the only one of these tools thats watching
Frandsen should be batting leadoff and playing 3B atleast til he proves he cant
and if chase has the arm to play 3B (im skeptical) then try it and put Frandsen at 2B – NO GALVIS WHATSOEVER
NO LOVE TO MOST OF YOU,
Beez Nutz
With Utley on the downside of his career, what sense does it make for him to be fooling around at third. Short answer, none.
Great! So next year we can move that stud Galvis who hit a whopping .226 to 2B full time & wait until July for Utley to come back and be a butcher in the field at 3B.
Newsflash – Galvis’ defense isn’t enough to justify having him in the lineup hitting .230. Maybe if we had the NL version of the Rangers & Galvis strictly hit 8th…
The sense it makes for him to be “fooling” around at 3B is in hopes of getting a full year out of him… and if their really lucky more than that.
I miss Kyle
Utley turns 34 in December & is entering the last year of his contract. He will be a 35 year old FA with degenerative knees after the 2013 season. The 3rd base crop is pretty thin these days. He is trying to re-acclimate himself to 3rd so He is a more attractive FA to teams. Remember that he wasn’t the full time 2nd baseman out of Spring training till 2006 (2005 Polanco was here for half the season playing 2nd). Point is he hasn’t actually played all that much baseball for a soon to be 35 year old FA. And his 1 big contact, 7 yr/$85 mil BEFORE taxes as his career earnings really isn’t that much for a player of His stature. He CLEARLY is trying to play 3rd to score 1 more relatively big contract in his career. I also think Utley is primed for a MEGA year next season, bc frankly, He has no other choice if He wants to play baseball (make $$$) in 2014 & beyond.
Who the hell is going to sign utley to a “relatively big contract”??? Refer to your second sentence as to why no one will do that. I don’t even think fast Eddie wade would make that move. He’ll be lucky to get a one year deal as a DH. Oh and 85 million BEFORE taxes, oh I feel so sorry for him.
Ed- I’m attempting to explain what Utley’s thought process MIGHT be in Him ASKING to take grounders at 3rd base. It is unlikely He will get another decent contract, but he is trying to diversify his skill-set to possibly get a new deal somewhere. And I do not feel bad for him with his $85M contract, but considering He was arguably the best 2nd baseman in MLB for half a decade, he was/is relatively underpaid as far as what the top position players make.
You guys also realize that Utley could opt for surgery this offseason – still collect his $15mil from the Phillies next year while on the DL – and then try and sell himself as healthy as a free agent in december.
I don’t think he’ll do that, but he could
Second or Third he’s still frickin’ hot!
He’ll never do that.
Also, he was underpaid for sure over that half a decade. Guy was the best 2nd baseman in baseball and our best player.
I think he re-signs here again for a relatively good contract.
I don’t mind the move. He’s a good player and a great example of how to play the game (when he is playing). Anything to extend Chase Utley wearing Phillies colors would make me happy. However, what happened to LF? I thought that was an idea at one point?
Well I guess he won’t be able to do his signature ‘pump fake into his glove and throw the runner out at the last minute’ thing anymore.
@boom I never criticized his plate approach, .Ummm yeah he hits .250?? Hit .250 last year too.
He def makes the team better than Galvis.
But how can you explain him missing half the season, coming back, and plays everyday??
So his knees are fine now? Wouldnt it be more prudent to play 2 games on, 1 off?
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