People Already Want to Retire Utley's #26
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
This morning, after waking from a cry-induced sleep, Ruben Amaro called into Angelo Cataldi’s morning show to talk Chase Utley and his legacy. Utley’s locker probably still smells like his sweet musk, but Amaro’s already being asked about retiring his number:
“That is a decision that is in the pay grade a little higher than mine, but it’s certainly something we would have to consider. We had over that era, probably, and most definitely the best shortstop, second baseman, and first baseman ever in the history of our franchise and I think that there’s gonna be a time when they will all be recognized and many others. I guess it’s a possibility. I’m not sure. We typically do not—we have not, as far as I know, done that for players who are not in the Hall Of Fame. But who knows, who knows what’s gonna happen with his Hall Of Fame status.”
Of course, Utley isn’t the only person to ever wear #26 for the Phillies, but he’s the most notable.
The Phillies’ Wall of Fame qualifications may be pretty low, but their jersey retirement criteria is pretty high. Only five numbers have actually been retired, and they all belong to Hall of Famers. So Utley could have his number retired, but he’d probably have to get into that other club first.
Amaro also talked about the plan to honor Utley during the game if the trade had officially gone through:
“I feel very badly that it didn’t [happen]. In fact, we had planned to do something very special for him during the course of the game. Sadly, there are so many different elements that have to happen to announce trades, to make things happen.”
The Dodgers are really trying to make enemies of us aren’t they?
Other stuff: Marcus Hayes put Utley on the Philly Sports Mount Rushmore as the Phillies’ representative along with Bobby Clarke, Julius Erving and Brian Dawkins. Utley’s departure took top-billing on Breakfast on Broad. And it was the subject of Kyle’s red-eyed segment on FOX this morning (video after the jump).
