Phillies

Video of John Kruk’s Prank on Chase Utley Has Emerged

By Kyle Scott

Published: Mar 28th, 2017 · 7:39 AM EDT

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I blame myself. I blame myself for not feeling like I had seen the story John Kruk told yesterday about pranking Chase Utley when he was a rookie. Indeed, the video does exist, and it’s a classic. Behold, baby arm Chase:

I’m trying really hard not to get homoerotic with this, but I’d be remiss not to point out that Chase has (toned!) baby arms here while just a few years later he would develop absoluate manthons hanging off those shoulders:

Phew. Hot in here? Where was I? Ah, right, the video. Yeah, good stuff from Kruk. Three more items of note:

1. There’s a weird edit point near when Ed Wade blamed Ruben Amaro. It returns to Chase laughing. Did the gang know even then that Ruben was a, well, rube?
2. I don’t think Chase bought it from the beginning. He’s too advanced for your simplistic mind games. I just think he placated Kruk because he knew the sweet release of humor would get the best out of him as an announcer.
3. The ol’ sleeveless baseball belly shirt is a vestige of the 90s and early oughts. Chase wore it well, but I feel like Darren Daulton and Pat Burrell really owned the look. Those guys have exactly two styles of shirt in their wardrobe besides their baseball jersey: cut-off sleeveless and Hawaiian.*

*While we’re getting sartorial, take a look at Phillies beat writers at Spring Training– they all wear the Florida short-sleeve button-down. They have been for years. I feel like David Murphy shows up to Christmas parties in that thing, like he doesn’t know what to do without it.