8 Keys to Phillies Second Baseman Chase Utley Staying Healthy This Season

Playing a grueling game like baseball at the professional level is no walk in the park. Playing baseball on a pair of chronically degenerating knees is something that would not be feasible for most athletes, but Chase Utley isn’t like most athletes. 

For the last decade, the former first-round pick out of UCLA has been one of most integral parts of this Philadelphia Phillies team, captivating fans and players alike. When he isn’t in the lineup, this is a different team, and they’re certainly not better without him. 

Utley, who has suffered from numerous injuries throughout his career, has had the most trouble with his knees, suffering from a wide array of conditions including cartilage damage, bone inflammation, patellar tendinitis and chondromalacia. 

For the first time since 2010, the Phillies second baseman is participating in the Grapefruit League, a good sign that he’ll be prepared for the regular season, and this is a club that definitely needs him in the lineup. 

But how does a guy like Utley, who has had a smorgasbord of knee injuries, stay on the field for an entire season? The following slideshow will try to answer that question by taking a look at all of the possibilities. 

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Philadelphia Phillies Prospects Destined to Have a Great Spring

For an established (sounds better than “old and expensive”) team like the Philadelphia Phillies, there is no time to think about tomorrow.

If the Phillies start slow, or if the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves are just too good to be caught, wholesale changes in the team are very likely.

Actually, the only way most of the Phillies’ youngest prospects will find their way to Philadelphia in 2013 would be if the Phillies are once again out of playoff contention in June.

Because at that point, the Phillies will start selling off veterans like Roy Halladay and Chase Utley for whatever they can get in return via trade, and someone will have to finish the season out.

Still, the Phillies do have some young players who can seize the opportunity that spring training presents to cement themselves as key players on the Phillies’ 2013 major league squad.

For many reasons, the analysis begins with Darin Ruf.

The Phillies have a desperate need for a right-handed, power-hitting left fielder. Ruf, the reigning Eastern League (AA) Most Valuable Player, is no one’s idea of a polished defensive outfielder.

But the Phillies will live with substandard defense from Ruf if he can hit. In spring training, Ruf figures to see much the same caliber of pitching he saw at AA in 2012 and during his September call-up—fringe major leaguers and middle relievers.

Ruf should be able to drive some mistakes against that level of pitching and solidify his spot on the 25-man roster. 

Domonic Brown has been wearing the “prospect” tag for what seems like half a decade. He is 25 years old now, and this spring training is shaping up to be his last real chance to show that he is more than the .236 career hitter he has been at the major league level.

Brown will get plenty of spring at-bats as Delmon Young continues to rehabilitate from ankle surgery, per the Philadelphia Inquirer. Plainly, with Young not projected to be ready anytime soon, the starting right-field job is Brown’s to lose.

Brown’s mammoth game-tying home run against the Detroit Tigers Sunday is certainly not going to hurt his cause.

Then, there is the bizarre case of Freddy Galvis, who unexpectedly served as the starting second baseman for an injured Utley only to sustain a brutal injury of his own.

Galvis‘ injury was coupled with insult when he was hit with a 50-game drug suspension by MLB in June while he was already on the disabled list, per ESPN.com (via The AP).

So how do you classify Galvis? But for Utley’s injury, Galvis would probably never have seen any major-league time in 2012. He hit .226 in the 58 games he played. Is he still a “prospect?”

Did he do enough to deserve a look in 2013, or is he better served finding a competent offensive game at AAA Lehigh Valley? 

Working in Galvis‘ favor will be the time Jimmy Rollins will spend away from Phillies’ camp at the World Baseball Classic. Galvis should get valuable spring training playing time in Rollins’ absence, per the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Again, prospects are not the focus of the 2013 Phillies. If Halladay, Utley, Ryan Howard and the other big-money veterans play poorly, the team is going nowhere.

But the action at Clearwater is still worth a watch where Ruf, Brown and Galvis are concerned.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Spring Training Debut Suggests Past Ills Not Behind Phils

Straight up front, please save your “it’s only one game!” remonstrations. Of course it’s only one game, and of course it’s only the preseason.

Know how you know that preseason results are meaningless? The Philadelphia Eagles went 4-0 in the preseason in 2012. And you know how that turned out.

So, yeah, right, it’s ridiculous to take anything away from a preseason game in February (even one against the terrible Houston Astros) where Jimmy Rollins sat and Cole Hamels left after two strong innings. You’re right.

Yeah, but still.

If you wanted to look for concerns following the ugly 8-3 loss to the Astros, the box score is rife with them.

Consider:

—Golden boy prospect Darin Ruf went 0-for-3, but his error on a routine single that put runners on second and third (rather than first and second) was more troubling than his inability to get a hit.

The double play was no longer in order, two runners were in scoring position, and perhaps predictably the chorus of concerned citizens who think Ruf might not be able to play left field in the major leagues now have an early warning sign to point to.

—The Phillies had eight hits, and only two were for extra bases. Pete Orr’s home run was nice, but like so many Phillie home runs in 2012, it was a solo shot. Ruf, Michael Young and Ryan Howard went 0-for-9. Howard, in midseason form, struck out twice.

So, um, about that power surge in 2013…

—The Phillies had four errors. Michael Martinez’s gaffe is a non-concern since he has little-to-no shot to make the team. But Ruf‘s error is not an encouraging development.

And the other two errors were made by Ben Revere, a supposed defensive upgrade in center field, and Erik Kratz, who is supposed to be the starter at catcher for most of April while Carlos Ruiz serves out his 25-game suspension.

—The Phillies’ middle relievers got slapped around again. B.J. Rosenberg, Jeremy Horst and Justin De Fratus surrendered five earned runs on 10 hits and three walks in five innings against a pretty lousy offensive team.

Mike Adams had better be really good.

Again, right, it’s just one game. The Phillies have over a month in Florida to sort it all out.

From the looks of things, though, they’ll need to use all of it.

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Key Factors That Will Determine Winners of Phillies’ Outfield Position Battles

For the first time in quite a while, the Philadelphia Phillies will begin Grapefruit League play with both corner outfield positions up for grabs.

Just who wins those jobs, and what they’ll entail, is one of a number of variables this spring. 

In a lot of ways, these position battles will come down to which players the Phillies can trust the most. Can they trust Domonic Brown to perform? Can they trust Darin Ruf to continue his extraordinary development? Can they trust Delmon Young to change? 

And that’s just a small taste of what the outfield position battles will entail this spring. The Phillies will have to determine whether those are full-time or part-time roles. They’ll have to determine what their bench looks like behind those regulars. 

This is a mammoth battle. In a lot of ways it is a giant free-for-all with at least four positions up for grabs.

Here are a few things to keep an eye on this spring as we follow the Phillies’ outfield position battle.

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5 Reasons Phillies Fans Should Be Optimistic Heading into Spring Training

Spring training has been underway for the Philadelphia Phillies for just over a week and already things have been exciting. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins still believes the Phillies can win the NL East. Chase Utley will play in his first spring training games since 2010. And Cole Hamels will likely be the Phillies’ Opening Day starter (per CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury).

Even though division rivals such as the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves made significant upgrades to their respective rosters, the Phillies certainly didn’t stand pat over the offseason. They spent wisely and found more creative ways to fill holes via trades as opposed to lucrative free-agent signings. Not all of their moves were flashy, but the Phillies still have the roster to compete with the other guys.

For a number of reasons, Phillies fans should be ecstatic and optimistic about the team’s chances as spring training continues and games start tomorrow. Here are five reasons why that’s the case.

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Ben Revere Now the Center of Attention for Philadelphia Phillies

Ben Revere’s energy and enthusiasm has sparkled since the day the Phillies traded for their new center fielder back in December.

His Twitter account soon became a hit amongst fans, gaining a whole set of new followers from Philadelphia. He always seems to have an opinion about something.

Some are already saying that the addition of Revere makes it feel like the high-speed and exuberant personality of Shane Victorino never really left.

That may be true, but Phillies fans will soon see that on the field, the story will be a lot different.

After the trade of Victorino last July, the Phillies knew they would need a replacement for 2013.

The rest of 2012 saw John Mayberry, Jr. playing a lot in center, which the team knew wouldn’t be a viable option moving forward.

Enter Revere.

The Phillies acquired Revere on December 6, dealing pitchers Vance Worley and Trevor May to Minnesota to get their new center fielder.

If Revere feels like a third or fourth option, it’s because he probably was.

The Phillies were certainly interested in B.J. Upton, who ended up in Atlanta. They were interested in Angel Pagan, who ended up staying in the bay as a San Francisco Giant.  Michael Bourn waited the entire off-season out before signing with Cleveland.

 

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. knew he had to concoct a trade by some point in November.

Some will say the Phillies overpaid to get Revere.

Worley was a valuable option in the Phillies’ rotation, but he probably would have been a tad costly with regards to arbitration numbers coming up over the next few years. May was a highly touted prospect that flamed out in 2012 but still has some promise.

The general consensus seems to be that the Phillies might have overpaid a bit, but that the price was the going rate for a young center fielder, one that will be under team control through the 2017 season.

So what exactly can the Phillies expect from Revere?

Well, for starters, he won’t be a home-run hitter like Victorino was. In fact, Revere has yet to hit a homer in 989 career at-bats.

That said, the Phillies are not paying Revere to hit homers.

They’re paying him to be an above-average defensive player (something they couldn’t get with anybody on the roster before), a high-contact hitter and a base stealer.

 

Revere finished 2012 with a .294 average, .333 on-base percentage and a .342 slugging percentage. What jumps out there is the high-average and low on-base combination. Revere does not walk often, clocking in at 5.2 percent of the time, among the bottom of the barrel for qualified outfielders last year. On the flip side, Revere’s strikeout rate was fourth best amongst qualified outfielders. When Revere swings the bat, he makes contact 92.6 percent of the time, which was third highest amongst all players in 2012.

 

This was not a fluke, as he posted a very similar number in 2011.

When the Phillies acquired Revere, the debate obviously began about whether or not he would be the team’s leadoff hitter.

For now, that does not appear to be an option.

Jimmy Rollins is firmly cemented as the team’s leadoff man. Rollins saw 3.72 pitches per plate appearance last year, while Revere saw 3.61. Neither is really a heart-stopping number for a leadoff hitter, but Rollins has been there for pretty much all of his career, and a change does not seem to be coming any time soon.

What Revere also brings to the Phillies is youth.

That should not be a lost factor here.

Revere will turn 25 in May, and on a team with an aging core, that will help, since the Phillies are low on MLB-ready position prospects. Tommy Joseph and Roman Quinn come to mind, but neither would is likely to crack the starting lineup until 2015. The acquisition of Revere gives the Phillies a young guy that they can count on.

The Phillies may have added the younger version of a guy who was on their roster last year: Juan Pierre.

The similarities are evident.

Revere’s last two years (his age 23 and 24 seasons), he hit .281/.322/.327 and averaged 37 steals. Pierre had stronger on-base numbers and a bit more power, hitting .307/.358/.377 from 2001-2003, while averaging 53 steals. That said, it’s an easy (and maybe somewhat lazy) comparison. Revere, like Pierre in his prime, is a fast outfielder that can cover a lot of ground, steal bases and hit the ball without striking out a lot.

 

 

Revere has played all three outfield spots but will undoubtedly play in center for the Phillies. He doesn’t have a rocket arm and sometimes takes a bad route to a ball here and there, but he should be competent enough to man the position. His UZR/150 last year in center was -2.1, but he rated very well in center in 2011 when he played a larger set of games there, with a 15.1 number.

Maybe the most interesting aspect of the trade is that Revere posted a 3.4 WAR last year, while B.J. Upton, the man the Braves have given $75.25 million to, had a 3.3 WAR last year in Tampa Bay.

The Phillies were certainly very happy to deal from a position of strength (pitching) to get something they desperately needed (a young, controllable outfielder).

Now it’s time to see if Ben will become a revered figure in Philadelphia.

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Phillies Rewarding Their Homegrown Ace with Likely Opening Day Start

Of the Philadelphia Phillies‘ decorated “Big Three” starting pitchers, just one has accomplished the ultimate baseball goal of leading his team to a World Series title. His name is Cole Hamels.

Now, it seems the Phillies will finally reward their only homegrown ace with a long-deserved Opening Day start in 2013. 

Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee announced Wednesday that Hamels would start Saturday’s Grapefruit League opener against the Houston Astros—a sign that the Phillies also plan to align their starting rotation so that Hamels is the starter on Opening Day in Atlanta, according to CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury.

If that is the case, Hamels, 29, will make his first career Opening Day start April 1 against the rival Atlanta Braves after signing a six-year, $144 million contract extension to remain a member of the Phillies’ starting rotation last July. 

For a lot of fans, the general opinion about this news seems to be something along the lines of, “It’s about time.” 

Hamels made his MLB debut as a 22-year-old phenom back in 2006 after the Phillies drafted him in the first round (17th overall pick) of the 2002 draft. Over the seven seasons that would follow, Hamels would blossom into one of the league’s elite left-handed starting pitchers. 

The lefty has dazzled spectators and confused hitters with an excellent changeup and a pair of fastballs that he can run at or away from hitters of either handedness. The 2012 season, as a result, was arguably the best of his career as he posted a record of 17-6 and a 3.05 ERA.

But anyone who has ever had even a small taste of Philly sports knows that it’s the 2008 season that will leave a lasting mark on Hamels’ legacy. In that year he did what fellow rotation members Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee have been unable to do—capture a World Series title. 

And he was excellent in the process, earning the honors of National League Championship Series MVP and World Series MVP in a postseason that saw him go 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA. 

Hamels is moving into the prime of his career following one of his greatest statistical seasons on record, but following the contract extension and a few years of studying under guys like Halladay, Lee and Jamie Moyer—veterans who have helped him develop into more of a leader—the time is right for Hamels to take over the reins. 

The fact of the matter here is that the future is now for this Phillies’ rotation. Halladay is 35 years old and will turn 36 in May. Lee is 34 and will turn 35 in August. When you consider that the youngest member of this starting rotation is a 28-year-old John Lannan, it isn’t hard to come to the realization that there are no spring chickens here. 

In the long run, however, an Opening Day start may be nothing more than a nice topic to bring up during a conversation when you’re old and retired and reminiscing about your glory days. Hell, Lannan was once the Opening Day starter for the Washington Nationals. 

But Hamels’ Opening Day start is more symbolic. He’ll lead names like Halladay and Lee into a regular-season, uphill battle against younger teams like the Braves and Nationals. This is the moment when Hamels stops being the student and becomes the teacher. 

This is what the Phillies envisioned for Hamels on draft day back in 2002. Sure, they may not have known that he would eventually sign the most lucrative deal for a starting pitcher in franchise history or get the nod over a pair of former Cy Young Award winners—those things are impossible to predict on day one. 

But for Hamels to make his first of what should be many Opening Day starts as one of the most respected Phillies starting pitchers of all time? That was all according to plan. 

Note: The Phillies have not officially announced Hamels as the Opening Day starter. By setting their rotation in this manner for spring training, the Phillies are strongly indicating that Hamels will be the Opening Day starter.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Odds of Every Notable Phillies Prospect in Camp Making the Roster

When you’re a prospect, cracking your club’s Opening Day roster out of spring training is no simple task. 

Nowadays, clubs aren’t concerned about the here and now with prospects; they’re concerned about the future. Rushing a prospect to MLB could stunt his development and hurt the team in the long-run, and there is a lot on the line for prospects in this day and age. 

But not every prospect follows the rules. The perfect storm of development and circumstance could certainly lead to a player reaching the major leagues before he is supposed to and the Philadelphia Phillies will have a number of players in camp trying to do just that. 

Being realistic, this isn’t an going to be an easy spring for most Phillies prospects. This is an older club with very few openings available. For most of these guys, making the club means that they’ll have done something spectacular in the spring. 

The possibility exists for some of them to make the club, however, and that is the point of this slideshow. We’ll break down the odds of making the Opening Day roster for every prospect in camp with the Phillies this spring, based on a scale of one to 100 percent.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Chase Utley, Team Finally Healthy

Apparently Chase Utley feels “pretty damn good right now.” Unfortunately, many Phillies fans feel as if the club is a sitting duck primed to be overwhelmed by the rising tide of the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals.

In all fairness, Utley was referring to his overall health. It’s no secret that Utley has been dealing with lingering hip and knee issues over the last several years. The 34-year-old second baseman is likely to enter this season the healthiest he has been since 2010. 

In all honesty, I have been back and forth on the idea of the sky falling in Philadelphia. While anyone with an IQ larger than a cheesesteak can see, the Phillies are no longer the cream of the crop in the National League. They are in a state of flux, awash with aging veterans who are more prone than ever to injuries.

To put it nicely, the talent pool beneath the Big Show is shallow. Baseball America just released its Top 100 Prospects list for 2013. Guess what? Only two Phillies make the list—No. 89 LHP Jessie Biddle and No. 100 SS Roman Quinn. 

Talk about taking one on the chin. The gurus at Baseball America found it evident that they could find 88 better prospects elsewhere than in Philadelphia.

Still, I still feel pretty good about the Phillies this spring.

The team is apparently at full health for the start of the season, something they missed out on last year when they tiptoed into last season relying on Ty Wigginton, Laynce Nix and Juan Pierre.

While first baseman Ryan Howard will always struggle against left-handed pitching, the ability to hit 30-plus home runs is still there. Count on him to add another 100 or more RBI in this full season as well.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins proved last year that he is not on his last leg either. Statistically, Rollins had his best year at age 33 since he won the NL MVP in 2007. No one can count on him repeating last year’s numbers but anything close will help in adverting disaster early on.

Utley is who he is. We can only hope for a full season of strength and health at second base for the Phillies. If that happens, Utley can rebound in his contract year.

At his age, he is playing for reputable longevity at a position that has not been kind to 30-somethings in recent years.

Believing that Michael Young can shore up the third-base position is hazardous. Let’s be honest, he is just keeping the seat warm for Cody Asche.

The outfield is a major question mark though. While no one hopes to see anyone get injured, Delmon Young beginning the season on the disabled list could be more of a gift than a curse.

Why—because we should finally get an extended look at both Darin Ruf and Domonic Brown.

The rotation and bullpen remain the strong suits of this organization. While it makes sense to see a further decrease in the overall production of Roy Halladay, he can still be a successful top-of-the-rotation pitcher if he adjusts his pitching to account for a decline in velocity. 

Ultimately, only a homer oblivious to the challenges the Phillies must overcome would predict an NL East title for Philadelphia in 2013. Washington and Atlanta are two young and extremely talented clubs standing in the way of this aging lineup and rotation. 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies: Top 7 Storylines to Watch for at Start of Spring Training

As the weather warms in Philadelphia signaling the ever impending start of spring, the city’s baseball team has already taken to the field hurriedly preparing for the season’s first spring training game. There is excitement and anxious anticipation of course, but also a fair bit of nervousness and uncertainty.

Entering the spring of 2013, the Phillies have a lot of questions that need to be answered and a fair amount of positions that need to be filled. Injuries, which loomed large last season, are once again going to be under the microscope and young rookies will get a chance to make a impression and perhaps even earn a role on the Opening Day roster that in the past may not have existed.

It will be a spring training of storylines.

Who will make up the starting outfield?

How will Utley’s knees survive a full season?

Who will back up Kratz during Ruiz’s suspension?

How does the rotation fill out?

Among others, these are some of the questions that the Phillies hope they will be able to answer based on spring performances. They also provide some of the most intriguing spring storylines to follow.

Unlike in the past, this year’s spring training will really decide quite a bit about the outlook for 2013. It will also give fans an idea of who will be taking the field and what they will be bringing. Ultimately, the goal is still to win another World Series and it is fair to say that what happens this spring might give an idea of if this goal is realistic.

Here are the top seven storylines you are sure to want to keep your eye on this spring. 

 

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