Manuel says Utley throwing woes no cause for concern
Chase Utley has the most famous wounded knee outside of South Dakota. And that knee just happens to be attached to the leg on which he usually plants to throw to first base. But Charlie Manuel said today he does not think the condition that sidelined Utley for the first three months of the season has anything to do with the rustiness he has displayed on a few of his throws to first.
Manuel says Utley throwing woes no cause for concern
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Chase Utley has the most famous wounded knee outside of South Dakota. And that knee just happens to be attached to the leg on which he usually plants to throw to first base. But Charlie Manuel said today he does not think the condition that sidelined Utley for the first three months of the season has anything to do with the rustiness he has displayed on a few of his throws to first.
Last night, Utley skipped a ball to first base on a routine 4-3 double play in the first inning (Ryan Howard scooped the ball on the hop to complete the play). Earlier in the inning, he was unable to get much mustard on an off balance throw to first base, although Dodgers Jamey Carroll looked like he would have beaten it out anyway.
Utley has had a couple other weak throws since returning from the DL, but Manuel said he thinks the problem is more a product of the second baseman's long layoff than it is a product of any difficulty in pushing off his right leg.
"When Chase plays three or four days in a row, his game timing" gets better, Manuel said. "He's getting there. It's just him playing in games and getting used to the big league way of playing. He was down there in Clearwater playing with the Threshers and extended spring. This is a little bit faster game. It moves a little bit different on him.
"It's just a matter of him getting in the flow of things."
Utley is in the line-up for his fifth straight day tonight against the Dodgers, the first time he has played that much since his return on May 23.
Manuel said Utley will likely get a day off tomorrow.
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Other news and notes that you can read more about in tomorrow's paper: Ruben Amaro Jr. said an MRI revealed a deep bone bruise in Jimmy Rollins' knee cap, which makes him more of a possibility for the disabled list than the Phillies thought at this time yesterday. Amaro said he should know more within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Also, unsurprisingly, Brad Lidge was a consummate professional when discussing his potential return to a role other than closer. Lidge said he will pitch wherever he is told, and that he would not want to change anything the way Ryan Madson is pitching.
Lidge first has to return, though, and that could take longer than he had hoped. He said a visit with team doctor Michael Ciccotti confirmed that the soreness he has been feeling in his elbow is nothing other than a condition he usually battles when he starts throwing in spring training. Lidge had been hoping for a mid-June return. Now, he said, late-June or the All Star Break is more realistic.
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Unfortunately it is a concern. That and his lack of extra base hits.— FightinPhil
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Who places any credence on what that silly, old fool thinks? He was a failure as a major leaguer.- five walks. one hit. errors. 4-1 third inning and it feels like the game is already lost— Philly-sophical
- Chase's bat looks slow. Tired of Howard going out of the strike zone. 3-1 count 3 runs down. He wont step into next level if he doesn't improve his plate judgement. Raul keeps overswinging on outside pitches instead of just driving the ball to opposite field. How many times will Samuel have runners thrown out by 10 ft. Pitcher was up next but L.A pitcher was all over the plate.— Don w
- Howard needs to realize that a pitch thrown at his foot is not a good one to swing at.— TMan
- Utley with another throwing issue tonight— shawnmac
- The end of a trajically short career.— n62
- It is a concern. Manuel is not using him wisely because he relies on the player to make the decisions which the manager should make. Too bad for the team and players that there is not a more demanding controlling manager with higher expectations who understands his responsibility.— Northcountry
- But, hey, why worry? Sam Donnellon had yet another arrogant philly.com article saying we fans are dolts for being concerned, despite our well-established run of recent 2-run, 5- or 6-hit games. No, Sam, who pays $0 to go to games, parks in VIP spaces and gets free food, knows how great our hitters are doing and that "all is well" in Kevin Bacon-land. Actually, we need offense. When we got down 4-1 today there was zero chance we could come back. And that's not normal, not a good place to be.— eman
- We all need an attitude of gratitude. Could be Marlin fans or worse, Braves' fans!— wisner
- Agree with everyone saying once the score was 4-1 the game felt like it was over. How sad is that? Sad, but true. This is what life watching this team has become. If our starters let up more than 3 runs we have very little chance of winning. What a shame.— justinnyc11
- Comment removed.
- The worst throw was the one he threw into LF, that would have nailed Kemp at second for a DP. That was an easy throw he should make. I don't think the knee had anything to do with that one. He rushed the throw plain and simple, when he had plenty of time. It wasn't an error because Kemp hesitate and started running to third, then realized he had to go back to 2B. He still scored. That, coupled with Victorino being nailed at 3B in the 1st, set the tone for the ugly loss, IMO.— EL Zorro
- Manuel is not concerned with anything. Kind of like Nero, while Rome burned.
