Utley, Polanco to DL -- What now?
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Utley, Polanco to DL -- What now?
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
It's too early to label it a crushing blow, because the exact extent of Chase Utley's thumb injury is still unknown. But an MRI revealed a sprain that is bad enough to warrant a trip to the disabled list, meaning the Phillies will be without their star second baseman for at least the next 15 days.
Utley has already left Cincinnati to return to Philadelphia. He will see a hand specialist tomorrow and surgery remains a possibility.
They'll also spend the bulk of that time without third baseman Placido Polanco, who was placed on the DL today as he continues to recover from a sore elbow that has plagued him on and off throughout the season.
The Phillies recalled Greg Dobbs and Brian Bocock from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The move means that three of the Phillies' eight Opening Day regulars will be on the disabled list until at least Saturday, when starting catcher Carlos Ruiz is eligible to return from a concussion.
For a team that has already struggled to score runs in stretches, the loss of Utley for 15 days could be a killer.
Utley has only gone on the disabled list once in his career -- back in 2007 when he broke his hand and missed a month after being hit with a pitch by the Nationals' John Lannan.
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So what now?
Well, Bocock and Dobbs obviously aren't close to the level of the two guys they are replacing. Bocock is hitting .179 with a .239 OBP and .231 SLG at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Dobbs has two hits and seven strikeouts in 17 at-bats since he was optioned to Lehigh Valley last week.
The Phillies now have six players on their roster who have spent time with the Triple-A IronPigs this season: LHP Mike Zagurski, C Dane Sardinha, Bocock, Valdez, Dobbs and RHP Nelson Figueroa.
They also have seven players on the disabled list:
- Chase Utley (6/29, sprained thumb)
- Placido Polanco (backdated to 6/26, elbow contusion)
- Carlos Ruiz (backdated to 6/19, concussion)
- Ryan Madson (4/28, broken toe)
- J.A. Happ (backdated to 4/16, elbow strain)
- Chad Durbin (6/24, strained hamstring)
- Antonio Bastardo (backdated to 6/16, elbow inflammation)
Madson is making his second rehab appearance tonight and is hopeful of returning before the All-Star Break, which begins on July 12. Happ is making his fifth rehab appearance tonight, although the Phillies are still taking a wait-and-see approach with the lefty. He could return within the next week, or they could decide he still isn't ready and either give him one more minor league start or stop his rehab assignment.
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Utley is eligible to return on July 15, which is the first day back from the All-Star Break.
Polanco is eligible to return on July 11, which is the last day of play before the All-Star Break.
Durbin is eligible to return July 9, while Ruiz is eligible to return July 4, which is Sunday.
Hmm..2 more people on the DL, the beginning of the season starting lineup in tact for a total of 5 games, Kyle Kendrick in the starting rotation, a semi-patchwork bullpen, the offense pulling a month long disappearing act and yet they find themselves with a better record at this time then they had last year and only 3.5 games back in the division? Hmm...call me optimistic but I think these boys will be ok in the end.— ESFjellin- What about Cody Ransom to play third he has at least 15 homers this year— btsucceed
Comment removed.- "For a team that has already struggled to score runs in stretches, the loss of Utley for 15 days could be a killer." -- Wasn't Utley batting .160 when they were truggling to score runs? So, how is it killer if they replace him for 15 days with a .160 hitter?
- therev, you are so right. they get their butts scooped every day. i guess that is what happens when you report from the golf course every day.— TheSage
- bluetears... so you want to take the best prospect in the farm, a guy that is honing his outfield defense (the only other position he has played is pitcher in high school) and call him up to play 2nd or 3rd just because he's hitting better? Ya that's a great plan— bobf876
- try and go .500 to the all star break and have a second half to remember. Every win going into the All-Star break is huge now....— Conshy04
- It's amazing we are not 10 games out considering Polanco has been the only consistent hitter on this team. Amaro needs to step up and get a quality infielder for this team. We needed one before these injuries. Castro and Dobbs don't deserve to play in MLB and maybe not even Lehigh.
- Bluetears, Maybe it's because Dominic Brown doesn't play 2B or 3B, ya think?— jman
- Hey, what's Eric Buntlette doing these days? ;)— jman
- Are you kidding me???? You mean to tell me there isn't anyone better than these two goofs in their system???? Let's reward two guys who are hitting below .200 at AAA and call them up to the show...what a joke!!! How about calling up Dorta and Ransom instead which have way better numbers than Dobbs and Bocock...really RAJ????— tralala
- Well, I guess this speaks volumes to all those folks who think a farm system is expendable. (Then again, maybe not.)Stay close to the All Star break, get everybody back in good health & make the run for the pennant. By the way, Dominic Brown cannot field any infield position as yet. (No nasty about Dobbs now - we need him!)— Ed3
- Every team has injuries. Time for the star players to carry the team for 2 weeks: Werth, Howard, Victorino need to pick the team up for a while. Since Dominic Brown is a 5 tool right fielder, he would not be a great fill in at second, third or as a catcher...— JohnFC
- Ok now!....Just when you think you see some shimmering light at the end of this long, dark tunnel, it turns out to be the freaking AMBULANCE headed for you. (And you thought I was gonna say something about an oncoming train....fess up, admit it now!)— TBear
- Mike Bocock? He's batting .179, and Castro and Valdez aren't exactly mashers (and both can play 2nd). Why not Ransom (16 HR's, 51 RBI's) or Mayberry (10 HR's 41 RBI's)? We just lost, arguably, two of our best hitters, don't we need some more potential pop up here? Granted, I'm not going to pretend these guys are the next coming or the answer, but maybe they would at least be somewhat capable of chipping in. Bocock will rot on the bench for 15 days and never see the field. Ransom might even get a spot start here and there, and pinch hit. Christ, he has to be better than Dobbs at this point. Btw...these guys do this for a living, I just don't get calling a guy like Bocock up. He was probably stunned, and it sends the wrong message to the other guys busting it down there and actually getting some results.— SLP2009
