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.
Poor Bluetears, you might as well just save yourself further grief and create a new screen name before posting again.— jman- This is the character test teams endure that eventually label them winners or losers; Will Howard, Werth and Ibanez step up and carry the team for the next two weeks with Jimmy and Victorino setting the table at the top and the starting pitching finally showing some consistency, or will the team fold under the pressure and fall too far out of first for it to make a difference? I said yesterday the season gets serious at the all-star break, but losing half your infield and number 2 and 3 hitter in one day just pushed the timetable forward.— Bleue
- Maybe the silver lining here is that Utley gets some time off (including the All Star Game) and comes back refreshed for the 2nd half. Utley always seems to wear down over the course of a season. Maybe this will end up helping the team down the road.— kzimm63
- Bluetears just snapped lonewolf's string of dumbbest comments of the month at 50.— EL Zorro
- Well, 2010 looked great on paper. We'll try again next year.— reidbetweenthelines
- Garrett Atkins, upon being designated for assignment by the Orioles, said he'd be willing to sign a minor league contract.— PhightinPhil
- LOL---I haven't seen a bunch of idiots posting on here since the last flash crowd on Broad Street---negative losers— will_wonders_never_cease
- Who the #@!! is Brian Bocock and why was he called up? He shouldn't even be at AAA let alone the big leagues! And Dobbs was sent down for a reason: he hasn't hit for a year and a half and, from the looks of his stats, hasn't hit at Lehigh Valley either. A team will never be able to call up very high quality players from the minors in a pinch, but it is hard to imagine that the Phils have no better options than these two. Where is the planning on management's part?— MrPhillie
- the guy they call up is batting .179? Are you kidding me? Good Lord. Nice job Reuben.. You really stocked up the prospects with the trading of Lee. If Lee ends up with the friggin' Mets.. That will go down as one of the worst if not the worst move ever. A move so bad firing would be warranted.— yomother2
- If the starters don't fall apart they can make it thru this. Gonna need Howard to earn that check tho.— newintown
- Cody Ranson has 16 Homers and 51 Rbi's Playing 3rd Base at Lehigh Valley— btsucceed
Comment removed.- Bocock and Dobbs will not be the ones who get the bulk of the playing time over the next 15 days. They are only there to fill the bench (and roster). Valdez and Castro will get the bulk of the playing time at 2nd and 3rd.— kzimm63
bluetears, the two guys going onto the DL are infielders. Brown is an outfielder.— 1980- burritobill is a true optimist. either the thumb injury is more severe than a sprain or they want to give Utley a rest. they can't win longterm if he hits .275 and has only 35-40 RBI's by the Allstar break. Time for Werth to step up.— boomartin
