Posted: Thursday, February 19, 2009, 11:01 AM | 32 comments |
 

Utley looking realistic for Opening Day
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It's looking more and more like Chase Utley is going to be ready for Opening Day. While the Phillies will be extra-cautious with their star second baseman, he appears right on schedule for a four-month return to full health. Utley has been taking ground balls during fielding practice since Tuesday and has been hitting in the cage, both off of a tee and off of soft tosses. There is the pain, not fatigue, in his surgically-repaired right hip, leading Utley to believe that his hope of an Opening Day return is now a reality.

"I think it's pretty realisitc at this point," he said this morning. "We've pushed it over the past week and a half, two weeks that I've been down here and it's responded extermely well. We're not overdoing it yet but we are putting it to a good pace ans I think we are all pretty comfortable with it."

Asked to handicap his chances of returning by the start of the season, he said they were "fair to quite fair."

When Utley underwent his surgery in New York on Nov. 24, the Phillies announced a four-to-six month rehab for him. Monday marked the start of his 13th week after the operation. He'll be at 16 weeks -- four months -- post-op on March 16, which would give him 19 opportunities to play in spring training games before the start of the season.

^

Other stuff that didn't fit into the paper today:

1) It is a gray and windy day in Clearwater, snapping more than a week straight of perfect weather. It is supposed to drop into the 50's tomorrow before climbing back into the 60's for the weekend.

2) Newly-signed veteran Miguel Cairo worked at third base with Greg Dobbs yesterday, while prospect Jason Donald fielded balls at second base. If Pedro Feliz starts the season on the disabled list, I wouldn't be completely surprised to see someone like Cairo make the Opening Day roster.

3) 2008 first-round draft pick Anthony Hewitt might hit the ball as hard as anybody in camp. The ball just explodes off his bat. It's pretty amazing to watch and consider that he is still a teenager. That said, don't expect to see him in the big leagues any time soon. He is very much a project. Still, it is fun to watch him take batting practice.

4) The Grapefruit League opener is less than a week away. The Phillies travel to Pittsburgh on Wednesday for their first game of the spring.
Posted by David Murphy @ 11:01 AM  Permalink | 32 comments
32
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:05 AM, 02/19/2009
    How's Mayberry's bat? If I remember right, he is supposed to be all power and little else
    — jeff gross
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:18 AM, 02/19/2009
    Is Cairo good on defense? I haven't hear that much about that.
    — betsy72
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:20 AM, 02/19/2009
    You wrote... "There is the pain, not fatigue, in his surgically-repaired right hip, leading Utley to believe that his hope of an Opening Day return is now a reality." I'm not sure if there is something (a word or two) missing here or I am missing something, but does this make sense? Is there pain, fatigue, etc...?
    — J C
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:30 AM, 02/19/2009
    1
    — jeff gross
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:32 AM, 02/19/2009
    I think he's trying to say that while it hurts as he uses it for the first time in a while, its not getting tired easliy and he's not having the same kind of pain as he had last year. That said, you could have written it better Dave. Pain is like fire, when it exists there's smoke and somethings wrong
    — jeff gross
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:48 AM, 02/19/2009
    I guess I get it now, in that if it was "fatigued", Utley would be worried, but some pain he expected. I don't know. Seems to me the hope would be that he would be free of pain, but what do I know. He'll be out there Opening Day (night) regardless.
    — J C
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:37 PM, 02/19/2009
    Im curious about Mayberry as well. Sounds like a lot of potential not too far from being big league ready. With Werth and Victorino not really locked up long term he could be a piece of the puzzle for the future, whats the scoop? anyone...
    — philsfan in the atx
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:49 PM, 02/19/2009
    Mayberry AAA fodder...Utley hip "pain" not good...he should only be experiencing fatigue and stiffness at this point. Pain now will lead to more long term joint damage in the future....with his future being maybe 5 years down the road rather than 25....
    — Mark1npt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:52 PM, 02/19/2009
    btw, there are those in baseball (many) that think Hewitt will never amount to anything close to a ML hitter....Rob Deer springs to mind....K or HR, nothing in between.....do we need more of that?
    — Mark1npt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:56 PM, 02/19/2009
    Apologize it wasn't written clearly. There is no pain or fatigue in Utley's hip, which is a good sign. Mayberry's size is tremendous. He looks like an NBA small forward. He obviously has some power, but it's tough to tell much else without actually facing pitching. There are indeed some questions about Hewitt's ability to make contact, but keep in mind he is still young.
    — David_Murphy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:03 PM, 02/19/2009
    Hey Murph, First off, I'm curious how some of the battling positions are looking so far (i.e. Costs-Paulino-Marson (?), Kendrick-Happ-Park-Eaton (just kidding), Donald-Cairo-Giles)). Also, of the new guys, which ones seem to fit well into the clubhouse so far, and which - if any - seem alienated or not mixing it up? How bout the coaching staff? Have the dynamics been totally different at this camp without some of the old, familiar faces (i.e., Smith, Williams)? Finally, I'm curious of your feelings about the psyches of the fringe players right now. Let's say Coste got sent down, for example. Is that it for him, or is the career minor-leaguer still able to make the quantum leap from A-Town to the Bank? How bout some of the other guys?
    — Philth
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:13 PM, 02/19/2009
    I think I need to apply for an editor position. Anyway... glad to hear Utley appeears to be fine. I got from what he said that he was, but how you wrote left me/us confused. Have fun on the beat Murph.
    — J C
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:15 PM, 02/19/2009
    Hewitt sounds like an interesting story... Why not do an expanded piece about him, so Phillies fans can become better acquainted with his background, abilities, etc. and follow his progress?
    — JimmyD
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:26 PM, 02/19/2009
    The Zo Zone reports, there is no pain according to Utley. Must be a misprint in this article because Utley repeats "no pain" for multiple questions on the Zo Zone.
    — hoyaray


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About David Murphy
David Murphy joined the Daily News as its Phillies beat writer in February of 2008. Born in Upper Merion and raised in the Poconos, he attended college at La Salle University before taking jobs with the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun-News and the St. Petersburg ( Fla. ) Times. E-mail Dave at dmurphy@phillynews.com.

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