The signs are there: Phillies will likely begin without Utley
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The signs are there: Phillies will likely begin without Utley
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Begin with this: Ruben Amaro Jr. expects Chase Utley to play sometime this season. He will not miss the entire year.
"It's definitely not something we're talking about," Amaro said.
Beyond that, the Phillies can make no definitive statements about the status of Utley's right knee. That, they said, is because they just don't know what is going on inside.
The 32-year-old second baseman has been diagnosed with chondromalacia and bone inflammation in addition to the patellar tendinitis that was previously found. Those symptoms have persisted longer than they have in the past, but the Phillies aren't ready to pursue surgery for Utley.
Problem is, they don't even know what surgery they could do right now.
"Those are the things we're researching," head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan said.
Sheridan and team physician Michael Ciccotti have begun soliciting other medical professionals for second opinions. They will not look to do surgery until those other options are exhausted, Amaro said.
"They can be fairly effective," Sheridan said. "The problem is nobody wants to take the time sometimes. That's the important thing. If we do it the right way..."
Basically, it means more rest. And more waiting. Amaro downplayed the importance of Utley being ready for opening day. He never said Utley won't be ready, but it was not hard to see what the GM was doing.
"For us, this is a long-term thing," Amaro said. "Frankly, I do not care if he's making opening day or not making opening day. For us, this is him being able to play long term. Long term meaning through this year, through next year, through the following year. This is something where we want to make sure he's 100 percent when he gets on the field so we don't have any missteps beyond this. That's why we're holding him back so much."
Why not do surgery now instead of waiting?
"We just want to get him well," Amaro said. "That's the goal here -- and to get him well long term."
And so we wait. Again.
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Sammy can play second.— Theo1980- Here's hoping that this staff can get us a lot of 2-1 and 3-2 wins during the first part of the season, and that some of the other guys can step up while Chase does what's necessary to get back to something close to 100%.— 1980
- Goodbye Blanton, hello infielder-to-be-named.— jpk
- One more thing I called this on March 1st... this team will not win 90 games. No bats and not enough guys with high OBP means having to win a lot of 3-2, 2-1 games. Brad Lidge will not be the closer by June 1st. The guy is barely hitting 90 on the gun. I hate being a pessimist but these are real issues that will prevent this team from "winning". Cliff Lee can't hit. They might find it necessary to trade a guy like Oswalt for a legitimate bat but that will not be able to take place until the trade deadline.— Theo1980
- Actually, Cliff Lee can hit...he's probably the best hitting of our pitchers.....just sayin'.— Mark1npt
Good idea, Cliff Lee at second on his off days. like it.— Phil Lee- here we go again with the fair weatered fans falling off the band wagon just like last year its sad but look foward to youre return when they reach the playoffs this makes me sick either you are a fan or not— daphillyguy
Theo 1980, if your view of the world is the same as your view of the Phils, you are such a negative load on humanity.— COskier
Comment removed.- Matt bone inflammations is part of the tendontitis. Most tendonitises have bone inflammation. Tennis elbow fis a tendonitis where the tendon and the elbow meet.— bluejfk
- Let's moan and weep about Howard's ankle. That's right. That was the concern in January. How's it doing now? How many times can you naysayers jump out of burning buildings? For the Phils to say they don't know the answer to Utley's knee is not to say their is no answer. I suspect there is a way short of surgery for him to be treated involving pain injections that the Phils would prefer not to use unless they have to. At this point, they don't feel they have to.— Claudio Vernight
- Matt, if the underlying problem for Utley is not addressed he will continue to be an injury question every year, and that's the patella. The back of his patella is not smooth and is rubbing against the cartilage between his thigh bone and shin bone. That causes the inflammation. That's not going to go away unless it's smoothed - by arthroscopic surgery. Resting it can help most of us who can change our workouts to accomodate the roughness. But Utley's job requires a supreme level of activity that he can't modify unless he goes to 1B. The real issue here is why it came up now and not the offseason, when all of this SHOULD have been dealt with.— Bob1
- It's a small cloud on the horizon. STILL looking forward to a great season and I don't care how many wins we get as long as we're in the post season.— Grazman
- If surgery is necessary, and it's a 4-6 recovery, then why didn't these morons have it done last year. Seems to me everyone but the "brain trust" knew this was coming. Would certainly rather have Werth than a washed up second bagger who has been going down hill for quite a while now. Just sayin'.— jr1165
- Who actually scares you in the Phillies' batting order? Ryan Howard, that's about it.— Earwitness
