UPDATE: Utley to be activated Monday
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UPDATE: Utley to be activated Monday
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
UPDATE: Utley is officially back Monday. The Phillies optioned Pete Orr after Sunday's loss and will activate Utley before Monday's game.
Also, Vance Worley will make Joe Blanton's next start Tuesday as Blanton goes on the disabled list.
A clubhouse attendant spent about 10 minutes Sunday morning unpacking the contents of Chase Utley's bag, the last remnants of his 16-day stay in Florida.
No, the Phillies second baseman has not been activated from the disabled list. But he has arrived at Citizens Bank Park, signaling his rehab is nearing an end.
He will meet with team doctors and athletic trainers to decide the next step in this recovery process from patellar tendinitis that has prevented him from playing in a game since last October.
It's expected Utley is in the lineup Monday.
He declined to comment through a team spokesman Sunday, presumably because he will wait to speak until he is actually activated from the disabled list.
Utley will not play every day upon his return. Both Ruben Amaro Jr. and Charlie Manuel have spoken at length about a management plan to ensure Utley's injury does not flare up.
He played nine games at single-A Clearwater, and batted 9 for 32 (.281). He stole a base, beat out an infield single, turned double plays and did all of this without significant pain the following day.
When Utley is activated, Pete Orr is the likely man out. Orr has played often, epsecially against righties, but he has an option remaining. Both Wilson Valdez and Michael Martinez would have to be exposed on waivers to be sent to the minors. Orr does not.
No one knows how frequently Utley will be able to play and if there will be limitations for the rest of this season, or even his career. But No. 26 should be in the lineup Monday and that is comforting for the Phillies and their fans.
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A few other injury notes:
Brad Lidge and Brian Schneider leave for Clearwater, Fla., later today and will continue their rehabs there. Lidge (torn rotator cuff) has thrown a few bullpens in Philadelphia and expects to pitch in extended spring training games. He's still a few weeks away from returning.
Schneider (strained left hamstring) said he is not ready for game action and does not know when he will be.
Jose Contreras will pitch in his third rehab game, Monday at triple-A Lehigh Valley. He'll likely be activated Tuesday.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
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Good riddance to a subpar commenter with an inferiority complex.— RG- Comment removed.
- I'd rather put Utley in the two hole until he shows some power. Alternatively you could bat him low in the lineup until he plays his way back into the flow of things at this level. Polanco is easily the most consistent hitter right now so if I am making decisions I'm leaving him in the 3 hole.
— Cakes - It won't be Utley's last season with the Phillies until his contract is up. What happens after that depends on how well he is playing.— SteveS11
- Everybody thinks that Utley's return will rejuvenate the offence, Don't believe it for a minute. He is no longer the player he once was but lets hope I am wrong. Dom Brown didn't show anything last night but will give him a week or so before they send him back. Ryan Howard hits a homerun and his slump is over, I don't think so. This is what he does. Now more strikeouts come with men on. Mayberry is being given a chance but so far he shows he doesn't want it. The no offence Phillies will continue.— eaglesman1
- They have the best record in the national league but not because of the offence. Pitching is why they are there. How long will it hold knowing to win you have pitch a shutout or not give up more than 2 runs.— eaglesman1
- Whats the rush?They are only 11 games over 500.Make sure he is right.— HO HUM
- if he isn't the utley of old i'd still rather have him playing and being a leader than watching the garbage that filled in for him. i only hope he can stay healthy. GO PHILLIES!!!— phillysportsnut
it's the post-Rapture era of baseball, and Chase Utley returns...coincidence? I think not.— pigday31- Sub-Par... hahahah Clearly a Mut's fan looking in the mirror. I imagine he will be seeing a lot of right handed pitching in the foreseeable future and it will be wonderful to have him back even half the time.
Think about Chase Utley coming in as a pinch hitter after the left handed starter is taken out of the game.— KINGOFZED - Tonka toy must be a pseudonym that lonewolf uses. Go play with your trucks, loser.— PhillySubsMac
- chase utley you are the man!— notch44
- Tonka you are an idiot.— Phillyphan26
- Welcome back Chase!!!— danielboyer
- All I know is our club with Utley, Brown and Victorino is better offensively than our club with Orr, Mike Martinez and _____. Presuming Brown doesn't look overmatched up here, the _____ is an interesting question. Valdez will stick as a backup infielder. Mayberry has marginally outplayed Francisco.— eman
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- Hope he does well. He can't do any worse than the cancerous polyps we have in Rollins, Francisco and Ibanez.— eaglesman1
- Looks like Oswalt screwed up. He gave up a run. Looks like a loss because of overpaid worthless offense— eaglesman1
- HONESTLY I DONT THINK IT WILL MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE IF UTLEY COMES BACK NOW OR 3 MONTHS FROM NOW, THE REST OF THE LINEUP CANT HIT/ GET ON BASE. RYAN HOWARD IS A JOKE ANYMORE, ROLLINS IS DONE AND HIS MOUTH IS BIGGER THEN HIS BAT, AND THE REST OF THE MINOR LEAGUE LINEUP THAT IS PLAYING RIGHT NOW IS GARBAGE. THEY HAVE HALLADAY,LEE, HAMELS, OSWALT AS GREAT STARTING PITCHING BUT THE BATS CANT PRODUCE ANYTHING AND ITS A SHAME, A FEW YEARS AGO THIS LINEUP WAS SO EXCITING TO WATCH AND THEY PLAYED WITH SO MUCH HEART..... NOW I CAN BARELY STAY AWAKE WATCHING THEM PLAY, ITS DOWN RIGHT BORING.
- Howards slump ended yesterday but it looks like he is starting another one. Highest paid player in baseball that leads league in strikeouts. Glad we got him. Rollins now is officialy a cancer on this team. Oswalt pitches good enough to win but offence is pathetic and will continue to be pathetic. This team is no longer worth the price of a ticket.— eaglesman1
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- would you morons rather root for the mets than the phils. If so go right a head. we are never happy around here. Go Phillies— littleman163
- poor fools— tobyjoe
- thigh, but think about this...What team would you rather root for? A team that is hitting that hasn't won as many games? Right now, the Phillies have provided us with the most wins in the NL, and that's not good enough eh? So there really isn't a team in baseball that would make you happy...Which means you are drinking the kool-aid...You are complaining along with all the other sheep that just do it because it's there. You belong to the same group of people that will never stop complaining. It's called bitterness, and no...winning the lottery isn't going to change your life.
I mean...I'm tottally frustrated with this offense, myself. But to say that the Phils being in first place isn't good enough for you is kind of ridiculous. Be frustrated...fine, but don't act like it ain't good enough unless it's done the way you specifically wanted.
You and your insecure name need to put the tissues away, and stop being a quitter.— MFPhils - Hard to belive almost every player at the same time stopped hitting.
Major league players who can hit the ball, except for polanco.
Ryan Howards batting average is awful. All of a sudden everybody got old at the same time. Utley should help a bit, can't hurt.
You see that Valdez, Franciso are not everyday players there only fill in's. Can they pick up a decent right fielder? Talk is there are 2 Minnesota twins players that have decent pop. This team flat out can not hit the ball. It's not Milt Thompson's fault or Greg Gross.
There is NO excuse to be this bad all at the same time.
They need 1 or 2 players go get some hits and get it going.— merchandiser - Carlos Quentin— dri_as_a_bone
- Put Tony Luke in left field.— pedge
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- Chase is not the answer.Will he help?Maybe.Phillies put all their eggs in one basket.Subpar and old hitting plus good pitching won`t get it done.Keep dreaming they are 3 years removed from W.S.championship and are fading fast.— dtowndestroyer
- When will you morons learn that it is "offense" not "offence"???? Sorry but no way you're even close to being as smart as a 5th grader, or 4th for that matter.— nc_bg
- Some of the comments here are astoundingly stupid. And that's saying something considering the usual mangled claptrap that is posted on Philly.com.
Seriously, Chase is sub-par now? The Phillies are fading fast?
Hilarious.— Jerome99RIP - Glad your back Chase! Good luck tomorrow and the rest of the season!— PhilliefaninAZ
