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Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Chase Utley grimances, and not because ESPN threw him under the bus last night at Yankee Stadium.

New York Mets fans booed Chase Utley last night at Yankee Stadium, where he competed in the Home Run Derby.

His response?

"Boo? (Bleep) you."

I'm sure we're shocked -- shocked! -- that a baseball player uttered such words. I mean, I know I've never heard or used such language in my life. And to direct such words towards Mets fans! I mean, that has never happened before. Because we just know Mets fans are some of the classiest fans in the world and deserve our utmost respect. But unfortunately for Utley, ESPN broadcast Utley's words over live TV for millions of viewers to hear. (If I'm Utley, I'm never wearing a wireless microphone again.)

"It was an unfortunate mistake," ESPN's manager of communications Nate Smeltz said in a statement. "We apologize to our viewers.

"There was a five-second delay in place for the competition, though this took place during the introductions."

To make matters worse, Utley hit just five home runs in the first round to fail to advance to the semi-finals.

Phillies fans' response?

"That's a (bleeping) shame."

*

Brad Lidge has come a long way since Albert Pujols hit a bomb (different than a f-bomb) off him in the National League championshp series in 2005.

*

Jim Salisbury describes the incredible scene that will come tonight at Yankee Stadium.

*

In the All-Star Game Notebook: Alex Rodriguez talks about Madonna, Ryan Dempster relates to Brett Myers, Bill Giles likes his chances and J.D. Drew talks about Phillies fans.

*

Bob Ford writes about how Charlie Manuel has become a lot smarter now that the Phillies are defending NL East champs.

Posted by Todd Zolecki @ 9:14 AM  Permalink | 42 comments
42
Comments   
Posted 09:21 AM, 07/15/2008
frankenslade
In seeking out this clip on YouTube I was reminded of the "punking" of Kyle Kendrick in Spring Training. Then, as I watched merry prankster Bret Myers, I was reminded of Larry Bowa once telling me about the harsh retribution of the Baseball Gods.
Posted 09:30 AM, 07/15/2008
Reggie Noble
You too, Zo? Let it go man, let it go....
Posted 09:31 AM, 07/15/2008
KarenA
Utley really deserves MVP consideration now! LOL!
Posted 09:39 AM, 07/15/2008
davemarsh
poor choice of words but who really gives a sh*t? i guess met fans are still bitter after all.
Comment removed.
Posted 09:56 AM, 07/15/2008
The Wizard
Five? Only Five?..Not very good, Chase "F.U." Utley. They should have booed you when you were done.
Posted 10:00 AM, 07/15/2008
Jeffrey
Of all the players in baseball to boo, they pick Utley? Really? Must've been the uniform.
Posted 10:18 AM, 07/15/2008
wmontanez27
Utley made his biggest mistake by participating in the contest. Why?
Posted 10:38 AM, 07/15/2008
marty
On a somewhat different tack, I personally am glad Utley performed as he did in the competition. It was clear he used his normal "game" swing, which produced his line drives but didn't result in homer after homer the way the elevated swings of the other guys did. So, there's no chance of his messing up his second half the way Abreu did due to an altered swing or altered self-expectations. Also, being out in the first round, there should be no exhaustion factor for him coming out of the All-Star break (which, frankly, I expect to see from Hamilton).
Posted 11:04 AM, 07/15/2008
Yankees stink
NY sucks...Not just the the teams but the fans. The Metinos choked last year and the Yankees are choking this year. The Knicks are the laughers of the NBA (fire Isiah)and recent news that Eli Manning and Jeremy Shockey are having a Brokeback Mountain moment can't make any NY fan happy. I guess envy is fueling their hate towards Chase and the first place Phillies. In case not everyone heard Chase last night....."%&*$ you NY! Jim from Lehigh Valley
Posted 11:04 AM, 07/15/2008
Yankees stink
NY sucks...Not just the the teams but the fans. The Metinos choked last year and the Yankees are choking this year. The Knicks are the laughers of the NBA (fire Isiah)and recent news that Eli Manning and Jeremy Shockey are having a Brokeback Mountain moment can't make any NY fan happy. I guess envy is fueling their hate towards Chase and the first place Phillies. In case not everyone heard Chase last night....."%&*$ you NY! Jim from Lehigh Valley
Posted 11:20 AM, 07/15/2008
bobby
I'm more convinced than ever that Chase just didn't belong there last night. That said, I think he's one of the 10 best players in baseball and here's to hoping that he comes back from the break ready to start fresh and kick a$$. Ryan Howard or Pat Burrell would have been much more at home in that contest. I actually think Howard could have won it, given the format, if he got into a groove. Shame that Chase of all people gets burned by the wireless mic. ESPN really botched the delay safety net.
Posted 11:37 AM, 07/15/2008
RichNC
Tell Bob Ford that the reason the Manuel is smarter is not that they are winning, it's that he has Jimy Williams to tell him what to do.
Posted 11:59 AM, 07/15/2008
RAS
Why wasn't A-Rod, Matt Holliday or Chipper Jones (Ortiz and Soriano are hurt) swinging last night? The HR contest really isn't that. It's ulterior meaning is just a way for MLB to showcase the rising young stars or first time All Stars. (Pat the Bat, where were you?) The only reason Utley got asked is becasue of his power surge this year. After last night's performance, they won't ask him back. I doubt if Howard would have particiapted if he was there. He would be a ringer with too much (prestige) to lose against that realtively weak field.
Posted 12:21 PM, 07/15/2008
jp
I hope he apologized to his mother. As for me, an inveterate fan of everything sports Philadelphia, I am enshrining him right now as the one player we have with "good face". He goes from being the quiet man to our version of the ultimate tough guy, Ted Williams. Believe me when I tell you (I'm old engough to remember Teddy Ballgame vividly) that nobody, but nobody "F...d" with him. I have a feeling it's the same way with Utley. This year 39% of his fellow National Leaguers voted for him as the best player in the league. They also voted for him as the "dirtiest" player in the league. Not what it sounds like. It's a comnpliment. By the dirtiest, they meant the one guy who gets the most dirt on his uniform, ie, the "hustlingest" guy they face. You go Chase Utley, now call your mother and tell her you sorry for embarrassing her in front of a national audience..You don't have to apologize to us, we root for your kind of player every minute of the game. You were born to play here.
About Andy Martino
Andy Martino is in his first season on the Phillies beat. A former New York City public school teacher and graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, he previously wrote for the New York Daily News, where he covered baseball and worked with the award-winning investigative sports "I-team."
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