Utley to Have Hip Surgery, Out 4 to 6 Months
Chase Utley will have right hip surgery, and will miss the next four to six months.
Utley to Have Hip Surgery, Out 4 to 6 Months
Todd Zolecki
Chase Utley will have right hip surgery, and will miss the next four to six months.
The Phillies said in a news release that since the end of the World Series, Utley "has had several diagnostic studies in regards to right hip symptoms that he had during the 2008 season." He has been evaluated by team physician Michael Ciccotti at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Dr. Bryan Kelly at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
The release said, "Based on the diagnostic studies and examinations, it has been recommended that Utley have surgery on his right hip, which is scheduled for next week. The procedure will be an arthroscopic evaluation with treatment of any labral or bony injury. The recovery will allow for the initiation of baseball activities between three and four months, however, the total recovery time may require four to six months."
Four to six months means Utley could be back as early as the beginning of the season and as late as June.
I asked Ruben Amaro Jr. about Utley's hip last week. He said, "There's really not much to say about it, other than we're monitoring it." Asked about any scheduled surgeries, Amaro said: "Not at this time. At least at this time we don't view it as an issue."
Turns out it was.
Amaro just said on a conference call with reporters that he doesn't expect Utley's injury to change the way he approaches the off-season.
"You don’t necessarily replace an Utley, but at the same time we really feel … he’s going to be fairly close to ready, if not ready, by opening day," Amaro said. "A lot of it depends on how the rehab goes, how the surgery goes. This is not an exact science. But we fully expect to have Chase Utley with us for the bulk of the season, so I’d have to say frankly as far as how we go about our business with our club, it probably won’t change significantly.”
But if Utley is not ready to play by the April 5 season opener against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies think they have at least two in-house options that can play second base until Utley returns. Eric Bruntlett filled in for shortstop Jimmy Rollins early this season, when Rollins spent time on the disabled list with a sprained ankle. He obviously has big-league experience. Jason Donald, one of the team’s top prospects, also is an option. He is hitting .407 with 12 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 17 RBIs in the Arizona Fall League. His 1.223 on-base-plus-slugging percentage is second in the league.
The Phillies could bring in another infielder, but if they do it would be more of a utility player.
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Pedro Feliz will have back surgery.
Feliz will have low back surgery on November 20. He was on the disabled list during the 2008 season for 26 days in relation to a low back injury and "had intermittent symptoms at the end of the season that deemed off-season follow-up necessary." Robert Watkins in Los Angeles will perform the surgery, which is scheduled to be a lumbar discectomy. After surgery, Feliz will complete an eight-to-12 week rehabilitation program.
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Awfully young for hip surgery, especially as they are not mentioning what they think is wrong. If he has degenerative arhtritis of the hip already, maybe they should be prepping a new infielder in the minors. Remember Reggie Jackson.— atp2007- It's not their fault. I mean, he wanted to celebrate and soak in the afterglow. I for once don't blame the Phillies at all. He'll be okay and maybe this will make them have more urgency in acquiring an impact player. Who knows. All I know is I have given them the benefit of the doubt for quite some time. They gave me my parade.— davekrieg
- Let's stay positive! "Initiation of baseball activities in 3-4 months" means he could be ready by Spring Training. Or at least the very beginning of the season.— Norma
- Time to get Iguchi back in the fold - or can Bruntlett's Beard hold down the position if it's not needed for late-inning defensive relief in left field?— frankenslade
- Scary to think what he will do over a full season healthy. Third MVP in lineup?— Jim C.
- look at this another way. how much of a gamer is this guy that he gutted thru this the entire second half and all of the playoffs. most pro athletes would have used this injury to excuse a slump, he never did. and he still came up big in the playoffs whether his glove or a few key hits (homers). unreal.— timm2
- That explains the lack of power in the second half of the season. Shows what kind of player he is to put up those numbers while obviously having a serious injury for a majority of the year— Ni Boo
- Sign Tad Iguchi and his interpreter David— montygee
I'm sorry to hear that Utley has to go through with this, but I am also relived that there seems to be a resaonable and factual reason for his lack of production in the second half. I was beginning to think that maybe he wasn't the player we all thought he was.— RAS- miss the next 4-6 months of what? Golf?— PuPuMan
- nice to see rueben is off to a good start shovling the bs to the fans and the press , wow that sounds like another team in town— tomarch
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- everyone relax!! Utley will be back by end of May. For first two months either Donald, Brunlett or Iguchi plays 2b. We definately don't go out and get a 2b to replace Utley-we use what we have. More problomatic is 3b. If you play Dobbs everyday there, he can't platoon in LF not PH. We have no one else who can play the hot corner.— jeff gross
