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Utley hopes to return ahead of schedule

Speaking for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb, Utley said he believes he can return ahead of the 2-month timetable the club has predicted.

Chase Utley isn't content to settle for an 8-week return.

Speaking for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb, the Phillies' second baseman said he believes he can return ahead of the preliminary 2-month timetable the club has predicted.

"We'll have to wait and see, obviously," said Utley, who underwent the procedure on Thursday in New York City. "But the numbers that were originally told to me were . . . it takes about 5 weeks for that ligament to heal back up properly, another week or so to get the movement back in your hand and then, as far as a baseball standpoint, 2-3-4-5 games to get back in shape that way. Obviously, we're going to have to see how it goes. But at this point, I'm pretty optimistic."

Utley, who was hitting .277 with a .383 on-base percentage, 11 home runs and 37 RBI when he suffered the injury sliding headfirst into second base in Cincinnati on June 28, said he hopes to be able to start a rehab assignment 6 weeks post-op, which would be Aug. 5.

"The goal," he said, "is to pick it up quickly."

-David Murphy