Utley on the Big Four, his health and pressure to win

Chase Utley was as surprised as you were about the Phillies' signing Cliff Leee.

"I found out probably the same time you found out," he told Fox Sports Radio. "It was pretty interesting. I read the same things you do. It was a big surprise, but I'm pretty excited about it."

And while everyone else was trying to come up with nickname for the Big Four, Utley went with a reference to the original Fab Four.

"It's like John, Paul, George and Ringo," he said, according to sportsradiointerviews.com. "We've got four guys that are unbelievable. I've had the opportunity to play with Cliff a few years ago and he's a workhorse. He prepares well, works quick, makes the infielders stay on our toes. He's a good pitcher and a good teammate."

Here are some other thoughts from the All-Star second baseman ...

On whether this is a move because the Phillies lost to the Giants:

"It's hard to say. When it comes to playoff baseball, there's a reason why teams get to the playoffs and any team can beat any team at a given time. With the team we have now, I think we have a pretty good opportunity."

On whether he was really healthy last year:

"For some reason, it has been a concern over the past few years. Obviously I had my hip injury a few years ago. I rehabbed that and got it back to the point where it feels good. I'm healthy. Obviously, playing on a daily basis, you get bumps and bruises … but it's part of the game. … I've started to eat a lot healthier, more organic stuff, and my body is starting feel better."

On if there's more pressure to win the World Series now:

"I don't look at it with that point. We have a team that's obviously experienced. We have some veteran guys and some great players and a great clubhouse. I'm not too worried about the expectations. … We're not going to try to get involved in all the media stuff."

On if the Lee signing is a sign that the Phillies are going for it now before they miss their window of opportunity:

"I think the organization realizes that you don't run across this group of guys very often and to put us in a position to be successful, you've got to give them a lot of credit. You never want this to come to a climax, you want to keep it going in the long haul and try to prolong it as long as possible. … It's not easy to put a team together like this, so it's pretty cool."

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