How would you describe Chase Utley? Intense, heady, super prepared, never-ease-up hustler, hard-nosed, consummate professional, leader, winner, best second baseman in Phillies history. Each one is a perfect fit.
On Friday, June 21, the Phillies will honor Utley pregame. He’ll ceremoniously retire as a Phillie that night. The game is sold out.
Here’s a summary of Utley's career.
Scouting report
Phillies scout Paul Scott saw Utley play three games in 2000 when Utley, a junior at UCLA, was eligible for the Draft. Scott filed this May 31 report: “Live, athletic body. Long arms, small waist. Quiet, but aggressive. Quick bat. Sneaky power. Good, soft hands. Good instincts and good baserunner. Active, moves around a lot. Can drive the ball the other way. Hitch in swing, but hands and bat are in good position at trigger. He will be a starting second baseman on a pennant winner. Top-of-the-order hitter. Should move through the system quickly.”
The Phillies selected him in the first round, 15th overall, in 2000. Three years later, Utley made his Major League debut.
Signature plays
“Chase is going to keep going, and he’s safe a home plate! Chase Utley, you ... are ... the man!” was the call by Phillies Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas when Utley scored from second base on a routine groundout against the Braves on Aug. 9, 2006.
Two years later, in the clinching World Series game 5 at Citizens Bank Park, Utley fielded a ball behind second base and threw out Jason Bartlett at home plate in the seventh inning. Bartlett tried to score from second base on an infield hit in a 3-3 game.
Firsts
Utley's first Major League hit was a grand slam on April 24, 2003, against the Rockies. He homered in his first World Series at-bat on Oct. 22, 2008. With the Dodgers, Utley hit two homers, including a grand slam, in his first game back at Citizens Bank Park on Aug. 16, 2016. His first Citizens Bank Park hit was an RBI single, on May 19, 2004, against the Dodgers.
Streaks
Utley's 35-game hitting streak in 2006 is second longest in team history. He had a streak of reaching base in 26 consecutive postseason games, a club record. Utley is also the only Phillies player to homer in 5 straight games, twice, both in '08.
Numbers
Utley was a .276 hitter with 259 home runs and 1,885 hits in 1,937 games over 16 seasons. He was hit by a pitch 204 times. He earned four National League Silver Slugger Awards and six trips to the All-Star Game, and he was top 10 in in NL Most Valuable Player Award voting three times.
For his Phillies career, in 20 top 10 offensive categories, Utley ranks in 13, leading in HBP.
Among Phillies second basemen, Utley holds single-season records for the most doubles (48 in 2007), home runs (33 in '08) and RBIs (105 in '05). He stole 154 bases and was caught just 22 times, an amazing 87.5 percent.
Utley twice hit two home runs in a World Series game (2009), and his five homers that fall matched a single World Series record. His even career World Series home runs are the most for any second baseman.
Dubious distinction
Chase had the final game-winning RBI in the history of Veterans Stadium, a 10th-inning walk-off single on Sept. 27, 2003. He grounded into a game-ending double play for the stadium’s final out the next day.
Final day
Even though he wasn’t activated for any postseason series, Jayson Stark of The Athletic reported that Utley took batting practice and ground balls at second base before World Series Game 5 on Oct. 28, 2018. As a kid growing up in Los Angeles, Utley saw many a game at Dodger Stadium. It was only fitting that his final day in uniform was at Dodger Stadium.