On Monday night, the Phillies defeated the Atlanta Braves 5-2. The Phillies' lineup put up five runs for the second night in a row, but there was another common theme for the second night: Chase Utley was hitless. The Phillies long-time second baseman is batting just .103. As the Phillies look towards the future, the Phillies must make some decisions that will impact the team down the line. This in mind, the calls to bench Utley are growing louder.
At Crashburn Alley, Bill Baer takes a look at the BABIP stat and what it means for Utley. If you are only loosely familiar with the stat that tracks a player's batting average on balls in play, this is worth a read. While the stat can show sometimes that a player is having tough luck, Utley's bat speed is declining, resulting is softer-hit balls.
Essentially, if a player keeps hitting weak ground balls to the same location, there is no reason to expect the batter's luck to change. Check out Baer's piece that comes complete with charts that show Utley's contact speed and where he is hitting the ball.
Baer suggests that Utley get a couple days off every week, lest he decline even further as he did last season down the stretch.
Over at CSNPhilly.com, Corey Seidman suggests that Odubel Herrera gets some starts at second base. The position is one that Herrera played in the Texas Rangers' system, and even during Spring Training for the Phillies. With Darin Ruf swinging the bat well, Herrera at second base would open up some room for Ruf to play.
Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer addressed Utley's terrible start in his "Broad View" segment on Philly.com. Sielski says:
"Right now seeing Utley swing the bat is probably the worst part of this Phillies season…This was always going to be a rough summer for the Phillies, but watching Utley and Ryan Howard hit has made it even rougher on the team's fans…If Ryne Sandberg wants to put Utley on the bench for the next few games or even longer, it would probably be easier on everyone. Except, of course, for the greatest second baseman in team history".
Therein lies the problem. The Phillies feel a sense of obligation toward their storied player, that so far has trumped winning and trumped the team's future.
But, by allowing Utley to play, the team is sullying Utley's memory for Phillies fans. Sielski points out that Utley's average is the lowest of any qualifying player in Major League Baseball. Phillies fans have watched Ryan Howard decline to the point where many fans have completely lost patience with Howard, and almost forget about the impact he has had on the franchise's history. Utley could be next to draw the ire of Phillies fans.
The Phillies fans sticking around are not the ones there to watch Utley play, as management has seemed to think will keep fans buying tickets. The fans watching the games are the die-hard baseball fans who understand the process of rebuilding a team. A token aged former name is not enough for them. We have plenty of Phillies alumni nights to see Steve Carlton and Bob Boone, and plenty of alumni like Larry Bowa and Mike Schmidt currently on the team's payroll.
Beside Utley playing poorly, there is the matter of Utley locking in a $15 million contract for 2016. Utley's contract will vest a $15 million option for 2016 with 500 plate appearances. Utley is on pace for about 570. Batting .103 certainly merits reduced playing time, but the Phillies are too hesitant to give Utley a day off. Utley has had two so far. Like Ruben Amaro, Jr. said of Ryan Howard this offseason, the Phillies are simply better off without Utley at this stage.
Utley will be a Phillie for life. Utley will find his rightful way onto the Wall of Fame, will appear every year at Alumni weekend, and continue to be a team ambassador. Whether Utley's Phillies career ended today, next year, or 2017, nothing is going to change that. But, the Phillies can spare us from a very sad decline. They made us watch it happen to Ryan Howard; please do not let this happen to Utley, too.
