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| The on-deck series Chase…. |
So far I've profiled Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels as potential trade chips, so I've decided to change it up a bit, and go offensive today, and pick out Chase Utley. Chase has been the heart-and-soul of the organization through it's greatest run, and will represent the team in Minneapolis for next week's All-Star Game. If you like hustle and grit, he's your guy. With that said, a second baseman who both mans his position well and hits somewhat is a find, and teams will call about him, even if ultimately he's going nowhere.
Teams that could want him- Let's start with the obvious, most teams want him. After that, consider the fit he'd make for the Dodgers for a second, as a former UCLA Bruin star, a native of the region, and allowing them to shift both Dee Gordon and Hanley Ramirez over to the left a spot. Chase could fit just as well in just about every other major west coast line-up though, with the Giants and Angels standing out here. He certainly would be an upgrade for the Yankees, and could help the Blue Jays or Orioles out as well.
What you have to get back, money wise- Chase is owed $5 million after the deadline, and another $10 million guaranteed next year. Beyond that, he has three $15 million vesting options with 500 plate appearances. That makes a trade somewhat tricky, since the dollar amount isn't really defined well. My guess is that the Phillies would not want to pick up much of his $15 million guaranteed, so they'd have to get over $10 million in salary relief.
What you have to get back, prospects wise- Chase is a valuable player, though maybe not as valuable as a lot of Phillies fans think. His offensive game is above average, for his position, which is really what his value is in. His past knee issues will be a hurdle to overcome too, as you're committing to possibly four more years (though to be fair, he'd have to be healthy that long to get that money). I'd still expect that, even getting rid of most of the salary, Utley would fetch one very good prospect, and one to two more past that.
The Outlook- Don't bet on Chase going anywhere. The odds are better than zero. I'd put some money on the Dodgers, Giants, Blue Jays and Orioles making a good push here, maybe even the Yankees. With that said, the Phillies would have to move the money and get a really good prospect, or use him to move off a bad deal. I could see him moving at some point, but the next few weeks probably won't be the time.
