Chase Utley showing definite signs of improvement in rehab game - MLB Update
Left knee injury that kept Chase Utley out of the season has healed to a great extent. One of the fairest indications of it came in an extended rehab game, when Utley stepped on plate as designated hitter and launched three hits in four at-bats.
One homer he struck takes an attention to a point that Utley has not declined as a powerful hitter. He can still turn out to be as valuable a hitter as he has been with the Philadelphia Phillies for the last few years.
Before he made appearance in the rehab game, only thing the management was hoping for was Utley’s complete fitness. Re-aggravation of knee injury was being feared. The fact couple of weeks ago when he resumed practice in the ballpark he felt pockets of pain
in the knees, concerns of the management were not without reasons.
However, the way Utley stood on plate in the rehab game and exhibited no trouble with any part of the body while he made connections, the Phillies can envisage his immediate return to the season.
With this, a struggling offence of the Phillies will witness a booster. To know about how miserably the Phillies' offence has betrayed, their position on National League East Division table can speak volumes. Reeling at bottom currently, a clean-up hitter
who can ensure home runs in almost every game is needed desperately by them.
Utley is an appropriate candidate to fill this spot.
Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel still holds the contention that only after having extensive discussions with Utley will they be able to decide on his come-back. Thus, no time-line is available even as Utley shows improvements.
“He’s been in the game long enough that I could never answer that without really sitting down and talking to him about it,” Manuel said. “Before we go a long ways with it, we need to sit down and talk to him. We need to sit down and see how he feels about
it.”
Manuel will look forward to see Utley repeating the performance he showed in the rehab game, during matches in the season. Indeed, Utley belongs to a special pedigree of hitters and one can expect him putting up splendid shows on plate after return and give
the Phillies’ offence a new life.
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