Chase Utley is suffering through the worst slump of his All-Star career and it seems that a reason for his struggles could have finally come to light.
Utley’s knee could be at fault.
Phillies first base coach (and base stealing guru) Davey Lopes revealed that Utley was battling a knee problem in a recent Baseball Prospectus interview about the Phillies base stealing numbers being down over the past month (only one homer and 4 RBI since May 15).
When asked why the Phillies were a bit slow in the baserunning department this season Lopes said:
“The numbers. Mainly the stolen-base attempts are just not there like they have been in the last three years that I’ve been a part of the organization. One reason is that Jimmy Rollins is hurt and he’s our main guy as far as attempting to steal bases. Vic (Shane Victorino) is starting to pick it up. And Jayson (Werth) -- and I use the term loosely -- is not very aggressive at all, for whatever reason, this year. Chase (Utley) has been hampered by a little bit of a knee injury. That’s more than likely why our numbers are down, but it’s still confusing to me as to why they haven’t been as aggressive in attempting to steal.”
Utley is a tough guys who has played through injuries before but that doesn't mean he is doing so this time.
Uts told reporters Friday that he isn't injured because "injuries keep you off the field." But the All-Star did say he was battling some aches and pains but that they had nothing to do with his bad batting.
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Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. emphatically denied Lopes' injury claim and backed up his second baseman's health.
"Davy (Lopes) is not a spokesman for our medical stuff... this is not an injury -- this is more preventative," Amaro told NBC Philadelphia. "Chase hasn't indicated to us... that he isn't able to play."
"(Chase) puts ice on it every once in a while after games," said Amaro as he compared Utley to the average athlete who experiences some soreness during the season.
Many fans and press were speculating that Utley’s surgically repaired hip was what ailed him at the plate (a career .293 batter, Uts is batting only .257 this season and just .169 in the last four weeks), according to the Daily News’ High Cheese.
When Utley hurt his hip it was kept under wraps by the Phillies. Could Lopes have stepped out of line by saying that his knee is hurt? Has the team again been keeping injury news about their All-Star second baseman under wraps?
The benefit of the doubt that Utley normally gets could be running out of time as his slump continues, as pointed out by Crossing Broad, could be answered.
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