Chase Utley officially traded to Dodgers

From 2005-2010, there was not a second baseman in the game better than Chase Utley. While Utley has left Philadelphia, his name remains in various Phillies’ top 10 all-time offensive categories. More than anything that there will be some new excitement in the clubhouse. The “bro-hugs” that are regularly exchanged before and even during games were not a part of the competitive Utley’s makeup.

“Three weeks ago or so, I had a conversation with [general manager] Ruben [Amaro Jr.]”, Utley said. I think everyone knows my love and affection for the city.

At a time when the home run was king and behemoths built like linebackers were stalking the baseball diamond, Utley was decidedly old-school in the way he played, the way he looked, and the way he comported himself.

And on an emotional level, Utley’s career has represented what every sports fan craves: an elite player who doesn’t cause trouble, sticks around for all or most of his career with one team, delivers a championship and goes out on his own terms. “To have to take him away from our organization and put him in another one is not what I’d consider to be particularly gratifying”. Surprisingly, there was a time when Chase Utley wasn’t considered a star player for the team. The Phillies and Dodgers finalized the trade Wednesday night, sending Utley and $4 million to the Dodgers in exchange for two prospects. A marked departure from the muscular freaks who were eliciting “oohs”, “aahs”, from the media and fans and “cha-chings” from the cash registers, Utley was an all-around player when all-around players were almost non-existent. “With that being said, would it be smart probably to get a blow now and then?”

For now, Wright stands alone despite an injury-plagued 2015 that has limited him to just eight games. Once Utley scored, Phillies Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas made one of his most legendary calls by saying, “Chase Utley, you are the man!” This makes sense as Howie Kendrick is out more indefinitely than Panik, and the Dodgers had more flexibility to create at bats for Utley, with Yasiel Puig also battling injury and Joc Pederson having a rough second half. “That slogan will follow me all over the place and I definitely appreciate that”. He didn’t play in the game. He soon established himself as a formidable second baseman and ultimately helped the Phillies to a World Series win in 2008.

Here’s a list of beloved Phillies over the years. Staying with Utley would have only continued past practices, which got the Phillies in their current predicament (47-73 this season, out of the playoffs since 2011). And the customers (fans) clearly aren’t happy with the current product, the direct result of being too sentimental to the players responsible for the team’s glory days, making sure they stayed in Philly past their expiration date.

The 2014 season was especially hard for Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly and his staff because there wasn’t enough playing time to satisfy the major league veterans who filled the Dodgers’ roster.