The Cubs may pursue Phillies second baseman Chase Utley prior to the August trade deadline, writes Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Utley will begin a rehab assignment tomorrow. He would need 251 plate appearances to activate a 2016 option, an exceedingly unlikely event. The former star has struggled this season with a .179/.257/.275 slash. However, a .186 BABIP suggests a rebound is possible. He’s owed about $5MM over the rest of the season. The Cubs would look to have the Phillies cover part of his salary.
An Utley acquisition would provide depth to existing middle infielders like Starlin Castro, Addison Russell, and Javier Baez. If the club lost patience with Castro, they could opt to use Russell at shortstop with Utley filling in at second base. The interest could also be purely for his veteran leadership. The Angels and at least one other team are also considering Utley per Wittenmyer.
They could probably get him for pretty much nothing, I imagine he has got pretty much no trade value left
He has no trade value because he’s finished. Cubs gotta have someone in the minors who could hit better than .179
It wouldnt shock me at all if Utley rebounded next year and put up .280/.350 obp 25 HR 90 RBI for someone, wont be the Phillies as Cesar Hernandez has firm grasp on 2B.
It looked like he was back this past spring. OPS was 1.297 in 13 games.
I would keep an eye on Anaheim.
Yeaaah considering Chase hasn’t cracked even the 20 HR mark since 2009 when he hit 31, I think that prediction is a bit overly optimistic. The .280/.350 is more realistic if he’s healthy. But 25 HR? Not happening.
He hasnt been healthy since 2009.
You’ve seen Utley all these years . He’s a fitness freak, the guy just needs to get healthy and have his legs under him. His power is due to bat speed and thats fine when he is healthy. 4 HR , 15 RBI in 13 Spring Training games this year. When he was healthy.
Utley began his rehab assignment today at AAA Lehigh Valley. 2 for 3 with a BB. DH. Probably will be in Trenton tomorrow with Reading AA.
Utley could spell Castro, Russell and Rizzo. Be a great bench bat, hes a really good career pinch hitter.
Castro for Utley?
We’ll call it a salary dump, and he clears the spot for Russell to move to SS and Baez can play 2B
Before you hound me for making such a bad trade, understand Castro and Utley have the same WAR this year and it would clear salary from the Cubs.
I think they will trade him but it won’t be for Castro. Phillies have no use for him. They’ll trade him for some fringe minor leaguer.
I doubt the Cubs would give up Castro for Utley. They would have to want to get rid of his contract really bad. From the sounds of it, that doesn’t seem to be the case as they’ve tried to make him a major piece in some of their attempted trades.
That won’t happen. Phillies would never dump one of their best players ever, a fan favorite, for salary relief. Cubs will offer nothing of value, and the Phillies would never give up Chase for scraps out of respect for him. It’s more valuable to keep Chase around for young players coming up on the phillies. I’d actually be shocked if Chase wasn’t a phillies coach one day.
Yes I admit that sounds earily similar to what happened with Ryne Sandberg. I see chase retiring with the Phillies. They will give him 5 million a year just to be a leader in the clubhouse.
Phillies dumped Bobby Abreu for salary relief, they let Pat Burrell walk because they didnt’ want to pay him. They traded Joe Blanton for salary relief after he gave them a world series ring and one of the most memorable playoff moments in their history.
I think they would trade him, out of respect, to get give not only another oppurtunity to win, but a chance to start. When hes healthy, no way in the world is he starting unless hes taking ABs away from Howard. The view Hernandez as the guy for 2016 until one of Kingery or JP Crawford comes up (JP would push Galvis to 2B)
They traded Abreu for salary relief and because they had reached the pinnacle of what they could achieve with him. Once they dealt him, the team started winning…addition by subtraction, regardless of how talented a player is.
They let Burrell walk because he was finished. His bat speed had slowed to match his foot speed, and other than one hot two-month stretch in SF his production showed the Phillies they were right.
They traded away Joe Blanton because he used up his usefulness, and was never that good anyway. He “gave” them a World Series? That’s a little much. He pitched well down the stretch, but wasn’t “dominant” then or in October. Sure, he connected on a ball and hit it out of the park. It was exciting, but not something you hang your career or loyalty on. He was a middle-tier backend pitcher when the Phillies dumped him. Not a big deal either way. Utley is a franchise Icon.
i mean in terms of what he means to the phillies and their fans. Fans actually didn’t love Abreu. He didn’t go back on balls hit to the wall. Chase plays hard every game and is home grown.
A true was t half the player that chase is to the phillies. Yea they let pst win a World Series and walk, that’s reasonabke. Blanton was a bun
He doesn’t need to be traded to win. He already won here. He’s not chasing another ring, not as a backup.
Phillies will pay him to be a bench player in the offseason or let him walk under is own volition. Phillies won’t trade him unless he asks for it.
Abreu wasn’t have the player*
Pat*
Blanton was a bum*
Abreu wasn’t half the play that Utley was?
Abreu – .303/.416/.513, 195 HR, 814 RBI, 254 SB, 1474 hits, 1353 seasons
Utley – .281/.395/.475, 232 HR, 911 RBI, 142 SB, 1608 hits, 1543 games
Its really, really close. Abreu has the edge though.
On the field yes Abreu was a very good player, and his numbers stack up well against Utley’s. However, Abreu was not beloved by the fan base or the front office the way Chase Utley is. The fans, the owners and even Utley himself has said they never want him to wear another uniform. It’s unlikely he’s traded anywhere…and as a 10/5 player he can reject any trade. Not likely going to be dumped for salary relief at this point.
i mean in terms of what he means to the phillies and their fans. Fans actually didn’t love Abreu. He didn’t go back on balls hit to the wall. Chase plays hard every game and is home grown.
responded to wrong post.
utley plays an up the middle position which is more important and harder to find and is a better defender. thats just offensive stats. abreu also spent years in the inflated steroid run scoring enviroment.
No thanks, Alcantara would put up better numbers and can play anywhere. Utley forgot how to hit and hobbles around the right side of the infield.
Utley couldn’t hit because he was playing on 1 ankle for the first half the year. Hes got it worked out now, obviously no one is gonna take him until he shows he can atleast play alittle bit still.
any guy who guest stars on sunny is welcome on my team.
Cubs would look too the Phillies to cover part of his 5 million ? NO NO NO NO ! 5 million and you can’t pay that yourself ? You need phillies help in covering that, then you part with a good AA/AAA prospect instead of an A baller.
Why do people put so much value of aging veterans? He is only worth what he is worth and he isn’t worth much. 5 mil for a couple months of an aging player is severe decline this year isn’t a good deal even if he was handed to the Cubs without a trade.
Phillies kick in a few mil and the Cubs kick in a flyer at A or another Elliot Soto.
edcl51 – utley is so horrible that no one in their right kind would give ANYTHING of value, even if phillies covered all of his salary. It’s not like they are giving up some stud and doing the cubs a favor. They are going to be lucky to even find a trade partner for utley. Keep dreaming to get a good prospect out of that deal
I wouldn’t count Utley out until we see how he comes back from the ankle injury. I could see him still having a couple of good years if he got to go somewhere and DH.
Royals?
Cardinals?
It’s very rare an outstanding player retires having played his entire career (10 or more years) with one team. Chipper Jones, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter are the most recent I can think of.
Helton, Larkin, Ripken and Posada are all recent guys too. Its very touching when a guy plays his whole career with 1 team, but its very important not to tarnish the view of such a player to a younger generation, which is what Ryan Howard and David Wright are kinda of going through right now with career-altering injuries.
Utley has 10/5 rights. Might want to retire a Phil. Or he might force any prospective team to pick up his 2016 option if he is traded. Add in the Cubs unwillingness to send anything of value in any trade + they want the Phils to pick up $. Don’t see it happening.
I think this is where the Cubs try to make a splash in a waiver trade. Many times you can get a good player for near nothing and only eat salary. I think that is exactly what management is looking for.
bottom line: the Phillies got old and/or injured and whoever was running their farm system did a lousy job. the yanks did great because their farm system in the 90’s produced folks like Petitte, Riviera, BWilliams, Jeter, Cano, Soriano, Posada and several others who were used as trade chips for veterans. they’ve struggled the last few years because that farm system didn’t do as well.
bottom line: the Phillies got old and/or injured and whoever was running their farm system did a poor job. the yanks did great because their farm system in the 90’s produced folks like Petitte, Riviera, BWilliams, Jeter, Cano, Soriano, Posada and several others who were used as trade chips for veterans. they’ve struggled the last few years because that farm system didn’t do as well.
Utley’s defense has been ok this year. He doesn’t have any real value, though. It looks as though his body is falling apart on him, despite his heart still being in the game. There’s two views on what the Phillies would do:
1) Move him to a contender for a half-eaten Cracker Jack box. Say it’s out of respect for him because he won’t be winning anything in Philadelphia.
2) Decide it’s worth keeping him because the fans don’t want to see him go for nothing, and he’s a good guy to keep for the young guys.
Personally, I like option 2. He won’t be getting any more at bats with a contender than he will in Philadelphia, and people may want to buy a ticket to see Utley before he retires.
I know its something that only a casual fan would find “reasonable,” but it really, really wouldn’t shock me at all if they asked him to be a manager either next year, or sometime in the near future. There isn’t a player in that club house that doesn’t respect and listen to whatever Utley has to say. He got in Bob McClures’ face while defending Frenchy, and yelled at Odubel one time for not hustling, and I really think he wouldn’t tolerate a lack of work ethic that Sandberg didn’t really seem to mind.
Utley lived in Center City Philly most of his 13 year career. A year or so ago he had a big house built out in the suburbs which tells me he plans on sticking around the Phillies organization after he retires. Coach/front office etc etc..
Looking for a Raul Ibanez 2014 Royals type impact maybe?