Chase Utley knocked out with concussion

Saturday Update: Utley indeed had a "mild" concussion and has been cleared to resume physical activity.  He is likely to play sometime next week when the Phillies come back to Philadelphia.

Like all concussions, it could turn out to be nothing or it could be very serious: Chase Utley was removed from Wednesday night's game against the Braves after getting hit in the head by a pitch.  The early word is that Utley suffered a "mild" concussion (as if there really are mild concussions), and will miss the next few games.  He will not travel to Milwaukee with the rest of the team and will instead stay in Philadelphia for further testing.

When you are coasting to the best record in baseball, minor injuries in the beginning of September aren't a big deal.  When the injury is a concussion, though, it's always a concern.  Given the streaky nature of the Phillies offense, they need to have all bats on hand come October.  Let's hope Utley sits out for a few days, clears the cobwebs and comes back rested and ready for another deep playoff run.

Chase Utley's inside the park home run

In case you missed it, here is Chase Utley's inside the park home run from Tuesday night:

Hmm, that play at the plate sure looked close....

Phillies offense explodes in Utley's return

Chase Utley is so good, he can go 0 for 5 and still spark the Phillies offense.

Utley's return lit a fire under the Phillies offense, just not in the way we all expected. Behind a 7 run second inning that saw them bat around, the Phillies exploded for double-digit runs as they drubbed the Reds, 10-3, in Utley's return to the lineup. It was the most runs the Phillies have scored since April 29th against the Mets.

While one would think that Utley sparked the offensive outburst, the Phils did all of their damage without Utley, who made solid contact a few times but failed to find a hole. Every Phillie starter, including pitcher Cole Hamels, managed a hit in the game, with five of them picking up at least two hits. Maybe the players were just as excited about Utley's return as the fans?

Call it the Chase Utley effect or simply call it a coincidence, it sure was nice to see the Phillies offense awaken after being dormant for most of the season. While Utley didn't directly have an impact in the scoring tonight, his return makes the lineup that much stronger from top to bottom. If he can play at even 75% of his ability for the rest of the season, he will be a massive upgrade over Wilson Valdez and Pete Orr. If this is the spark that lights the Phillies offense through the rest of the summer, the rest of the NL should probably just give up now.
(AP PHOTO)

Chase Utley is back in Philadelphia

He's baaaaaack! According to the Phillies beat writers, after an entire offseason of rehab and a few weeks of games in Clearwater, Chase Utley has returned to the Phillies. Utley isn't in the lineup today and won't be used until tomorrow, where you can expect him somewhere near the top of the lineup, if not in his usual #3 spot.

Utley's return is a welcome sight for a lineup that continues to struggle to score. With Domonic Brown already here, Utley almost here and Jose Contreras expected back soon, things are finally starting to come together for the Phillies. That they've still managed to have the best record in the NL without all of these pieces is truly remarkable.

Chase Utley begins rehab assignment tonight

The cure (hopefully) for the Phillies offensives woes is (hopefully) going to be back soon. According to every Phillies beat writer, Chase Utley, who had been in extended spring training for the last few days, will begin his rehab assignment today, joining the Class-A Clearwater Threshers for their game tonight.

It's a big step for Utley, mostly because it starts the clock for a return to the major leagues. Rehab assignments can only last for 20 games, so, barring a setback, Utley should be back with the Phillies by the end of the month. Some beat writers are even targeting May 18th when the Phillies return from their road trip.

Utley's return won't fix everything that is wrong with the Phillies inconsistent offense but it can only make things better. Even Utley at 70% will be a huge improvement over Wilson Valdez or Pete Orr. The best team in baseball will get even better with the return of Utley, and that's something to get excited about.

3 Phillies in the Top 10 MLB jersey sales

The Phillies are well-represented in the MLB Top 10 jersey sales list:

1. Derek Jeter
2. Joe Mauer
3. Roy Halladay
4. Chase Utley
5. Cliff Lee
6. Albert Pujols
7. Josh Hamilton
8. Dustin Pedroia
9. Alex Rodriguez
10. Tim Lincecum

The Phillies as a team finished 4th in licensed product sales in 2010. With all the Cliff Lee love going around Philly, don't be surprised to see him move up this list.

Phillies sign fomer Met Luis Castillo to minor league deal

With Chase Utley still ailing, the Phillies have made a move for some insurance, signing former Met second baseman Luis Castillo to a minor league contract, according to Jim Salisbury of CSN. While Castillo is so washed up that the Mets released him even though they owe him 6 million dollars, the Phillies are hoping he could be a possible fill-in until Utley is ready to play.

Castillo will never be confused with a good hitter, and, at age 35, is well past his prime, but he is above average in the field and is certainly an upgrade over the Phillies other backup second base options. Castillo has lost a step or two due to some foot issues but he still has a bit of speed and can get on base at a decent clip. He will likely be competing with Josh Barfield for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

With Castillo only signing a minor league deal, this signing really comes with no risk. Should Castillo have one last good year left in him, the Phillies will look like geniuses; should he fizzle out and not make an impact this year, the Phillies won't be paying him much, anyway. If you can get over the fact that Castillo was a Met for four seasons, you'll see a player that could be a minor contributor at virtually no cost to the Phillies.

What are the chances? Chondromalacia strikes another Philly sports athlete!

Apparently, there is a case of chondromalacia going around Philadelphia.

According to PR man Michael Preston, despite his efforts to help the Sixers erase a big 4th quarter deficit against the Utah Jazz, Andre Iguodala has a knee injury that could sideline him for a few days. That injury? None other than the same injury that is currently sidelining Chase Utley, chondromalacia, which is also known as runner's knee. Yep, two of the biggest stars in Philly are both sidelined with the same injury that most of us had never heard of until a week ago.

Hopefully Iguodala has a quicker recovery than Utley or the Sixers are going to be making an even faster than expected first round playoff exit.

Don't count on Chase Utley for Opening Day

As we creep closer and closer to Opening Day, it's becoming pretty clear that Chase Utley won't be ready to take the field to start the season. With the latest "news" coming out today that Utley basically has tendinitis in his knee and didn't respond to a cortisone shot, the Phillies need to prepare themselves for a few weeks without their number three hitter. While the team has currently stated that surgery is not an option at this time, if things don't get better soon, Utley will certainly go under the knife and miss even more time.

Fortunately, not having Utley in the lineup is something the team has gotten used to over the years. Between his hand problems a few years back and his hip issues last season, Utley has had more than his fair share of injuries. Expect Wilson Valdez, who actually did a solid job for the Phillies last season, to step into the starting second base job until Utley is ready. While Valdez will be a suitable defensive replacement, he doesn't even come close to replacing Utley's bat in the lineup. This unfortunately means we might be headed for a few weeks of Raul Ibanez in the number three spot in the batting order.

While the Phillies do have the best starting rotation in baseball, they are still going to have to score some runs. With Jayson Werth gone and Utley not in the picture right now, there is quite a dropoff from Utley-Howard-Werth in the middle of the lineup last season to Ibanez-Howard-Francisco this season. Hurry back, Chase.