Athletes - Chase Utley

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	Athletes - Chase Utley

Chase Cameron Utley (born December 17, 1978 in Pasadena, California) is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is best known for his terrific hustle and late inning heroics. Chase Utley is a home-grown product of the Phillies' farm system, having come up through their system, playing with the Batavia Muckdogs (A-short season) in 2000, the Clearwater Phillies (A, now Clearwater Threshers) in 2001, and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (AAA) in 2002-3. He made his major league debut in April of 2003, a single pinch-hit at-bat before being returned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the 2003 season.

Through the end of the 2005 season, Chase has accumulated 221 Major League starts at second base and 17 at first base for a total of 238 starts (242 games played). In that time, he has a batting average of .276, an on-base percentage of .350, 261 hits, 112 of which went for extra bases, including 43 career home runs. Chase has always shown to be a prospect worthy of consideration for his power rather than his defense, although his fielding has improved greatly since he has stayed on the major league roster. He has been compared to Marcus Giles due to similarities in their statistics.

During his time in the minor leagues, Chase spent most of his time playing at his natural position, second base; however, the Phillies organization tried to convert him to a third baseman in an effort to bring him through the system faster. He played most of the 2002 season at third base, but returned to second during 2003 spring training. Chase's first major league hit came during his first recall of 2003, in April. His first start came on the 24th and his first hit was a grand slam. He was recalled to the Phillies again in August of 2003, replacing INF Placido Polanco at second base (Polanco was moved to third to compensate for the loss of 3B David Bell to the disabled list).

Since coming to the Major Leagues as a permanent fixture on the Phillies roster, Utley has done everything that he can to make himself a more versatile player. During interleague play, Chase played first base to give former teammate Jim Thome a rest from fielding and allow him to be the designated hitter. Utley platooned with Placido Polanco at second base during the beginning of the 2005 season, but eventually it became clear Utley was eventually going to be the full-time starter for the Phillies, as Utley was shuffled to first base and Polanco to third and left field to give both players playing time. In June of 2005, the Phillies traded Polanco to the Detroit Tigers for RP Ugueth Urbina and INF Ramón Martínez, making it clear the charismatic Utley would be the Phillies' second baseman of the future. Utley and fellow Phillie Ryan Howard are looked at as most Philadelphia fans as the future leaders of the Phillies.

Utley was a member of Team USA in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

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Athletes - Chase Utley

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