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65-734: Chase Cameron Utley (born December 17, 1978) is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons, primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies . He also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers . He is a six-time All-Star, won a World Series with the Phillies in 2008 , and was chosen as the second baseman on the Sports Illustrated All-Decade Team for

130-486: A Silver Slugger Award for the second consecutive season. He had two hits in 11 at-bats as the Phillies were swept in three games by the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 National League Division Series . Through the month of April, Utley hit a league-leading 11 home runs – including seven in the seven games from April 17–23. He completed a streak of five consecutive games with a home run, and hit .360 (good for fifth in

195-426: A .259 batting average. This drop-off in performance coincided with the onset prior to the season of chronic knee problems. These conditions included patellar tendinitis , chondromalacia , and bone inflammation. During spring training, Utley left camp in mid-March to meet with a specialist regarding treatment of conditions in both knees, including cartilage damage. Utley began the season on the 15-day Disabled list. He

260-445: A 20–2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on June 13, along with Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell . It was the seventh time that the Phillies had hit three consecutive home runs, the first time since May 18, 2004, and the fourth occurrence by any team in the 2008 season . Utley went a career-long 0-for-24 in the midst of a 1-for-29 slump, during which the Phillies lost a season-high six in a row. On

325-582: A 35-game hitting streak in 2002, for the longest hitting streak by a second baseman. Utley's streak was also the longest for a purely left-handed hitter since Tommy Holmes ' 37-game streak in 1945. As a result, Utley was named the National League Player of the Month for July 2006. On September 24, Utley hit two home runs in a 10–7 win over the Florida Marlins . It was his seventh multi-home run game of

390-564: A career-high six hits and became the third-oldest player to accomplish such a feat. He was honored with the 2016 Roy Campanella Award . He appeared in 138 games in 2016, hitting .252/.319/.396 with 14 homers and 52 RBIs. In Game 4 of the 2016 NLDS against the Washington Nationals , Utley hit a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 5-5 tie and lead the Dodgers to an eventual 6-5 win. The Dodgers went on to eliminate

455-419: A celebration at Citizens Bank Park , Utley came up to the microphone after being introduced by Harry Kalas and said to the fans in the stadium: "World champions. World fucking champions!" As he said this, his teammate Jayson Werth jumped up in roaring approval. The Philadelphia crowd erupted in prolonged cheers. The expletive was broadcast live on multiple Philadelphia television stations, which had not placed

520-544: A curtain call from the hometown crowd. Utley finished the season with a .332 batting average, 22 home runs, 103 RBIs and 48 doubles (second in the National League ). He helped the Phillies to their first playoff appearance in fourteen seasons as the team capped a dramatic comeback by clinching the National League East division title on the final day of the regular season. Utley's offensive performance also earned him

585-604: A fellow middle infielder. “I would never do that to another infielder,” Tejada said. In February 2016 in response to Utley's slide into Tejada, the MLB and the MLB Players Association agreed that "slides on potential double plays will require runners to make a bona fide attempt to reach and remain on the base. Runners may still initiate contact with the fielder as a consequence of an otherwise permissible slide. A runner will be specifically prohibited from changing his pathway to

650-525: A regular season game against the New York Mets, Utley hit a solo home run and a grand slam, after he was thrown at by Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard in the third inning in an apparent retaliation for Utley's slide on Rubén Tejada during the 2015 NLDS. He scored his 1,000th career run on June 22 against the Washington Nationals . On July 6, during a 14-inning 6-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles , Utley had

715-405: A roster spot was not permanently available; his path to the majors was effectively blocked by Polanco. Despite out-playing Polanco for much of the season, he remained on the bench despite Phillies fans and media commentators questioning why he was not playing more. He played in 94 games for the Phillies in 2004 (which included 13 at first base ) and hit .266 with 13 homers and 57 RBI. In June 2005,

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780-486: A team-high 177 hits, Utley helped the Phillies into the 2008 playoffs, and win their first National League pennant since 1993 and first World Series title since 1980 (the second ever World Series title for the team). Utley batted 3 for 18 (.167) in the World Series, but hit two home runs and walked five times as well. During the seventh inning of Game 5, Utley faked a throw to first, then threw Jason Bartlett out at home for

845-669: Is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of the Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since

910-531: Is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada consists of the National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in

975-492: The China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with

1040-703: The Clearwater Phillies and were named for their Major League Baseball affiliate. Clearwater became the Threshers in 2004 when the team moved to the new Spectrum Field. In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Threshers were organized into the Low-A Southeast at the Low-A classification. In 2022, the Low-A Southeast became known as the Florida State League,

1105-832: The Clearwater Phillies of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League in 2001, and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons of the Class AAA International League in 2002 and 2003. He was selected to the All-Star Futures Game in 2001 and made the International League post-season all-star team in 2003. Utley made his major league debut on April 4, 2003, as a pinch hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates . He

1170-756: The Sarasota Reds (2–1) in the FSL West Division Playoffs, then defeated the Brevard County Manatees 3 games to 1 in the FSL Championship Series (best-of-five) to win the FSL title. The Threshers were named MiLB.com's Class A Advanced Team of the Year. A single-game attendance record of 9,090 was set on July 3, 2008. On July 26, 2009, Pedro Martínez made a rehab start for the Threshers against

1235-544: The St. Lucie Mets at Spectrum Field. Martinez pitched 1 1 ⁄ 3 innings before rain caused the game to be canceled, wiping out the official record of his start. Martinez subsequently moved to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs for his next start. On May 23, 2011, the Threshers gained national attention after playing in a 23-inning game against the Jupiter Hammerheads . These statistics are current through

1300-511: The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for the UCLA Bruins . In high school, his coach said that Utley had "the fastest hands he had ever seen on a high school player." He hit over .500 his senior year, with a slugging percentage of over 1.000, struck out just twice in 80 at bats, and earned high school All-American honors. He also set a school single-season record with 14 home runs Utley

1365-474: The disabled list ). Utley scored the final game winning RBI in Phillies history at Veterans Stadium, on September 27, 2003. Utley recorded the final at-bat at Veterans Stadium by grounding into a game-ending double play on September 28, 2003. In 43 games, he had a .239 batting average. By the end of 2004, it became evident to management that Utley was the team's future second baseman (Utley often credits Tom Gresh for helping him improve his hitting). However,

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1430-466: The 1-for-2 performance capped a productive week for Utley that earned him the National League Player of the Week Award, his fifth, for the first time since April 23–29, 2007. The next night, Utley hit another home run for another streak of five games with a longball amidst a span of eight games with seven home runs (May 25–June 2). Utley hit the first in a set of back-to-back-to-back Philadelphia home runs in

1495-676: The 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues,

1560-449: The 2000s. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. After becoming a permanent fixture as the Phillies' second baseman, Utley demonstrated versatility, spending some time at first base as well. As his fielding improved, he and shortstop Jimmy Rollins were regarded as one of the best middle-infield combinations in the NL until Rollins was traded to the Dodgers in the winter of 2014. Utley

1625-596: The 2006 season, tying a franchise record set in 1968 and tied by Ryan Howard in 2006. Utley combined with Jimmy Rollins in 2006 to become the first pair of middle infielders in National League history to hit 25 home runs each in the same season; Utley hit 32, while Rollins hit 25. He later received the Silver Slugger Award for being the best hitting second baseman in the National League . He also batted .309 in 2006 with 32 homers and 102 RBI. On January 21, 2007,

1690-520: The 2017 post-season, he was hitless in 15 at-bats, with five strikeouts, two walks and two hit by pitches. In Game 6 Utley was the oldest to score a go-ahead run in a World Series elimination game since Enos Slaughter in 1957. On February 17, 2018, Utley re-signed with the Dodgers for two years and $ 2 million. Utley was hit by a pitch on April 18 for the 200th time in his career, becoming the eighth player all-time to be hit by 200 career pitches. On July 13, Utley announced his intention to retire after

1755-470: The 21st, Utley was benched for the first time this season, ending his streak of 101 consecutive games played. On the 25th, Utley broke out of his skid with a 4-for-5 performance – his first four-hit game of the season – in a 4–0 shutout over the Oakland Athletics. Utley was also selected to start his third consecutive All-Star game . At the end of the 2008 regular season, with 33 home runs, 104 RBI, and

1820-829: The Bruins to the NCAA Super Regionals . He was selected to the All- Pac-10 team and the Sporting News and National Collegiate Baseball Writers first team All-American teams. While at UCLA, Utley played collegiate summer baseball for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 1998, and returned to the league in 1999 to play for the Cotuit Kettleers where he was named a league all-star. Utley

1885-521: The Clearwater Phillies through the 2003 season. The Phillies planned to leave Jack Russell Memorial Stadium after the 2003 season to move into a new ballpark, BayCare Ballpark , adjacent to the Carpenter Complex, the Phillies' minor league training facility. With the move to the new ballpark, the Clearwater Phillies were renamed the "Threshers" and adopted a new team logo and colors. In 2004,

1950-597: The Clearwater Threshers were managed by former Phillies player and Hall of Famer , Mike Schmidt . Greg Legg managed the team in 2005 and 2006. Dave Huppert was the manager in 2007, and Razor Shines in 2008. Ernie Whitt was named the manager for the 2009 season after Shines was promoted to base coach for the New York Mets . In 2007, the Threshers won the second half in the FSL West Division. They defeated

2015-564: The Cubs' Jake Arrieta . As a Dodger, he was in 34 games and hit .202/.291/.363 with three homers and nine RBIs in 124 at bats. He also played three games at third base, the first time he had played there in the majors. On October 10, 2015, during the second game of the 2015 National League Division Series , Utley made what some consider a dirty slide into Rubén Tejada of the New York Mets in an attempt to break up what might have been an inning-ending double play , fracturing Tejada's right fibula in

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2080-534: The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in the United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ")

2145-519: The National League) in 111 at-bats on his way to becoming the National League's Player of the Month . His five-game home run streak tied the Phillies franchise record, shared by Bobby Abreu (May 8–12, 2005), Mike Schmidt (June 6–10, 1979) and Dick Allen (May 27 – June 1, 1969). Though his bat cooled a bit in May (his monthly average was .259), Utley still hit eight more home runs in the month, breaking

2210-614: The Nationals in five games. In February 2017, Utley signed a one-year, $ 2 million, contract to return to the Dodgers. He recorded his 1,000th career RBI with a double off Neftalí Feliz of the Kansas City Royals on July 7. On September 16, Utley recorded his 400th career double in a game against the Washington Nationals In 2017, he batted .236/.324/.405 in 309 at bats with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 127 games played. In

2275-646: The Philadelphia Phillies about affiliating with a team to be based in Clearwater. The Amateur Softball Association Clearwater Bombers had long used Jack Russell Stadium during the summer months when the field would be reconfigured for softball. The placement of a minor league baseball team would mean the relocation of the Bombers. The Florida State League granted the city of Clearwater a franchise on September 26, 1984. The Clearwater Phillies began play in 1985 after

2340-610: The Philadelphia Phillies ended their affiliation with their High Class A minor league team, the Carolina League Peninsula Pilots , based in Hampton, Virginia , and placed their new team at Jack Russell Stadium. The Philadelphia Phillies owned the franchise and named the club the Clearwater Phillies. The Clearwater Phillies played their first game on April 12, 1985, at home, against the Tampa Tarpons . The club played as

2405-479: The Phillies franchise record for home runs before June – Cy Williams (1923) and Ryan Howard (2006) shared the previous mark of 18 – and knocked in 26 RBIs. When Howard hit his 15th home run on May 30, he and Utley became the first pair of Phillies to hit 15 home runs each before June. On May 13, 2008, Utley received an unexpected accolade from lifelong baseball fan (and 43rd US President) George W. Bush , who stated in an interview with politico.com that Utley would be

2470-417: The Phillies in 2015, he batted .217/.284/.333. On August 19, 2015, Utley was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Darnell Sweeney and John Richy. In his first game as a Dodger, Utley impressed with his aggressive baserunning, an area in which the Dodgers had struggled most of the season. On August 30, Utley was the final out of a no-hitter for the second time in as many years, this time against

2535-577: The Phillies traded Polanco to the Detroit Tigers for pitcher Ugueth Urbina and infielder Ramón Martínez . Now a full-time starter, Utley had a breakout season, hitting .291 with 28 home runs, 105 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. He was selected by the Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America as the co-recipient of the 2005 Mike Schmidt Most Valuable Player Award . Utley

2600-421: The base or utilizing a 'roll block' for the purpose of initiating contact with the fielder." Reacting to the new rule, Utley said: "I imagine the rule probably is a little more clear and specific about what is allowed and not allowed." After the season, the Dodgers declined his 2016 option, making him a free agent. In December, he re-signed with the Dodgers on a one-year, $ 7 million, contract. On May 28, 2016, in

2665-666: The celebration on tape delay . Utley underwent hip surgery in November 2008. In 2009, he was named #6 on the Sporting News ' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was polled to arrive at the list. He was the starter at second base for the National League All-Star team. In 2009 Utley led

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2730-414: The collision. Utley was ruled safe by the umpires after a video review. The Dodgers, who were losing 2-1 at the time of the incident, rallied to win the game 5-2. Major League Baseball suspended Utley for two games for his conduct "in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09 (a) (13), which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base." Utley appealed

2795-512: The conclusion of the 2018 season. His final MLB game was on September 30, 2018, where at San Francisco he struck out against Steven Okert in his only at-bat. Utley was left off of the Dodgers’ postseason roster, but continued to travel and practice with the team as they lost the 2018 World Series to the Boston Red Sox four games to one. Professional baseball Professional baseball

2860-406: The day after his wedding, Utley signed a 7-year, $ 85 million contract extension with the Phillies. After starting the season hot, Utley was again selected by the fans to be the starting second baseman in the 2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game , which was his second All-Star selection. However, on July 26, Utley was hit by a pitch thrown by Washington Nationals pitcher John Lannan ; he broke

2925-460: The first World Series game played in the new Yankee Stadium . With both home runs coming against left-hander CC Sabathia , Utley joined Babe Ruth as the second left-handed batter to hit two home runs in a World Series game against a left-handed pitcher. On November 1, Utley hit another home run against Sabathia in Game 4, and one day later, Utley hit two home runs in Game 5, giving him a total of five for

2990-465: The first position player he would select if he were an MLB team owner. He was also selected by Fitness Magazine as one of the 25 "fittest guys in the country." On June 1, Utley hit his Major League-leading 20th home run and drove in his National League-leading 50th run as part of a comeback win against the Florida Marlins that propelled the Phillies back into first place in the National League East;

3055-580: The first two weeks of the season, he was "the hottest hitter in baseball", and as of April 13, possessed a 1.314 on-base plus slugging (OPS) average. On May 25, Utley was the last out of Josh Beckett 's no hitter when he struck out looking against the Los Angeles Dodgers right hander. On July 6, MLB announced that Utley was voted in by the fans to start at second base in All-Star Game, which took place at Target Field in Minneapolis. In 249 at bats for

3120-416: The fourth metacarpal bone in his right hand. "I'll be back. Don't worry, guys," Utley said after the game. "It's a break, but not that bad of a break. I definitely expect to be back ... this season." He had successful surgery on his hand, but as a result of the surgery, he was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Utley returned to the lineup on August 27, hit a home run and an RBI double, went 3 for 5, and drew

3185-672: The major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at a black player's head. Now, however, baseball is fully integrated, and there is little to no racial tension between teammates. Between 1943 and 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League fielded teams in several Midwestern towns. Clearwater Phillies The team began play in 1985 as

3250-410: The majors in hit by pitch, with 24. Utley also had a perfect stolen-base percentage in 2009, with 23 steals , setting a record for most steals in a single season without being caught. On October 28, Utley drew a two-out walk in the first inning of Game 1 of the 2009 World Series , setting a record for reaching base in consecutive postseason games (26). Utley hit two home runs in his next two at-bats,

3315-532: The most for a second baseman, and he shares the record of five home runs in a single World Series with Reggie Jackson and George Springer . Utley was born in Pasadena, California , and was raised in Long Beach, California , with his younger sister, Taylor Ann. He is the son of David and Terrell Utley. Utley played baseball at Long Beach Polytechnic High School , alongside former MLB player, Milton Bradley and at

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3380-489: The name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit. Clearwater city officials approached the Philadelphia Phillies as early as 1981 about locating a Phillies minor league affiliate at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater. In July 1982, in a visit to Philadelphia, Clearwater city officials and the president of the Florida State League again asked

3445-510: The other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to the major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly

3510-428: The series, tying Reggie Jackson for the most home runs in a World Series. After the season, Utley was named the winner of the National League's Silver Slugger at second base for the fourth consecutive season. As of the 2021 World Series , Utley is the only player with two home runs in a November game. In December, Sports Illustrated named Utley as the second baseman on its MLB All-Decade Team . On June 29, Utley

3575-408: The spring, I felt pretty decent at the plate. There were some times in the middle when I felt a little uncomfortable and a little out of sorts. The last four or five days, I've started to feel a little more comfortable at the dish. For a guy that has done this for a few years, your game plan for Spring training is different than it would be during the regular season." Despite a poor spring training, over

3640-400: The suspension and remained active for the rest of the Dodgers post-season games. MLB subsequently dropped Utley's suspension on March 6, 2016, with Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre stating "There wasn't anything clear-cut to say that play violated a rule." Tejada, whose career never fully recovered after that game, said in 2016 that what bothered him most about Utley's hit was that it came from

3705-409: The third out in a play later described as having saved the Series for the Phillies. The fans voted his fake and throw to home plate in Game 5 as the "This Year in Baseball Awards" Postseason Moment of the Year . Sports Talk Philly highlighted this play as they named Utley as Number 6 on the list of the 25 greatest Phillies. Following the ensuing World Series parade on October 31, 2008, culminating in

3770-624: Was a member of Team USA in the 2006 World Baseball Classic , and was selected by fans to start at second base for the National League at the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh . In November, he traveled to Japan with other major league stars to compete against Japanese All-Stars in an exhibition tournament . During the 2006 season, Utley maintained a 35-game hitting streak —the second-longest streak in Phillies history behind teammate Jimmy Rollins , who hit for 38 straight games between 2005 and 2006 (36 games in 2005 and two in 2006). Utley tied Luis Castillo , who had

3835-501: Was announced that Utley and the Phillies had agreed on a two-year, $ 27 million contract extension with multiple vesting options. Utley had a slow start to spring training. He was hitting only .175 (10 for 57), including 1 double and 3 RBIs with just two games remaining. Utley remained confident for the 2014 season. "For younger guys, I think results make you feel better," Utley said. "But as you go, you realize they're not quite as important this time of year. Physically, I feel good. Early in

3900-470: Was considered by fans to be a team leader of the Phillies, alongside Rollins and Ryan Howard , and he has been noted for his leadership qualities with the Dodgers. Utley was known for his quiet understated demeanor, instead setting an example for teammates with his exhaustive preparation in the video room and the batting cage. He has been criticized by some former players for an overly aggressive baserunning style. Utley's seven career World Series home runs are

3965-405: Was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round (15th pick) of the 2000 amateur draft . At the time, the team's scouting director claimed he was a combination of Jeff Kent and Adam Kennedy . He signed on July 29, 2000, for a $ 1,780,000 signing bonus. Utley played for the Phillies' farm system with the Batavia Muckdogs of the Class A-Short Season New York–Penn League in 2000,

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4030-404: Was drafted in the second round of the 1997 Major League Baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the 76th pick, but turned down a $ 850,000 offer by the Dodgers to attend UCLA. A star shortstop in high school, the Bruins instead moved him to second base because his arm strength was more of a liability at shortstop. He hit .382 with 22 home runs as a junior at UCLA in 2000 while leading

4095-446: Was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained thumb. He was voted into the All-Star Game as the starter at second base (for the fifth consecutive year), but was unable to play due to injury. He won a Fielding Bible Award for his statistically based defensive excellence during the year. Utley finished the 2011 regular season having scored 54 runs, hitting safely 103 times (including 21 doubles, 6 triples, and 11 home runs), with

4160-494: Was reactivated on June 27. In his first game of the season, Utley went 3 for 5 with a solo home run in his first at bat. He finished 2012 with numbers very similar to 2011, hitting .256 with 11 home runs and 45 RBI. Utley said that his knee was feeling great prior to the 2013 Grapefruit League games. On Opening Day, against the Atlanta Braves, he hit his 200th career home run. In 131 games of the 2013 season, Utley batted .284 with 18 homers and 69 runs batted in. On August 7, 2013 it

4225-440: Was struck out swinging by Jeff Suppan in his first at-bat. In his first major league start, on April 24 against the Colorado Rockies , Utley recorded his first major league hit, a grand slam off Aaron Cook . He was optioned back to the minors on April 30 recalled by the Phillies again in August 2003, to replace Plácido Polanco at second base (Polanco was moved to third to compensate for the loss of third baseman David Bell to

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