A good day for Phils' Howard and Utley

Share

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- If this were a football game, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley would be entering the fourth quarter.

They have rehabilitated their injuries to the point where they can get on a baseball field. Now, its time to fine-tune their craft as a return to the Phillies' lineup looms like a goal line: in sight, but still off in the distance.

The fine-tuning process put both men on the diamond at Bright House Field on Wednesday morning. Both players batted six times in an extended spring-training game between minor-leaguers from the Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays.

There were only about a dozen people in the stands for the 10 a.m. start. One of them was Joe Jordan, the Phillies' director of player development.

He liked what he saw.

It was a good day, Jordan said before a seventh-inning rainstorm sent players scrambling for the clubhouse. I dont know what the timetable is, but I think theyre both headed in the right direction.

Howard, recovering from October surgery to repair a torn left Achilles tendon and an infection that developed in the area of the incision in February, has been in Clearwater for several weeks. He had been taking batting practice and ground balls and doing some running. Wednesday marked the first time hed faced something other than friendly fire in the batters box. Rules can be bent in extended spring training games so Howard led off six innings. He had two singles, two ground outs and two walks. He did not play the field or run the bases. Those will come later this month.

Utley, plagued by chronic knee soreness caused by a condition called chondromalacia, also batted six times as a designated hitter. He swung the bat smoothly, lacing a one-hop double off the centerfield wall in the first inning and a long homer to right in the fifth. Utley also walked, struck out looking, grounded out and flied out.

Neither player was available to reporters, but their body language spoke positively. Both players moved well. They smiled easily around the dugout. After blooping a single over shortstop in the third inning, Howard returned to the dugout and said, Ill take it.

All of the players at-bats came against left-handed pitching.

That was good in terms of trying to get them back, Jordan said. They both got to see some left-handed breaking balls, which is good.

In spring training, hitters always say that timing a breaking ball takes time and repetition. Its crucial that both players continue to see breaking balls, especially Howard, who sees a large percentage of them during the regular season.

Jordan was asked specifically about Howard.

I think hes swinging OK for where hes at, Jordan said. I saw him adjust his hands a couple of times on balls on the inner half of the plate, which are good things you want to see. He had some pretty decent at-bats. I believe theres progress.

Howard began his day with a six-pitch walk and finished it with a hard-hit ball to the shortstop, who had shifted toward second base.

Utley began his day with a seven-pitch at-bat that culminated with his lining a double to deep center. (He did run the bases.) He homered to right on an 0-1 pitch in the fifth. His swing looked effortless on the homer.

Kind of looked like Chase Utleys swing, didnt it? Jordan said. He looked good. Real comfortable. He went to two strikes in several at-bats and he was comfortable doing that. He squared up some balls pretty good. Obviously, hes not quite there, but I think we should all be real pleased with where hes at.

Whats next for these guys?

Phillies officials arent saying what their plans are for Howard and Utley, but both will stay in Florida for the time being and continue to see live pitching, be it in simulated games or extended spring-training games. They will also begin to mix in more defensive play at game speed. Playing second base creates a pounding on Utleys knees, so that will be a challenge that he must conquer.

Extended spring-training games end at mid-month. By that time, if ready, Howard and Utley could start playing official minor-league rehab games in Clearwater or with another affiliate. Howard will have to be ready to run the bases in those games. Minor-league rehab stints last 20 days and its expected that both players will max-out their time or at least come close to doing so. Depending on how they progress, the players could be ready to play for the big club in early July. There is no firm timetable, however, because health setbacks can arise. In Utleys case, he could suffer a flare-up of knee pair that could push him back.

There were no apparent flare-ups Wednesday.

It was a good day for both Utley and Howard as they speed up the pace of their recoveries.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com

Contact Us