Chase Utley has been with the Phillies for over a week and has yet to take ground balls on the field.
Utley has battled knee issues for more than a year and information about his condition is difficult to come by because the player is so private. Suffice it to say that his not being on the field taking ground balls is not an encouraging sign.
General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. confirmed Monday that Utley has not taken grounders. Amaro, generally tight-lipped on Utleys condition, said Utley would field ground balls when he feels comfortable enough to do so. That leaves one to infer that Utley is still feeling discomfort in his knee. The right one gave him trouble last season. This year, his left one has been the problem.
Utley joined the Phillies on May 5 with the hopes of increasing his baseball activities, particularly on defense, in preparation to report to Clearwater to play in minor-league games. It would be difficult to project when Utley will be able to play in minor-league games until he takes ground balls and there remains no timetable for that.
Utley would not have been able to take ground balls on the field Monday because of pre-game rain. There have been pre-game workouts on the field the previous eight games. Utley has taken some batting practice in those workouts and spent some time shagging balls in center field.
Ryan Howard, the Phils other big-name injured player, is rehabbing in Clearwater and a mid-June return seems likely barring any setbacks.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com