CLEARWATER, Fla.Dont worry, folks. Chase Utley is not going to retireat least not any time soon. He also says he is not going to miss this season. Hes going to play, alright, but he isnt sure exactly when that will be.
In other words, the bottom line hasnt really changed in regard to anyone knowing anything about Utleys return to action. In fact, not even Utley knows.
Obviously, Im not going to be ready for opening day. I dont really have a timeline on when I will be available, he said during a highly anticipated meeting with the press just prior to Sundays Grapefruit League game against the Orioles at Bright House Field.
Certainly the speculation ran wild during the past week since Utley left the Phillies training camp and went to Arizona. It was there in Phoenix where Utley said he visited with well-known sports physical therapist Brett Fischer and developed a non-surgical plan to get the player back on the diamond.
Utley says he has chrondomalacia, which is an irritation underneath the surface of the knee cap. It is something that isnt bad enough for microfracture surgery, but its also causing enough pain that Utley cannot play effectively.
Im not looking at any surgery, Utley said. Im not looking at any type of injections. Im looking at a daily routine that consists of manual therapy, strength training, mobilization of the joints.
At age 33 Utley isnt too old for a baseball player. But for the rest of his career, Utley is going to need to stay on top of his regime of stretches, strengthening and therapy in order to play regularly. As soon as he gets into his new program, Utley says he actually could lengthen his career while playing pain free.
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I think once we get everything around my knees working correctly, I dont know if it will be a problem, he said. Ive already seen benefits over the last four or five days from doing some new exercises. Im very optimistic this is going to turn out well. But again its going to take a little time and I have to do this right. I think its important, not only for this year, but for the rest of my career. Im 33 years old. I know some people think thats old, but I still feel like I have a lot of baseball left in me.
Of course the big question is why Utley didnt take the trip to see Fischer in Arizona sooner. The start to the regular season is quickly approaching and Utley did not leave for Arizona until last week. Was his condition something that could have been addressed sooner and if so, would it have meant Utley could return to playing sooner, too?
Probably not, he says. Besides, Utley says he felt fine going into spring training.
This off-season I felt pretty good coming into camp, Utley said. I felt pretty good but the more I tried to progress, it became just a little bit more uncomfortable. I slowed it down a little bit, tried to ramp it up again, and once I ramped it up again I knew it wasnt moving that great. So at that point I decided to seek Fischers advice.
Of course waiting to get back on the field will be the difficult part. Utleys style of play does not lend itself to patience and if there is one part of the process that will be as important as sticking with the routine, its perseverance.
However, Utley has been through this before. Last season the pain in his right knee cost him the first 46 games of the season and then when he returned his offensive production was not up to the standards he set previously during his career. Now, Utley says his right knee is OK and the pain in his left knee isnt nearly as bad as the pain he had in the other knee last year.
Disappointment. Frustration. Those are things I was, he said. But Im not looking for anybody to feel sorry. If anything, Im looking for a little support here. I think were onto something. Im not happy that Im not going to be on the field right away with my teammates, but we have a good squad. We have a good pitching staff. We have some veteran leaders who will allow it to not affect us.
More importantly, Utley says his style of play will not change when he returns to action at some point this year.
I anticipate playing this year, absolutely, and contributing, he said.
E-mail John R. Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com