Ruben Amaro Doubts Strength of Chase Utley; Gets Intense Headache

I don’t like to talk poorly about Chase Utley, partially because I’m an insufferable homer, and partially because I feel like he can hear me and he’s so darn mean I worry he’ll crash through my bedroom window and drag me screaming into the night.

So this is just another indication of how powerful, emotionless, and infallible Ruben Amaro considers himself.

"“I think part of it is [Utley’s] inability to keep his leg strong during the course of this time.  He wasn’t able to do as many things with his legs, which is probably the most important part of hitting, strength-wise. I think that has something to do with it… He wasn’t producing with the power he has. I think it has something to do with the strength of his lower half.”–Ruben Amaro"

I haven’t heard so much dialogue about Chase Utley’s lower half since I saw a bachelorette party stumbling out of McFadden’s.  

But if that really is the problem, and Chase is limited to two timely doubles a night, then I’d say we can make it through the post season with that kind of limited production.

Obviously, he’s capable of so much more.  I mean, look at his lower half.  It announces its presence quite authoritatively.  You can feel Chase authoritizing you through your TV screen.  Basically.

And in the future–look.  We can’t talk about the aging of the Phillies and the injuries of the Phillies as if they are two separate blog posts.  Except in this case, on this blog, they are.  My point is, this can’t be catching anybody off guard, it’s just unpleasant to hear.

"Amaro said he thinks Utley can improve his strength going forward. He said it’s not a matter of Utley being too beaten up or suffering too much pain to be an effective offensive player.“He hasn’t complained about any pain or discomfort,” Amaro said.—Todd Zolecki"

Well of course he hasn’t complained about it.  Can you imagine him complaining about anything?  When Chase Utley’s toilet is clogged, if he can’t fix it, he just keeps shitting in it.  He plays through the pain.  The pain of an increasingly shitty bathroom.

Besides, if Ruben’s saying specifically that none of this is due to Chase being destroyed by himself day in and day out, then he’s probably right.

When has he ever

Why would he lie?

Shoving Chase between Jimmy and Hunter seems to the solution, so let’s all pretend there was never a problem to begin with.