Jim Salisbury: Phils' slumping Utley may be worn down

ATLANTA - When the last reporter left the clubhouse late Wednesday night, Chase Utley was sitting in front of a computer screen, intensely watching video of his swing as his postgame dinner turned cold.

When the clubhouse opened to reporters 3 1/2 hours before last night's game, Utley was pulling on his batting gloves and getting ready to head to the batting cage for extra hitting.

Utley is searching for answers. His swing is amiss and everyone from Charlie Manuel to Chipper Jones has noticed.

"I could be swinging the bat better," Utley said before the Phils beat the Atlanta Braves, 4-3, to stay a half-game up in the National League East. "I'm a better hitter than I've shown."

Utley sizzled at the start of the season. He hit .350 with 13 homers, 27 RBIs and a .737 slugging percentage in the first 35 games and was anointed early-season front-runner for National League MVP.

Though Utley is still having a strong season - one many players would give their left kidney for - he has dropped off since the torrid start. He is hitting .268 in his last 116 games. And lately, Utley hasn't driven the ball like he can. He hasn't homered since Aug. 22, a span of 25 games and 94 at-bats. He has just five extra-base hits in that time.

"Basically, I'm not hitting the ball on the barrel," Utley said. "If you do that, you'll have more opportunities to hit home runs or drive the ball."

While Utley searches for the swing that will allow him to more consistently drive the ball, others wonder where it has gone.

The popular belief is that he is hurt. General manager Pat Gillick alluded to that in late July when he mentioned that Utley's hip was giving him trouble. At the time, Utley said there was no problem. Talk of an injury has persisted, nonetheless, and there have even been rumblings from outside the organization that Utley could need postseason surgery.

So what's the deal, Chase? Are you hurt? Will you need postseason medical attention?

"I'm not aware of either situation," Utley said.

Even on topics he likes, Utley is not an expansive talker. He believes matters of health are private, and he would rather undergo a recreational organ transplant than discuss his. That much became clear last season when he suffered a broken hand and didn't want to talk about it. Old-schoolers like Utley think talking about injuries is akin to making excuses.

He swears he's not hurt.

"I'm not getting treatment for anything," he said. "I'm not [kidding] you."

Has he gotten treatment on his hip at any time this season?

"I've received treatment on a lot of things," he said, not really answering the question.

There's a difference between being injured and hurting. Is Utley hurting?

"I feel like I do every year at this time," he said. "Any player will tell you: After 150 games, you don't feel the same as you do at the beginning of the season."

Utley has played in 151 games (fourth most in the NL). Entering last night, the only major-leaguers to play more innings than Utley's 1,3292/3 were San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez (1,3352/3) and the Mets' David Wright (1,3351/3).

Utley's are hard innings - start-and-stop driving as opposed to highway miles. That's his style of play. He dives and crashes and gets hit by pitches (a major-league-high 26). He's a grinder, all-out, all the time. It may be catching up with him.

"He says he's fine," Manuel, the Phils' manager, said. "If he was hurt and couldn't play, he'd tell me. There's no way he'd want to play if he was hurting the team. He thinks that much of baseball and our team."

Manuel conceded that Utley "might be a little fatigued," and that has thrown off the timing of his swing. "But what the hell," Manuel said. "At this time of year, as long as he tells me he's a go, he'll go. We're beyond the stage of rest."

In spring training, Manuel said he'd like to get Utley more rest. Why hasn't he?

"It seems like we get into a predicament [in the standings] every year, and it's hard to give guys time off," Manuel said. "There's a time to rest guys and a time to put your best guys on the field."

Atlanta's Jones, a big Utley fan, thinks the Phillies' second baseman is worn down.

"Some of the same things that make me tick make him tick," Jones said. "So much of our power comes from timing. It looks to me like his timing is a little off. When that happens, you're not going to drive the ball as well.

"I think he's a little late right now. It looks like he's been beaten on a fastball or two."

Utley turns 30 in December. Taking an occasional day off - before the pennant race heats up - is a must next season.

"Playing 162 is overrated," Jones said. "When you get to games 140, 150, 160, it takes a toll. Especially the way he plays. It's good for you when the manager says, 'Watch the game tonight.' You can relax. It does the body and mind good. It will help him in the long run."

Before heading off to the batting cage yesterday, Utley was asked about taking a day off now and then.

His answer was predictable.

"There are plenty of those in the off-season," he said.