With 1,885 hits, 259 homers, and a slash line of .275/.358/.465 Chase Utley’s traditional numbers don’t scream “Cooperstown”. However, a deeper look using more advanced metrics says his career is certainly worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.
Utley broke in with the Phillies with a 43-game stint in 2003. Two years later he became the everyday second baseman. From 2005-2010 Utley was one of the best players in the league. During that run he hit .298 with a .388 on-base percentage and a .523 slugging mark. His seasonal averages included 36 doubles, 27 homers, 105 runs scored, and 95 runs batted in.
Despite the outstanding numbers, Utley was often overshadowed by teammates. In 2005 and 2006 Ryan Howard took the spotlight. The Rookie of the year in ’05, Howard slugged 22 homers in just 88 games. With his wide smile the affable Howard immediately endeared himself to the Philly faithful. Meanwhile, Utley had a break-out year with 28 home runs, 108 RBI. That, along with stellar glove work at second base gave Utley 7.3 WAR, a figure topped only by Albert Pujols and Derek Lee among NL position players.
The following season Howard’s numbers were downright gaudy. His 58 home runs were historically good. In the history of the National League only Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa had ever slammed more in a season. With 149 RBI, Howard’s easily-identified production earned him the MVP. Meanwhile, his infield mate Utley out-paced him in WAR by a wide margin: 7.3 to 5.2.
In 2007 Utley’s double play partner Jimmy Rollins took home the MVP hardware. A Gold Glover on defense, Rollins led the league in triples (20), and runs score (139) while amassing 380 total bases from the shortstop position. Utley again bested an MVP’s WAR total 7.8 to 6.2.
When Philadelphia won the franchise’s second World Series in 2008, Howard slugged 48 homers and 146 RBI and finished 2nd in the MVP race. Albert Pujols the award’s winner led the league in WAR with 9.2 just ahead of Utley’s 9.0 mark. Despite his all-around production, Utley finished a distant 14th in the vote.
In 2009 Utley had his fifth-consecutive season of at least 7.0 WAR. He earned his fourth-straight Silver Slugger Award and was named to his fourth-consecutive All Star squad. For the ten-year period from 2005 to 2014 Utley’s 59.7 WAR trailed only Pujols (67.7) in all of baseball. When whittled down to a six-year run spanning from 2005-2010, Utley averaged a staggering 7.4 WAR per season.
Many believe Utley will eventually earn a plaque in Cooperstown.
Shown here is a ticket to Chase Utley’s big league debut on April 4, 2003. The ticket and the second baseman’s signature are authenticated by PSA/DNA.