CHASE UTLEY is back, at least a week sooner than predicted after surgery to fix his mangled right thumb. It's a miracle. Glory, hallelujah.
Just in time, too. It was crucial to hustle the All-Star second baseman into the lineup as soon as possible because, well, it's hard to say why. Not because the Phillies were losing, certainly. The defending National League champs are as hot as they've been all season, having won 18 of their previous 23 games without him.
Yeah, but having his bat back can only help. That's why he was activated yesterday after just a dozen at-bats packed into a four-games-in-3-days parachute drop into Clearwater. Except that fill-in Wilson Valdez was hitting .304 in his last 15 games, which made it less than a code-red emergency.
If it's a medical opinion you're seeking, look elsewhere. But ya gotta believe that everyone involved is convinced that there's a zero percent chance Utley could further injure himself or jeopardize his career by coming back so quickly.
At the same time, the haste seems just a little curious.
There are still 6 1/2 weeks left to play in the regular season. Special assistant Charley Kerfeld was sent to Florida to watch Utley and make his recommendation. Assuming he told his bosses the same thing he told reporters Monday night, he was of the opinion that Utley would benefit from a few more minor league at-bats.
Instead, Utley flew back to Philadelphia and was activated and started last night against the Giants at Citizens Bank Park.
Usain Bolt should move that fast.
So the familiar notes of "Kashmir" echoed around the ballyard when he stepped to the plate for the first time last night and another sellout crowd reacted with the obligatory standing ovation.
If this were a movie, he would have blasted the game-winning home run while fireworks exploded into the sultry South Philadelphia air. Instead he hit four soft grounders and flied out to the warning track. That's a flick that would have gone straight to DVD.
Everybody hit, woo-hoo, in last night's 9-3 win. Everybody except Utley, that is. Which doesn't prove a thing all by itself. And he fielded his position without incident, including starting a doubleplay in the first inning.
