Suddenly, the once super-human Utley looks, in the infamous words of one Rob Zombie, "More human than human." Actually, looking human is an understatement. Chase has just one hit in his last 29 at bats, and every time he pops the ball up, he buries his head in chest like a 12 year old. What the hell happened? Have pitchers finally found a weakness in the golden boy's arsenal? Was all the talk of his march to the MVP mounting the pressure? Has it simply been a result of the rest of the team's recent struggles at the plate?
I don't know, but I don't like it. Thanks in large part to Chase's drop in production, the Phils have gone from 13 games above .500 to a sinking ship now just six games over the mark. While others in the blogosphere are telling you not to panic, I'm telling you it's time to get pissed. Not necessarily at Chase but at everyone.
Think about it. This is a team that sneaked into the playoffs last season thanks to a collapse from the Mets, who jumped out to a fast start and a big lead. This year, it's the Phils who jumped out in the division, only to slip back down to the pack. I know they're still leading by a game ahead of the Marlins and the losses have come against the likes of the Red Sox, Angels and now the A's. But come on, this team saw exactly what can happen when you fall into a losing streak. It can be hard to get out of. Just ask the Mets.
So I extend the challenge to the Phils to get their heads out of their asses, wake up and get back to playing the ball that had people talking about a World Series trip rather than a long losing streak. And that needs to start with you, Mr. Utley. You are now the face of the team, and after Ryan and then Jimmy played the starring role the last two years, it is your turn. Get back to where you were earlier this year, or else you could be headed back to a world where this happens:
Frankly, I'm not ready to return to a world where Freddie Mitchell is more popular than Chase Utley. Are you?
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