By Kirsten Swanson

Remember that dreadful July day back in 2007, when Washington National’s rookie John Lannan plunked Chase Utley in the hand?  We all thought that was the end of Chase’s season, and the Phil’s season for that matter, only for him to come back exactly a month later and help his team win the NL East.

Or how about November of 2008, when most of us were still on our World Series high, getting the news that Utley needed hip surgery, fearing he may be out for at least six months, only to have him in the starting lineup come Opening Day.

And most recently, the dreaded slide into second base this year that resulted in a torn ligament in Chase’s hand, leaving him sidelined for what was supposed to be until September. Fast forward, a month and a half later and Chase is belting out triples in Clearwater and eyeing a big league return as early as August 17^th.

The common theme in all these scenarios is that Chase Utley is a god. No matter how serious the injury is, it is certain that Chase will beat the odds and be on the field helping his team win another pennant.

This is why he is not only considered one of the best players in the Majors, but is also a fan favorite. Everybody can identify with a player like Chase Utley. He doesn’t take his million dollar contracts for granted. Chase knows that it’s his job to go out on the field to perform for his fans, even if it means going out when he’s not 100%.

Chase has been selected by the fans to start at second base for the All- Star Game for the past five seasons, including getting the most overall votes in the National League in 2008. This goes to show that his talent is noticed all over the nation, not just in Philadelphia.

The fans are not the only ones who are in awe of Chase. Charlie Manuel notices that he has a rare commodity when it comes to his second baseman, saying that he is the most dedicated and passionate player he has ever been around. Manuel has also stated before that his ideal situation would be to sit Chase here and there to give him rest, but knows that would not settle easy with Utley.

As the old saying goes, it takes one to know one, and when it comes to being a workhorse, Roy Halladay is one of the best. When asked how important Chase is to this team, Roy said, “He is a special player. I don’t know if you can teach that, or if it’s something you’re born with,” also adding that he is the “Derek Jeter of the National League.”

Like Jeter, he leads by example for this ballclub. He is always one of the first ones at Citizens Bank Park and one of the last to leave, constantly studying video, working in the cages and fielding grounders.  There is nobody else I would rather have come up to bat in the bottom of the 9^th in a tie game.

With the season winding down and almost every playoff spot still up in the air, most teams are deteriorating with injuries, while the Phils are slowly coming back to life.  Tuesday hopefully marks the return of Chase, with Ryan Howard not too far behind.

To be only 2.5 games back and tied for the Wild Card with all of the injuries this team has sustained is amazing.  But when amazing is simply common place for the leader of your team, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised.