Some Chin Music for Chase Utley?

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is having quite the World Series. The perennial All-Star is hitting .333 with five home runs, eight RBI and a disgusting 1.651 OPS. Needless to say, he's as locked in as anyone in the series. Four of those round-trippers came in the two Phillies victories (two in each), which illustrates the point that it is paramount for the Yankees to stop him in order to win Game 6.

Doing so is easier said than done, but former Yankees pitcher and World Series Champion David Wells has an idea: a little old fashioned "chin music."

Chase Utley needs to kiss the Yankee Stadium dirt tonight.

Enough is enough, already. I would never advocate throwing at somebody's head, but there comes a time when you've got to make an insanely hot hitter like Utley squirm.

This was written by Wells himself in a column for the New York Post. He also uses the statement, "Show some guts and knock him on his butt," and discusses the fact that five Yankees hitters have been hit with a pitch while only one Phillies hitter has suffered the same fate.

Wells does point out that, once brushing Utley back, he needs to be pitched outside, "like he's Babe Ruth."

I don't want to completely argue with Wells, as he's an accomplished former major league pitcher with some rings (plus, he threw a perfect game half-drunk!), because I can see the value of brushing someone back off the plate and messing with their comfort zone.

But, instead of chancing automatically putting Utley on base in the first inning of a pivotal Game 6, shouldn't they at least broach the philosophy of not feeding him fastballs in the strike zone? Or at least not directly down the middle of the plate? I understand the menacing presence of Ryan Howard is in the on-deck circle protecting Utley, but Howard's doing his best impersonation of a real-life Pedro Cerrano right now (.158 average, World Series record-tying 12 strikeouts, looks overmatched against breaking pitches).

I'd rather walk Utley with four breaking pitches out of the strike zone -- in hopes he goes fishing and gets himself out -- than take the chance of hitting him with a pitch in order to prove some sort of point. Boomer obviously disagrees. We'll find out the Yankees' decision Wednesday evening.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-04-2009 @ 9:49AM

ftheyanks said...

Howard explodes tonight in 424 land.Better luck in game 7 ftheyanks go phillies.

11-04-2009 @ 9:59AM

steveleene said...

utley has taken plenty of "chin music", gets hit all the time, and he'll take it for the team, baserunners is the key. The old take one for the team, hope Howard breaks out of it or Werth shows his strength, put Utley on base, love it. As for hitting A-Rod so much, can't understand that, he's having a pretty bad series, although he has the talent.

11-04-2009 @ 10:38AM

jwr said...

Walk Utley every time and yes drill him. One time in the back will do the trick. I am sure the willie nillie fans will cry like two year olds.

11-04-2009 @ 11:05AM

tonytiger18 said...

Hey Matt,
I have watched most of the Yankee games this year.
Gerardi only retaliates when he feels that his players were hit intentinally.

Even though Arod was hit three times, this is the World Series and sure he wssn't happy to see his guys get hit five times but he did state that no way was it intentional.

Were they purpose pitches? You bet, inside to get them off the plate.

Drilling Utley and putting him on base is silly, brushing him off the plate is smart, walking him in front of Howard is dangerous.

Pettite never ever throws at guys.

11-04-2009 @ 11:41AM

Matt Snyder said...

Tonytiger:

I agree that it wouldn't be as much retaliatory as strategic. It would be good to throw inside and back him off ... or at least disrupt his comfort zone.

I'd just worry Pettitte doesn't throw his fastball hard enough to really scare Utley off the plate without coming far enough inside to hit him. I'd rather just give him a steady diet of breakers out of the zone and take my chances with Howard ... especially the way he's hitting off-speed pitches now.

Thanks for the comment and hopefully I'm back in your good graces!

11-04-2009 @ 11:53AM

phil said...

Utley has led the league the past couple of years in getting hit so it would have no impact whatsoever. Furthermore, why would you want to put a player on base with a powerful line-up like the Phillies anyway? The Phillies were second in runs scored this year and if you think Utley will be "scared" to get back into the box you should think again as he wants to get on anyway he can.

11-04-2009 @ 2:31PM

Joe said...

Oh Sure. Go ahead and hit Utley. Are you trying to get the Phillies riled up? Victorino was hit up and in (accidently) and the crowd went nuts in game 5. Next Pitch, Utley hits a 3 run homer. Hitting Utley would hurt the Yankees, not help because Utley is a gamer. He wears those like tattoos on a samurai warrior.

11-04-2009 @ 3:56PM

scottcamaross said...

Let's see. A-Rod got hit 3 times. Now let's take care of Utley so he doesn't become too aggressive at the plate!

11-04-2009 @ 4:55PM

Kathy J said...

you ahead and hit Utley, he loves it, put him on base and see what happens.

11-04-2009 @ 6:14PM

h18sticks said...

David WhiteTrash Wells needs to get a little chin music of his own! As usual, another blowhard makes another idiotic statement. Go eat another donut Dave!

11-04-2009 @ 7:15PM

Your Emminence said...

Okay Philly, here's what you do....hit a Yankeed first! Then when Utley gets doinked, someone's hiting the showers!

11-04-2009 @ 7:34PM

Yo Lorraine! said...

A-rod is a juicehead, and deserved to be hit. He is so damn arrogant. The other players don't come across with the same attitude. Personally, I would love to didn't mind seeing him get hit. LOLOL

11-04-2009 @ 11:05PM

jrpiratejack said...

Yankees....best team money can buy!!

11-04-2009 @ 11:59PM

freddy said...

kiss my ass philadelphia phillies fans.....lolololololol i told you this wasent the mets.....lololololo

11-05-2009 @ 12:01AM

say what ever you want.. it doesent matter.. money didnt win on the field today. your phillies got outright played out phillies in 5? phillies in 6?? then phillies in 7? shiiiiiiit...lololololololol this is the yanks not the mets