Chase Utley, now a Dodgers TV analyst, will take a bow at Friday’s Phillies game
The Phillies will honor their former All-Star in Chase Utley Night at Citizens Bank Park.
It has been six months since Chase Utley has been retired from baseball. However, that doesn’t mean he’s completely done with the game.
Since announcing his retirement, Utley has taken a role with the Dodgers as a special assistant. According to Utley, one of the best things about his new occupation is that he can have the best of both worlds: baseball and family life.
“It keeps me involved in baseball and it keeps me at home and not traveling, which is something that I’ve been wanting to do for a while now,” said Utley, on hand Thursday to open a refurbished baseball field in Allentown. “I’m at home, I can sleep in my own bed every single night, which is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time.”
Now, the 40-year-old Utley is on the other side of the camera as a Dodgers analyst for Spectrum SportsNet LA, doing pregame and postgame analysis. Utley made his on-camera debut last week, when he admitted to hating the New York Mets.
Despite his calm demeanor, the former Phillies second baseman says he’s still adjusting to his role as an on-screen personality.
“That part is a little bit new to me -- I’ve only done two shows,” Utley said. “I have a handful of shows still on my plate, but so far it’s been fun and interesting. That side of the game is a little bit different than playing, but I think I can bring a different perspective that others can’t.”
Data and analytics have grown to be a major part of the game. Utley said he first began noticing how big they had become when he began his stint with the Dodgers in 2015.
“There’s a lot of it that can be helpful,” Utley said. “So I can imagine that it will continue to progress and teams will use it more and more.”
As a player, Utley said he loved and hated to play in the statcast era for many reasons.
“Would I have liked to know how hard I hit some balls? Yes, but then I would know how soft I hit some balls as well, so I’m not quite sure,” Utley said. “It’s a double-edged sword right there.”
On Friday night, the Phillies will honor their former All-Star in Chase Utley Night at Citizens Bank Park.
“I’ve been looking forward to this day for a while now. I didn’t have the greatest opportunity to thank the city for what they’ve done for me over the course of my career,” Utley said.