Chase Utley Biography

Behind the big bat of 2B Chase Utley, the Philadelphia Phillies hope to be crowned the victors of the 2008 World Series.

Chase Utley: High School & College
Born on December 17, 1978, in Pasadena, California, Chase Utley was an incredible baseball talent in his youth. Perfecting with his swing playing wiffleball, Chase Utley would go on to play high school baseball at Long Beach Poly High School. Upon graduating in 1997, Chase Utley would stay close to home, attending UCLA on a baseball scholarship. In 2000, Chase Utley shined in the national spotlight when he was honored as Outstanding Player of the NCAA Regionals.

Chase Utley: Minor Leagues
After the 2000 baseball season, Chase Utley entered the MLB Draft and was selected as a first-round No. 15 pick by the Philadelphia Phillies. Chase Utley’s journey through the minors began with stints at Class A with the Batavia Muckdogs in 2000, the Clearwater Phillies in 2001, and the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barrons in 2002-03. Chase Utley made the jump to the majors in 2003, dazzling fans with Philadelphia Phillies tickets by hitting a grand slam in his first major-league start. Chase Utley would head back down to AAA but would return in August 2003 to be a permanent fixture in the Philadelphia Phillies lineup.

Chase Utley: Making Room for Utley
Fans with Philadelphia Phillies tickets knew that Chase Utley was the future of the Philadelphia Phillies, so it was tough to see Chase Utley stay on the bench throughout the 2004 season. During the early part of the 2005 season, Chase Utley and Placido Polanco would share time at second base, but Chase Utley would soon take over at second base permanently when a trade sent Placido Polanco to the Detroit Tigers. Chase Utley went on to become one of the National League’s best-hitting second basemen and a threatening base runner with 16 stolen bases.  

Chase Utley: A Break Out Year
In 2006, Chase Utley enjoyed a break out season, enjoying a stint with Team USA at the 2006 World Baseball Classic and a spot in the 2006 MLB All Star Game. During the season, Chase Utley strung together a 35-game hitting streak, impressing teammates and fans with Philadelphia Phillies tickets with his bat. Chase Utley’s streak went down as the second-longest streak in Philadelphia Phillies history right behind Jimmy Rollins’ 38-game streak.

Chase Utley: A Hot 2007 Season
Much to the delight of fans with Philadelphia Phillies tickets, Chase Utley inked a seven-year contract extension worth $86 million. Chase Utley earned a spot at the 2007 MLB All Star Game for the second year in a row. After undergoing surgery and a stint on the DL, Chase Utley returned to the Philadelphia Phillies lineup in August 2007, just in time to help the Philadelphia Phillies surge to an NL East title. Chase Utley led the Philadelphia Phillies into the postseason for the first time in 14 seasons. Although the Philadelphia Phillies could not punch their MLB World Series tickets in 2007, Chase Utley capped off his impressive season with his second-straight Silver Slugger Award.

Chase Utley: 2008 Season
During the 2008 MLB season, fans with Philadelphia Phillies tickets cheered as Chase Utley continued to swing a hot bat, hitting a league-leading 11 HR in the month of April alone. Despite a midseason slump, Chase Utley would return to form and was selected for his third-straight MLB All Star Game. As the 3, 4, 5 hitters in the lineup, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Pat Burrell provided plenty of power at the plate and catapulted the Philadelphia Phillies to the top of the list in most homeruns scored.

Chase Utley: World Series Tickets!
After defeating the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and NLCS, respectively, the Philadelphia Phillies will headline MLB World Series tickets for the first time since 1993. Fans with MLB World Series tickets will see Chase Utley and the Philadelphia Phillies duel in the diamond against the Cinderella Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 MLB World Series. If Chase Utley can continue to produce at the plate, the Philadelphia Phillies have a shot at winning the pennant. On the strength of Chase Utley’s big bat, the Philadelphia Phillies hope to treat fans with Philadelphia Phillies World Series tickets to the first World Series win in Philadelphia Phillies history since 1980!