Chase Utley would make for a perfect bench coach with Phillies
With a few spots left on Gabe Kapler’s coaching staff, several names have been brought up in the search for a bench coach on the Philadelphia Phillies. Chase Utley isn’t retired yet, but if he decided to, he would make for the perfect bench coach in Philadelphia.
In the twilight of his career, Chase Utley could be on the verge of hanging up his cleats, but that doesn’t mean he has to be done with baseball altogether. The all time great Philadelphia Phillies second baseman is still an icon in the city, and if Gabe Kapler wants to get his tenure off to a good start, Utley could help by coming in as a coach.
Known for his no nonsense attitude and constant hustle, Utley could bring a fire back to the Phillies dugout that has been missing for several years. The last several years, there have been instances where players aren’t doing the small things right. Not running out a ground ball, hustling to try to turn a single into a double, and much more is what fans have grown accustomed to–this is where Utley would make his biggest impact. The Phillies are a young group of players, and instilling a winning mindset created by one of the organizations greatest players is something that needs to happen in order to break this streak of losing seasons.
It’s pretty obvious that the Phillies are going through a rebuilding phase. With so many young prospects making their way through the farm system, they need someone who has gone through the same thing and can teach them how to be a major league player. The lifestyle of a major league player is much different than that of a minor league player, and temptations are everywhere when you’re at the top. Utley is the perfect example of how to play while also not making mistakes off of the field. It is the players responsibility to be good role models for fans, and Utley was exactly that, something he could definitely teach the new wave of players in the Phillies system.
Next: Top 5 Pitchers in Phillies History
Utley is a Phillies great, and if his career is coming to an end, he could make a quick transition into coaching. The Phillies need a good role model for these young players and Utley could fill that role. Fans would love to see the beloved second baseman back in red pinstripes. Sure, it would be nice to see him play in Philadelphia again, but him teaching the next generation of Phillies players the nuances of the game would be a nice consolation prize.