Phillies' Icon Deserves First Ballot HOF

Chase Utley belongs in the Hall of Fame.

It shouldn’t even be a question.

The six-time All-Star is on the ballot for the first time so getting elected will be difficult.

Those voters who solely rely on statistics might leave Utley off the ballot. Statistics didn’t define Utley. It wasn’t about analytics.

It was about winning. It was about leadership. It was about character.

Over a stellar 16-year career mostly with the Philadelphia Phillies and then with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Utley produced offensively and defensively at second base.

According to information accumulated by MLB.com, Utley earned five All-Star selections and had a batting average of .298 with 162 home runs, 216 doubles, 572 RBI, 90 steals, a .911 OPS and a 133 OPS+ over 869 games between 2005-10.

During that stretch, the Phillies reached the playoffs in 2007, won the World Series in ’08, lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series in ’09 and reached the National League Championship Series in ’10.

Utley hit seven homers in 15 World Series games, including five against the Yankees in ’09.

We could go on and on and on with statistical milestones about Utley. But it was never just about that.

Plain and simple, Utley was a professional baseball player in every way. No excuses with injuries. No excuses with hitting slumps which were rare.

Utley showed up every day ready to compete.

And he finished his career as the best second baseman in Philadelphia's history.

There’s no question he’s a Hall of Famer.

It should be on the first ballot.