The Philadelphia Phillies will be without second baseman Chase Utley Saturday when they open Spring Training with a Grapefruit League game against the Yankees, and manager Charlie Manuel said he's in no rush to pencil Utley back into the lineup.
Manuel's plan is to give the oft-injured five-time All-Star plenty of rest in an attempt to keep him fresh for the regular season.
"It might be a little while before I play him," Manuel said. "I want him to keep doing his regular workouts. Right now, I'm in no hurry to play him as long as we can have him ready when the season starts. We just want him to feel good about where he's at with his practice and hitting."
Last week, Utley suggested Manuel would follow such a plan.
"We talked about he transition going into spring training and the first few weeks are going to be a little slower than normal," Utley said. "You guys might not see me on the field on a daily basis, so don't freak out if that happens." (via Philly.com)
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