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Phillies Nix Plan To Try Chase Utley At 3B

The All-Star second baseman offered to try his hand at third base, but after a brief trial run, Phillies management has put the kibosh on an Utley positional switch.

By Ethan Rothstein
Scott Halleran - Getty Images

Chase Utley, a four-time Silver Slugger winner at second base, reportedly suggested to Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and general manager Ruben Amaro he switch positions, to third base, in anticipation of next year when the team expects to not resign Placido Polanco. However, after a month of giving it a shot, the Phillies have shut down that experiment, according to The Philadelphia Enquirer.

Once the Phillies were officially eliminated from postseason contention, Amaro told the Enquirer that Utley would not be continuing to put in work at the hot corner:

"I don't know if it's a matter whether or not he can do it," Amaro said. "I think it's more a matter of practicality and what's really best for the team overall. While having that option would be helpful, I don't know if it's really an option that's going to make us necessarily better."

Amaro said current members of the Phillies organization, Freddy Galvis and Kevin Frandsen, could be candidates for the starting 3B spot next season.