Before the majors, alum honed his swing at UCLA

Before taking the field for pregame batting practice, Chase Utley sits calmly in a corner of the visitor’s clubhouse at Dodger Stadium. The former UCLA baseball standout and current Philadelphia Phillies star gazes at a computer screen, carefully analyzing video of the pitcher he would face later that night.

After he finishes scouting the opposition, Utley leaves the clubhouse and shifts focus to stretching his 6 foot, 1 inch, 200-pound frame ““ a steady routine that prepares him for all 162 games of the arduous baseball season.

Then Utley steps into the batting cage, where he showcases his smooth, compact swing. On this serene evening, Utley launches missiles into the spotless sky. Which, of course, is nothing new to the Southern California native.

High school standout

Utley, 29, was born in Pasadena but grew up in Long Beach. He started playing baseball at the age of 5, but never thought of it as a career until he reached high school.

“I think I started excelling a little bit when I was in high school, so that’s probably when it became a possibility,” Utley said.

At sports powerhouse Long Beach Polytechnic High School, Utley might not have been the best player on his team. For the first three years, current major leaguer Milton Bradley, a player Utley calls “one of the best” he has ever played with, was on the Poly roster.

Once Bradley was drafted, Utley took center stage, earning All-American honors as a senior by posting an impressive .525 average and hitting 12 home runs ““ numbers that would make any major-league scout salivate.

Sure enough, Utley ““ who was being recruited by the likes of Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, Oklahoma and UCLA ““ was drafted in the second round by the team he grew up rooting for: the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In the modern world of mega signing bonuses and lucrative contracts, rarely do you see a player pass up such a high selection.

By opting for college, a player faces the possibility of injury and risks not being selected in the future. Utley took the road less traveled.

“I knew I wanted to attend UCLA when they started recruiting me,” Utley said. “Obviously, UCLA has a great sports tradition and a beautiful campus. It was kind of a no-brainer.”

Days in Westwood

A year after the Bruins reached the 1997 College World Series in Omaha, Neb., Utley arrived in Westwood as part of a highly regarded recruiting class. Among the newcomers was current major leaguer Garrett Atkins, who, like Utley, was drafted relatively high coming out of high school. The duo that spurned professional baseball in order to attend UCLA remains close to this day.

“I definitely keep in contact with Garrett throughout the year,” Utley said. “He’s one of my good friends. A lot of the relationships I still have are from my UCLA days.”

His days as a Bruin got off to a remarkable start.

As a freshman shortstop in 1998, Utley contributed to an already explosive offense by hitting 15 home runs, which set a school freshman record. Despite switching to second base the following season, Utley still built on an impressive freshman campaign, collecting 86 hits and driving in 56 runs.

In response to being named co-captain at the beginning of his third year, Utley hit a staggering .382 with 22 home runs and 69 runs batted in. His 108 hits during his junior season tied him with Troy Glaus for second on the school single-season hit list. Utley also ended his college career with 53 home runs, which rank him third the UCLA record books. So what does Utley remember most about his career in Westwood?

“We had a really good baseball team when I was there,” Utley said. “I remember having a good time with a great group of guys that got along very well together.”

After being named outstanding player at NCAA Regionals in Oklahoma City, Utley was drafted once again. The Philadelphia Phillies made him 15th overall selection. Utley’s decision to attend college and wait on professional baseball had turned out to be a wise one.

Feelin’ Philly

After being drafted, Utley quickly embarked on his professional career. His first minor league stop was at Batavia, N.Y., where he played for the Muckdogs of the New York-Penn League.

Utley swiftly climbed the ranks, reaching Triple-A in just his third season in the minors.

Then on April 4, 2003, Utley made his major league debut with the Phillies. Playing in front of die-hard Philadelphia fans was a big change for Utley, who was used to the laid-back atmosphere found in most Southern California ballparks.

A perfect example came in just his third at-bat, when he got his first major league hit. It was no ordinary hit ““ it was a grand slam. The base-clearing long-ball sent the Phillies faithful into a frenzy. The next time he stepped into the batter’s box, Utley struck out.

“It’s kind of a funny story,” Utley said with a smirk. “We were up by eight or nine runs at the time and it was kind of late in the game. The Philadelphia fans booed me all the way back to the dugout. That’s when I realized I was in the big leagues.”

Fans have had little chance to boo him ever since.

Utley developed into a three-time All-Star, and has won back-to-back Silver Slugger awards.

During his five seasons in the big leagues, Utley’s old-style of play ““ diving for groundballs, hustling on every play, mastering the fundamentals ““ has built him solid reputation.

“He’s one of the most prepared baseball players I’ve ever been around,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “He’s very dedicated to the game, loves baseball and is a hard-nosed player.”

For six months, Utley concentrates in front of a computer screen, polishes his swing in the cage, and gives Philly fans reason to celebrate.

“You get to play baseball for a job, that’s the best thing,” Utley said.

His respect for baseball has helped him become one of the best players in the league.

That respect should allow him to continue the path of what promises to be a long and successful major league career.

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