The Right Move - Monday, June 02, 2008
360 Views :: 0 Comments :: :: Michael Bradley

   Remember back in grade school, when you would ask your teacher why you were learning a certain math equation? Sometimes, the answer made sense, like how percentages would help you figure out tips and raises and sales taxes later on. Other times, there was no practical application, like when two trains left different stations at different times. You know the one. Blecchhh.

   Anyway, now that Chase Utley has 20 homers through 58 games, it got me wondering about his 162-game pace. A couple of quick cross-multiplications and a division later, I had the answer: 56. Okay, 55.8, but rounding up is part of that old practical application thing, too. In this "post-steroids" era of baseball, that would be pretty impressive. Yes, he has to stay healthy and remain slump-free. But even if Utley hits "just" 50, he has a chance at becoming the third Phillies player in a row to win the MVP award and will further establish himself as one of the best in baseball.

   Better still, the Phillies have him locked up for the next five years for the superstar bargain price of $71 million. By the time the deal is done, Utley will be a couple  months shy of his 35th birthday, and the Phillies should be able to re-sign him long-term to a relatively manageable contract, allowing him to finish his career with the team and enter the franchise's pantheon of greats. But this isn't about the future. It's about now. Utley is a locked-up, happy, wealthy Phillie. So is Jimmy Rollins, although his deal is a little less impressive. But how great is it to have those two with the team for the next several years? They bring production, leadership and stability in an era where some teams have no idea who will be in their lineup from year to year.

   Yes, the Phillies are taking a chance here. If either Utley or Rollins gets seriously injured, it will be quite costly. The benefits are too great to worry about that. And they should be similarly bold when dealing with Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino. Clearly, those two are key components of the team's future, young talents with plenty to offer. So, why not extend them, too? The earlier it's done, the less money it costs. The Ryan Howard situation is a different animal, because he's older, already making $10 mil this year and giving the Phils reason for long-term concern. The other two should be locked up ASAP. Don't believe it? It has worked out pretty well in regard to Utley.

   Just do the math and see why.