Major League Baseball legend Chase Utley has backed his Philadelphia Phillies to triumph ahead of their showdown with the Houston Astros in the World Series.
Baseball, like a number of US major league sports, is growing in popularity in the United Kingdom; the successful 2019 MLB International Series - which pitted the iconic New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox - certainly helped raise visibility of the sport in a new accessible way.
Phillies legend Utley is revered in Philadelphia and around the United States for his generational ability and he is now looking to help MLB continue to develop in Europe amid a crowded sporting landscape. His Phillies have gone on a spectacular run to the World Series to leave fans dreaming of a third championship.
After such a brutal 162-game regular season, playoff baseball feels like a different sport - and Utley believes the championship series is a whole new level.
“Playoff baseball is exciting, but as a baseball fan growing up as a kid, it’s all about the World Series,” the legendary second baseman exclusively told Mirror Sport . “It’s the peak, the World Cup or Super Bowl of baseball. There’s no bigger or better platform and all these guys have worked tirelessly to get to this point.
“At the start of such a long season, reaching the World Series feels like a pipe dream; only two teams get there, with one winning. You feel the sense of accomplishment in simply reaching the World Series.
“The media surrounding it is huge, so there’s more time you have to put in away from the cage and the field. The attention is huge, the moment is huge - but that’s what these guys have strived for. They’ll be excited.”
Utley was drafted by the Phillies in 2000 and climbed the ranks before making his major league debut with the franchise in 2003. He was a key member of the Phillies’ World Series-winning team when they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in five games to clinch their first championship since 1980.
Across his 13 years in Philadelphia, Utley tallied a batting average of .282 as he scored 949 runs, tallied 916 RBIs and struck 259 home runs. Utley is considered one of the best second basemen of his generation, as the six-time All-Star collected four Silver Slugger awards - given to the best player in their position - between 2006 and 2009.
While he achieved immense individual success, how did it feel to reach the pinnacle of his sport?
“It was pretty surreal, because it was the target we set back in spring training - but it’s a long road to the World Series,” Utley said. “Most teams don’t even have an opportunity to dream about going to the World Series, let alone winning it.
“You feel good not only for yourself personally, but also your teammates. You realise you achieved it all together. And then you’ve got the fans in Philadelphia - the amazing, dedicated, crazy, rambunctious fans. It’s amazing to see them appreciate what we were able to do. It’s a pretty special moment.”
When asked about how the famously rowdy Philadelphia fanbase will react to a World Series win over the Astros, Utley smiled and added: “If its anything like when we won, I imagine it’s going to be quite crazy. They’ve been deprived of the playoffs for 10 years now, so not only are they back in the postseason but they’re going to the World Series. They’ve created amazing momentum, from the start of the postseason to now, and a lot of that is to do with the players - but the fans deserve credit too. They’re excited. They’re energised.
“I’ve spoken to a few people who were in Philadelphia for the games, and they said it’s an absolute madness - in a good way - for the Phillies.”
The passionate fanbase will be a factor in the outcome of this highly-anticipated World Series, but the Astros are favourites coming into Friday night’s Game 1. Utley heaped praise on an Astros franchise littered with talent, and suggested it could be a low-scoring contest due to the pitching talent on offer including Houston's Justin Verlander.
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“The Astros have had some really good teams over the past few years - they’re rich in young, homegrown and developed talent, who are smart,” Utley pointed out through somewhat gritted teeth. “They know what they’re doing and they put their guys in the right places all the time. It’s going to be a challenging series.
“Both teams have had five days off essentially, so it could slow down their momentum. It will be interesting to see which team can get out the gate early. Both pitching staff are very good, so I imagine runs will be at a minimum early in the game - but late-game heroics are what makes playoff baseball so special.”
So, who does Utley ultimately believe will come out on top and win the World Series? He took a moment and smiled nonchalantly before pointing out the obvious. “I’m clearly bias,” the 43-year-old concluded. “But the Phillies have surprised a lot of people. I feel they can continue to do that. I’m going Phillies. It’s going to be challenging, but if they come up big in the big moments, they can create something pretty special.”
You can follow the World Series along with other postseason highlights posted to @MLBEurope on Instagram, as well as clips from the Battle of the Bases Postseason series.
