Chase Utley had been a major-league ballplayer for just six days when he sat in the manager's office at Veterans Stadium.
He was not yet "The Man," the iconic player who captured the spirit of the city as well as almost anyone else. No, he was just a prospect in April of 2003, a former first-round pick who had one plate appearance — a pinch-hit strikeout — over five games with the Phillies.
Utley had been summoned to the office because he was being sent back to the minor leagues. He stared back at the men in the room as they told him how the move provided a chance to play every day with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. His time was coming, they said.
