Major League Baseball

Utley powers himself into elite company

Published Nov. 3, 2009 7:32 p.m. ET

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Before the World Series, the yarn of Chase Utley's 2009 postseason went something like this:


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He had a great division series against Colorado. Then he batted .211 in the National League Championship Series. He also committed two throwing errors. Some people thought Utley had a case of the yips. Mitch Williams, the closer-turned-analyst, believed he had an injured foot.

Then came the comparisons to last year's World Series, when Utley hit .167 ... before undergoing a hip surgery that explained the steep production decline.

But now? As we learned from Alex Rodriguez, it only takes a few swings to rewrite the history of a player.

Or a team.

Or a World Series.

After a memorable Monday night in South Philly, Utley stands alongside one of the great October performers in baseball history. More importantly, his Phillies will play another game in 2009.

Utley's team was one loss away from winter, on the brink of relinquishing their crown at home, before he sent two keepsakes into the jubilant right-field stands at Citizens Bank Park.

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