True Blue LA - Dodgers re-sign Chase Utley to 1-year, $2 million contractWhere The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2017-02-22T12:00:02-08:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/143686472017-02-22T12:00:02-08:002017-02-22T12:00:02-08:00Contract details for Utley & Gutierrez
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<figcaption>Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="b56SUq">PHOENIX — The Dodgers earlier this week finalized their one-year deals with Chase Utley and Franklin Gutierrez. In addition to the base salaries — $2 million for Utley and $2.6 million for Gutierrez — both can earn a little extra in contract incentives.</p>
<p id="kUdGef">The Associated Press <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7a3bc0a61c754a7ca9bc4552d4572d3d/gutierrez-back-dodgers-his-first-major-league-team">has the breakdown for both</a>, with Gutierrez able to earn an extra $400,000 and Utley up to $500,000.</p>
<p id="5uvdfL">Utley can earn money for both games played and plate appearances. Here are the details:</p>
<p id="09aJzz">$62,500 for 40 games<br>$62,500 for 60 games<br>$62,500 for 80 games<br>$62,500 for 100 games</p>
<p id="bsxLNZ">$62,500 for 400 PA<br>$62,500 for 450 PA<br>$125,000 for 500 PA</p>
<p id="k9jMtq">Utley, now 38, played in 138 games and had 565 plate appearances for the Dodgers in 2016. He figures to see a reduced role in 2017, with Logan Forsythe acquired to play second base.</p>
<p id="9xornr">The bonuses for Gutierrez are all based on plate appearances:</p>
<p id="8l54q0">$100,000 for 400 PA<br>$100,000 for 450 PA<br>$200,000 for 500 PA</p>
<p id="umI9OJ">Gutierrez, who turned 34 on Tuesday, had 283 plate appearances in 2016 for the Mariners, and hasn’t reached 400 PA since 2010.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/2/22/14600358/chase-utley-franklin-gutierrez-contract-dodgersEric Stephen2017-02-18T18:42:11-08:002017-02-18T18:42:11-08:00Chase Utley contract incentives<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/833138743334821888">Chase Utley contract&nbsp;incentives</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Utley can make an additional $600,000 in performance bonuses in his new one-year contract with the Dodgers.</p></p></div>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/2/18/14660612/chase-utley-contract-incentivesEric Stephen2017-02-18T12:52:20-08:002017-02-18T12:52:20-08:00Dodgers finalize 1-year deal with Utley
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<p id="wGZIVo">PHOENIX — The Dodgers on Saturday finalized their one-year, $2 million contract with second baseman Chase Utley.</p>
<p id="Fx2DZ2">The Long Beach native signed with the Dodgers last offseason early in the free agency process, in December. But this time around his agreement came the week before camp opened, in February.</p>
<p id="yaGUA5"> "I had a few different opportunities to go to different places, but the Dodgers kept in constant contact, and we were able to work something out,” Utley said. “I want to be a part of an organization that has a legitimate chance to win. I had a few options to go to a few places like that, but being familiar with the Dodgers, and growing up a Dodgers fan, it's good to have an opportunity to be back.”</p>
<p id="8FhTiT">Utley started 118 games at second base and had 565 plate appearances for the Dodgers in 2016, but this time around he figures to play a reduced role. Manager Dave Roberts said he expects Utley to play second base and some first base in 2017, but not third base.</p>
<p id="TnOE5C">When Justin Turner needs a rest, the plan is for second baseman Logan Forsythe will likely slide over to play third base, with Utley starting at second.</p>
<p id="TvHlXC">"Third base was Logan's natural position,” Roberts explained. “To keep Chase where he is most comfortable makes the most sense.”</p>
<p id="VgjE2D">Roberts said he would definitely find at-bats for Utley, and said it was a luxury to have an “everyday player” like Utley available in reserve.</p>
<p id="pULIPL">“Having a guy like Chase on the bench, and on days Andre [Ethier] doesn't start, it's tough to manage against a team like that,” Roberts said. “We look at the pens in the National League, with a lot of right-handed guys. It's a good matchup for us.”</p>
<p id="vRrtWp">It’s no secret that Utley is <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2017/2/16/14641026/chase-utley-return-intangibles-chemistry-dodgers-clubhouse">universally loved in the clubhouse</a>. He seemed almost embarrassed by the praise from his teammates, coaches and front office, half-jokingly apologizing to reporters as the plaudits were recounted.</p>
<p id="rjk3TY">"I still feel like I can contribute in a number of different ways. I still feel like I can contribute on the field, but also in the clubhouse a little bit,” Utley said. “I might not have all the right answers, but I have a little bit of experience on my side, so I'm always looking to try to help guys.</p>
<p id="NuBWY5">"It goes to show the things you do don't go unnoticed. The name of the game is to win baseball games, so if we can find an edge in any different situations, it can be important. It can lead to one win, it can build confidence, and that creates some momentum.</p>
<p id="4VdPCA">"Ultimately the goal for many of us in this clubhouse is to win a championship, and I feel like we have the pieces in place to do that here,” Utley said. “I like the guys in this locker room.”</p>
<p id="rba7YB">To make room for Utley on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers released Darin Ruf, who <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2017/2/17/14647164/darin-ruf-samsung-lions-korea-dodgers-40-man-roster">signed a one-year deal with the Samsung Lions of the Korean Baseball Organization</a>.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/2/18/14658802/chase-utley-contract-dodgersEric Stephen2017-02-17T04:36:00-08:002017-02-17T04:36:00-08:00Ruf signs with Samsung Lions in Korea
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<p>Move would clear a spot on Dodgers’ 40-man roster</p> <p id="1An1xU">The Dodgers need to clear two spots on the 40-man roster to finalize the recent acquisitions of Chase Utley and Franklin Gutierrez, and it appears one of those openings will happen Friday. Outfielder and first baseman Darin Ruf has reportedly agreed to a deal with the Samsung Lions in the Korean Baseball Organization.</p>
<p id="kCC2p5">Ruf signed a one-year contract with Samsung worth $1.1 million, <a href="http://m.yna.co.kr/mob2/en/contents_en.jsp?cid=AEN20170217010300315&domain=3&ctype=A&site=0700000000">per Yonhap News</a>. That's roughly double what Ruf would have earned in the majors in 2017, as he <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2017/1/4/14169928/darin-ruf-no-salary-arbitration-super-two-service-time-dodgers">just missed qualifying as a Super Two for salary arbitration this winter</a>.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Samsung Lions officially announce the signing of Darin Ruf for $1.1 million <a href="https://t.co/Fw6reF2TJO">https://t.co/Fw6reF2TJO</a> <a href="https://t.co/EVm8vdw8Xd">pic.twitter.com/EVm8vdw8Xd</a></p>
— Dan Kurtz (@MyKBO) <a href="https://twitter.com/MyKBO/status/832519634897293312">February 17, 2017</a>
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<p id="90rHqQ">The Dodgers haven't announced anything yet regarding Ruf, but he was likely either released to pursue this move, or sold to Samsung for cash. We should find out later on Friday.</p>
<p id="e2lEdX">Ruf was one of the few inflexible parts of the Dodgers position player roster depth, in that he was out of options, and would had to have been exposed to waivers had he not made the club in spring training.</p>
<p id="uHofSL">The 30-year-old right-hander played in just 43 games for the Phillies in 2016, hitting .205/.236/.337 with three home runs. He's a career .299/.379/.542 hitter against left-handed pitching, including .286/.267/.429 in limited duty (30 plate appearances) last year. The Dodgers <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2016/11/11/13605946/howie-kendrick-trade-phillies-dodgers-darin-ruff-darnell-sweeney">acquired Ruf along with utility man Darnell Sweeney in November for Howie Kendrick</a>.</p>
<p id="ADou58">Many Dodgers position players are already in camp at Camelback Ranch, but the official reporting day is Monday, with the the club’s first full squad workout set for Tuesday.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/2/17/14647164/darin-ruf-samsung-lions-korea-dodgers-40-man-rosterEric Stephen2017-02-16T12:22:39-08:002017-02-16T12:22:39-08:00The Dodgers really, really love Chase Utley
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="nQz4AG">PHOENIX — If there is one thing that is clear in the opening of Dodgers camp, it’s that the return of Chase Utley was universally lauded by the team.</p>
<p id="n8cluc">After starting 118 games at second base for the Dodgers in 2016, the 38-year-old Utley is back with a reduced role, with Logan Forsythe now the regular at second. But the love for Utley goes beyond his play on the field.</p>
<p id="5NnEq2">"He's such an added bonus for us. Everybody talks about the intangibles, but I really mean it,” pitcher Clayton Kershaw said on Wednesday. “Regardless of how he plays, just what he does here in the clubhouse is the best I've ever seen.”</p>
<p id="iNcEPb">The Dodgers are bringing back Utley on a one-year, $2 million deal that hasn’t been finalized yet, but will be by the time position players report on Monday.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Strength coach Brandon McDaniel told me place erupted when Utley news broke around Camelback late last week.</p>— Joe Davis (@Joe_Davis) <a href="https://twitter.com/Joe_Davis/status/831927750524952576">February 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="dsklg0">Later on Wednesday I prefaced a question about Utley by noting that he seems loved throughout the clubhouse, and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman interrupted.</p>
<p id="0vtEE0">"And by the front office, and the medical staff, the coaching staff, groundskeepers," he said, laughing.</p>
<p id="IhtO6T">I wanted to know what it was about Utley that made him such a great teammate.</p>
<p id="gX31wX">"I've never been around a guy that basically any moment in time, on the clubhouse or on the field, is doing something to try and help us win a game,” Friedman elaborated. “Often times it's about him getting ready for a game, but there are times where he's watching video of our pitchers, just different things all with the mind of trying to help us win a game.”</p>
<p id="trENWQ">Chemistry is a difficult thing to quantify, but that hasn’t stopped this front office from trying.</p>
<p id="WNkbGD">"We talked about doing everything we can to change the culture,” Friedman said. “It's a little cliche at this point, but it is something that motivates us every day. There was a seismic shift and movement in that direction last year.”</p>
<p id="N80zlE">Manager Dave Roberts was a big part of fostering that winning culture last year, and now with a season under his belt and 21 of the 25 Dodgers from the NLCS roster returned, he is looking to keep things rolling.</p>
<p id="eVFEBY">Chemistry might be hard to pursue, but maybe once you find it you do everything you can to hold onto it for dear life, for as long as you can. Perhaps that is the path to making the intangible tangible.</p>
<p id="QsKQaO">Roberts, who in January at the baseball scouts foundation dinner <a href="https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/820488258593263616">called Utley his “favorite player of all time,”</a> on Wednesday mentioned one of Utley’s strengths as well.</p>
<p id="7zcV1J">"He's at the top of the list as far as eliminating noise. In baseball there is so much failure and deviation in routines and schedules with weather, travel, playing or not playing,” Roberts said. “Chase is very consistent, as consistent as I've ever seen with his mindset, and that has a way of filtering throughout the clubhouse.”</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/2/16/14641026/chase-utley-return-intangibles-chemistry-dodgers-clubhouseEric Stephen2017-02-12T21:29:31-08:002017-02-12T21:29:31-08:00Utley’s deal reportedly worth $2 million
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<figcaption>Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="pngIwu">We are still waiting on the Dodgers to make official their one-year deal with Chase Utley, but more details are starting to trickle out about his return to Los Angeles.</p>
<p id="nXyY1u">Utley will make $2 million in 2017 plus incentives, <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/830816025440550912">per Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports</a>.</p>
<p id="0iF9nX">It wasn’t the only offer for Utley, who was <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/829893403131396101">said to be choosing between four teams</a>. And apparently the Dodgers’ offer wasn’t the highest.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Utley is said to have taken less $ to return to dodgers. Geography plus excellent team obvs pluses for long beach native.</p>— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/830476279946293249">February 11, 2017</a>
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<p id="k33Th6">Utley made $7 million in 2016.</p>
<p id="iwJ85g">With Logan Forsythe on board to play second base, Utley’s role in 2017 figures to be greatly reduced after garnering 565 plate appearances in 2016.</p>
<p id="Y05h4P">Last spring, the Dodgers used Utley at both second base (59 innings) and third base (35 innings), though during the regular season Utley only played two total innings at the hot corner. This season, manager Dave Roberts <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/never-743807-angeles-operations.html">told Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register</a> that Utley could occasionally spell Forsythe at second base, and when Justin Turner needs a day off <a href="https://twitter.com/billplunkettocr/status/830481302038016000">Forsythe could shift to third base with Utley at second base</a>.</p>
<p id="F4BMyv">Forsythe played only second base in 2016, but in his career has played 56 games at third base, including 35 starts.</p>
<p id="PO6orG">More Roberts, <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/never-743807-angeles-operations.html">per Plunkett</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p id="2yAiZI">"I'm going to make sure Chase gets his at-bats," Roberts said. "It's going to work itself out. But the big thing is Chase wanted to be here and be part of what we've got going on."</p></blockquote>
<p id="sQ9r3a">Once the Dodgers finalize their deal with Utley, they will need to make a corresponding move on the 40-man roster.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/2/12/14588354/chase-utley-contract-value-playing-time-dodgersEric Stephen2017-02-10T20:43:39-08:002017-02-10T20:43:39-08:00Never say never: Utley reportedly coming back, too
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<p id="IvTP9P">Veteran second baseman Chase Utley has agreed to return to the Dodgers on a one-year deal, <a href="https://twitter.com/McCulloughTimes/status/830272176720793602">per Andy McCullogh of the LA Times</a>.</p>
<p id="NeveFZ">The 38-year-old was mulling offers from four teams, <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/829893403131396101">per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports</a>.</p>
<p id="NmkBTf">Last offseason, Utley was the first non-qualifying-offer free agent signed by the Dodgers, <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2015/12/9/7550649/chase-utley-contract-official-dodgers">returning to the team on a one-year, $7 million deal on Dec. 9</a>. This year, he agreed to return a little more than a week before position players report to spring training.</p>
<p id="RvO1Me">Utley had a nice bounce-back season with the Dodgers in 2016, hitting .252/.319/.396 with 14 home runs and 26 doubles in 138 games at age 37. He was the busy side of a platoon at second base, starting just seven times in 46 games against left-handed starting pitchers.</p>
<p id="pMngpu">Though he faded down the stretch, hitting just .236/.292/.381 from June 1 through the end of the season, Utley’s leadership and clubhouse presence was seen as a key to the team’s success.</p>
<p id="zRo64L">"It's something we value greatly," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in October. "The respect that we have for him on the field, off the field remains unchanged."</p>
<p id="6Pk2e5">Manager Dave Roberts said at the scouts foundation dinner in Los Angeles on Jan. 14 <a href="https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/820488258593263616">that Utley was "my favorite player of all-time."</a></p>
<p id="zu46wz">The Dodgers went with a right-handed solution at second base, <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-transactions-2017/2017/1/23/14366888/dodgers-rays-trade-logan-forsythe-jose-deleon">trading for Logan Forsythe on Jan. 23</a>. Even with Forsythe aboard, Friedman didn’t fully rule out a potential return for Utley.</p>
<p id="sPYPq7">"Never say never with a guy like Chase just because of the type of guy he is and the impact he has," Friedman said in January. "It's one of those things, we probably would have re-signed him months ago if our lineup was a little bit more balanced."</p>
<p id="Q9C3jx">Turns out, Utley is back anyway. Now, to sort out the increasingly-crowded roster.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/2/10/13724252/chase-utley-dodgers-return-rumorsEric Stephen