Chase Utley's hip injury - which he never admitted to during the season - is leading him to the surgery table.

The Phillies announced today that both Utley and Pedro Feliz will undergo surgery this offseason. Utley for his hip, Feliz for his balky back.

Utley should be able to resume baseball activities during spring training, but the press release also says the total recovering time could take four to six months.


Here is the entire press release from the team:

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley and third baseman Pedro Feliz will each have surgery, Senior Vice President & General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. and Head Athletic Trainer Scott Sheridan jointly announced today.

Since the end of the World Series, Utley, 29, has had several diagnostic studies in regards to right hip symptoms that he had during the 2008 season. He has been evaluated by Phillies team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Dr. Bryan Kelly at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.


Based on the diagnostic studies and examinations, it has been recommended that Utley have surgery on his right hip, which is scheduled for next week. The procedure will be an arthroscopic evaluation with treatment of any labral or bony injury. The recovery will allow for the initiation of baseball activities between three and four months, however, the total recovery time may require four to six months.


Feliz, 33, will have low back surgery on November 20. He was on the disabled list during the 2008 season for 26 days in relation to a low back injury and had intermittent symptoms at the end of the season that deemed off-season follow-up necessary. Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles will perform the surgery, which is scheduled to be a lumbar discectomy. After surgery, Feliz will complete an eight-to-12 week rehabilitation program.

Ryan Howard won the National League MVP in 2006.

Jimmy Rollins won the National League MVP in 2007.

But the Phillies quest to make it three straight years with an MVP trophy in their clubhouse came to an end Monday - although Howard certainly gave his team a fighting chance.

The Baseball Writers' Association of American tabbed St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols the 2008 National League MVP.

Howard, who led the major leagues with 48 home runs and 146 RBIs but hit .251, finished second to Pujols. Pujols, who also won the award in 2005, hit .357 with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs.

Pujols received 18 of the 32 first-place votes.

This just in: Scott Eyre will be back in the bullpen for the Phils in '09.

The Phils and Eyre agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal today. Eyre, acquired from the Cubs in early August, went 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA in 19 games with the Phillies.

In other player movement, Matt Holliday is off the market. ESPN reported earlier today that the Rockies have agreed in principal to a deal that will send the right-handed slugger to the Oakland A's.

I thought this was funny.

In the same week Brad Lidge struck out Eric Hinske to clinch the Phillies World Series Championship, he also beat the Tampa Bay slugger on the fantasy football field.

The news is now official: the Phillies sent out a press release this afternoon announcing Ruben Amaro Jr. as the team's new general manager.

Team president David Montgomery and former general manager Pat Gillick will join Amaro at a press conference Monday morning.