Chase Utley on Thursday was named the winner of the 11th annual Roy Campanella Award. The award is voted on by Los Angeles Dodgers uniformed personnel.
Utley certainly meets the criteria of being the best to exemplify the spirit and leadership of the late Campanella. The veteran infielder was a spark for the Dodgers through much of the first half, and has been a steady presence and mentor in the clubhouse.
On several instances Utley’s play has far and away surpassed what’s to be expected from a 37-year-old.
Such was the case Thursday night when he turned a near error into one of the better plays seen throughout the league this season.
Utley went down to field a chopper hit by Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Chatwood, but uncharacteristically didn’t make the play as the ball skipped off the heel of his glove.
Utley quickly turned to retrieve the ball and as he was falling to ground, flipped a no-look, backhanded toss to Adrian Gonzalez for the final out of the fourth inning:
UNREAL. pic.twitter.com/xWfFbaYz4L
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 23, 2016
“Got lucky to be honest with you,” Utley said after the Dodgers’ come-from-behind win. “A little instinctual and maybe a little lucky.” While he isn’t a man for many words, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gushed over the play and his infielder.
“The legacy of Chase, I guess continues to grow. He does so many things so well,” Roberts said.
“The thing about him is he makes this crazy, no-look pass to first base, and the first thing he says when you compliment him on a great play is, ‘I can’t believe I missed the ball.’ So it’s like instead of acknowledging the greatness of the play, he wants to go back and make it cleaner.”
