After answering about a dozen questions on Ryan Howard, who was back in camp and beginning to work out Wednesday, Charlie Manuel was asked about the timetable on his other All-Star, middle-of-the-order bat.


Do you have any better idea for when you could see Chase Utley on the field?

Charlie's answer was a positive one.

Early last week he said it was "going to be a while." Late last week, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the Phils were trying to keep Utley off his feet.

Here's what Charlie said following today's 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins:

"I’d say it’s coming up pretty soon," Manuel said of seeing Utley in a game. "It’s going to be a few days yet. But then we’ll start pushing his workouts up."

Later, Manuel added: "He’s going to get going here pretty soon. He’ll more than likely when he starts he’ll start getting some live pitching and we’ll see where he’s at.”


Utley hasn't played in any of the Phillies 12 exhibition games this season. He took batting practice with the team before today's game, but his work otherwise (read: fielding practice) has been limited.

Utley suffered from chronic right knee tendinitis. He missed all of spring training last year and the first seven weeks of the regular season.