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LOS ANGELES – Chase Utley will retire from baseball at the end of the season, crowning a 16-year career including a World Series championship with Philadelphia and a senior state role with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
All-Star said that he was leaving to spend more time with his wife and two young sons.
"I'm ready to be a full-time father," he said.
Utley announced his decision at one point. press conference stuck in the bowels of the Dodger Stadium on Friday, with several of his teammates surprising him by hurrying into the torrid little room.
"I just want you guys to know that I've signed a five-year extension," Utley chirped, laughing Dave Roberts, Kenley Jansen, Justin Turner, Alex Wood, Andrew Toles, Joc Pederson, Logan Forsythe and Ross Stripling
Clayton Kershaw, three-time Cy Young Award winner, sat in a corner, Matt Kemp, Rich Hill , Corey Seager, Austin Barnes and Kenta Maeda join him
Rick Honeycutt, a pitcher's coach, watched, while coach Turner Ward used his phone to capture videos
. year of a two-year contract of $ 2 million for Utley
The 39-year-old second baseman has made a name with the Phillies, winning five-star positions and winning four Silver Slugger awards, which helped the team win a World Series title in 2008, by joining 9, shortstop Jimmy Rollins as a duo in double-game.
Utley has a career average of .276 with 259 homers. He is known for his basic flying ability, with 153 interceptions in 175 attempts.
The Phillies traded Utley against the Dodgers in August 2015, and he moved to a role that he called a "part-time player." 19659002] "I am also a part-time strength trainer, part-time pitcher coach, occasional part-time coach and part-time general manager," said Utley. "But the hardest thing for me is being a part-time father, that's why I stop him because I'm ready to be a father." fulltime."
Utley says that he has not yet told his sons, Ben, 6 years old and Max, 3 years old,
"They m & # 39; have asked several times, "Dad, how long are you going to play?" Why should you go to the field today? "Utley said," This conversation will come soon, I think it will be a good conversation. "
In 2015, Utley broke the leg of Mets' short-stop while Ruben Tejada with a hard slip in the second base in Game 2 of the National League Division Series. Utley was suspended for Games 3 and 4 of the series.
Utley provided the vantage point of a veteran and was influential in the clubhouse with the young Dodgers team. But his role was reduced from starter in 2016 to squad player last year starting part-time and batting this season.
He started 30 of 57 games up here, reaching .231 with 14 RBIs and a home run going into Friday night's game against the Angels.
Utley will surely be celebrated when the Dodgers visit the Phillies from July 23-25. His former teammates from the 2008 championship team, Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth, have recently announced their retirement.
Born in Pasadena, Utley played at Long Beach Poly High and UCLA
Utley completed things in 10 minutes, noting there was a team meeting in a few minutes and he had not been late for any of those in his career.
And then, in keeping with his calm and discreet attitude, he was gone.
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