Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Rookie baseball players are compared to veterans constantly; fans like to compare their similar techniques. In Philadelphia, fans are comparing rookie third baseman Cody Asche to Chase Utley.
The Philadelphia Phillies decided to bring up Asche at the end of July. They wanted to see what kind of talent he had, along with give him experience up in the Major Leagues. Asche has shown the team good things, and he has plenty of time to grow, as he is only 23 years old. Many believe he will grow into a version of Utley.
Asche has played in 25 games this season. He has an average of .253, which is fifth in the current Phillies’ starting lineup. Asche has 21 hits, 14 of which are RBI, and has two home runs. When Ache first came up, he was having a hard time finding his swing. Now, however, it seems as if he is finding his place. In the last ten games, Asche has an average of .324 and seven RBIs.
When Utley debuted for the Phillies in 2003, he wasn’t the best hitter right away. He had an average of .239, and that was in 43 games. People see the same tendencies in Asche, which is good, because each year after 2003 Utley’s average went up significantly. He got more playing time each year as well, and eventually became the everyday second baseman. It will be fun to see what Asche could do with more at bats, as his skills are coming together.
Asche is also a great defensive player, and doesn’t have any problems diving for balls and making the plays. He is an all-around player.
Asche seems like he can be quiet like Utley is, and it seems like he has the determination as well. It will be interesting to see what kind of player Asche continues to become.
Rebekah is a Philadelphia Phillies writer for www.Rantsports.com. Follow her on Twitter and Google+
