While anxiously awaiting the inevitable Stephen A. Smith column asking why Chase Utley (a white man) isn’t receiving the same amount of criticism for his lack of production as Ryan Howard (a black man) would under similar circumstances…

It is rather obvious Chase Utley, the best second baseman in baseball, is struggling mightily. Given his previous hip problems, speculators have jumped to the conclusion that Utley must be hurt again. Only Utley knows if it is due to injury, since he won’t tell anyone, but there is another possible reason for why he can’t hit: a good ole’ slump.

The question is, which is better for the Phillies?

Some would argue that an Utley injury is in fact best for the Phillies. How? If his hip is bothering him again, it is not going to go away for the rest of the season, and in all likelihood it will continue to get worse. An injury would be a concrete reason, but probably the worst outcome for the success of the Phillies. They need a healthy Chase Utley to hit for them.

Utley has probably never experienced a slump as drastic as this, one that has seen his batting average plummet to .256. It is the lowest it has ever been this “late” in the season, and has coincided with hitting slumps and other injuries to make the Phillies near-unwatchable in the past few weeks.

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Skipper, Charlie Manuel, will once again be holding his “Lunch with Charlie” today on WIP during the Midday show with Anthony Gargano and Glen Macnow. For those that missed his first broadcast a week or so ago, the podcast can be found here.

This week’s show is set to air around noon and will surely be full of witty baseball stories and many “Charlie-isms”…that is if we can understand what he’s even talking about. Honestly, what is better than hearing the big boss man ramble on and on about anything that comes to his mind? Ok, maybe a few things but be sure to check it out regardless!

Are the Phillies cheating?

Once again, the pride and joy of the Philadelphia sporting world is dogged by allegations of unfair play. No, this is not Raul Ibanez being not-so-subtly accused of using PEDs nor suspicions of Cole Hamels having a pair of balls (Wait, no one’s suspicious of that?), but rather an old charge that continues to be brought up by the Phils’ defeated opponents: The Phillies are stealing signs. (Gasp!)

These sorts of serious charges are what make baseball a very dumb game. It is governed by a set of unwritten rules that are so deep and complex that not even the heady baseball historian Alex Rodriguez knows them all (Hello, Dallas Braden’s mound!). Though it is a game that not even a decade ago contained rampant steroid use within its ranks, baseball still carries the aura of America’s game. Meaning a good, honest game of gentlemen, just like in the old days of Ty Cobb, Shoeless Joe Jackson and the saintly Herman Ruth.

Ah yes, to what sickening depths has our game plunged?

Tracy Ringolsby of FOXSports.com reported this story first, and who wouldn’t believe him? Check out the cowboy hat he’s sporting in his author photo. He has real quotes from actual people that the Phillies have been warned by Major League Baseball regarding the actions of bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer. The Rockies allege Billmeyer was using binoculars from the bullpen to steal signs from Rockies catcher Miguel Olivo , and Shane Victorino was seen on the bullpen phone, supposedly receiving the top secret info.

The Mets have made similar charges in the past. Of course, the Mets and Rockies are two teams who cannot beat the Phils, so one must consider the accuser’s agenda. The Phillies shrugged off the accusations, as they typically do. It’s likely we haven’t heard the last of this, though. Everyone loves a good conspiracy.

The Mets are back! Or at least that’s what Mets fans will tell you in the midst of a stunning 9-1 streak that brings their orange-and-blue to Philadelphia for an ever-important three-game series in late April/early May.

As if you needed any reasons to hate the Mets, we offer the fact that the Metropolitans now top the NL East by a whopping half-game, thanks to that aforementioned streak. In short, this is a monster series that will likely decide the fate of the division. Or not.

Still, we can’t help but get riled up for a good ol’ fashioned NL East brawl. Both Roy Halladay and Johan Santana will start a game in this series (unfortunately not against one another) and it is likely a Mets fan will be punched at one point or another. To get the juices flowing, we offer the ten 2010 Mets to hate:

1. Ike Davis

Who the hell is Ike Davis? Good question. He is the latest and greatest sensation in New York baseball, taking the throne from Joba the Hutt Chamberlain, and has single-handedly turned around a season that looked lost very early on.

Davis is just 10 games into his MLB career, 10 games in which, coincidentally (or by fate, if you ask a Mets fan), the Mets are a scorching 9-1. He is hitting .355 with one home run and six RBI in just 31 at-bats, and is already the best Mets first baseman since Carlos Delgado (difficult, we know). More impressive than his early numbers, though, is his ability to top this list.

“I Like Ike?” Not you, Phils fans.

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There is breaking news on the Philadelphia sports front:

Right-hander David Herndon, a Rule 5 draft pick, has made the Phillies’ opening day roster. Herndon will be pitching out of the bullpen, at least until Brad Lidge and/or J.C. Romero come back.

That is all.

After consecutive World Series appearances, March baseball doesn’t mean much to the Phillies nor their fans.

Sure, there was some excitement. Jayson Werth’s beard, for example. There was also Charlie Manuel losing 50 pounds. And some stuff about the roster.

Now, on the last day of March, there is some drama in Phillies camp. Closer Brad Lidge, he of the shaky confidence, had a cortisone injection in his elbow Wednesday morning. Already throwing well below his normal velocity, there is plenty of reason to worry about Lidge, even without last season’s monumental struggles.

Shortly after the Lidge news, Roy Halladay took the mound in his final spring training start against his old team. Toronto lit Doc up for four runs in the first inning, though he settled down to strike out the side in the second and held the Blue Jays scoreless in his third and final inning. Still, it was enough to earn Halladay his only loss of spring training—the same day Sports Illustrated’s MLB season preview hit the stands in Philadelphia, featuring none other than Doc himself on the cover.

Are we worried about Halladay? Hardly. Still, it fits nicely with the narrative.

After the loss, we unfortunately found out Joe Blanton has abdominal muscles, contrary to all appearances. Blanton suffered a strained oblique muscle pitching in his bullpen session, and is scheduled to see the team doctor tomorrow.

Perhaps the Phillies will be needing Kyle Kendrick in the starting rotation after all…