Utley rules out surgery, for now

There’s a pretty good chance Chase Utley won’t be the Phillies’ Opening Day second baseman.

The team announced yesterday that Utley’s knee hasn’t responded to last Friday’s cortisone shot. Now, they are considering other options for his knee tendinitis. Surgery is one of those options, although team doctor Michael Cicotti said they would look for “nonoperative treatment.”

Utley said the pain hasn’t gone away. There is still no timetable for his return.

“We’re not trying to find the easy way out,” Utley said. “I’m trying to look at this in the big picture, and that’s the frustrating part, because I think everyone that knows me best knows that the only place I’d rather be is on the field.”