31 Isn't young for some people

There is always a presumption when Chase Utley doesn't produce at the plate that it's because he's hurt. I think handsome guys get the benefit of the doubt or something. The town was always oddly supportive of Pat Burrell when he struggled. Also, Darren Daulton has a heck of a legacy for a guy who hit 48 homers in his first seven years and retired as a .245 lifetime hitter. It's "The Bubble" as portrayed by Jon Hamm in his run on 30-Rock.

In my earliest days as a baseball fan, Mike Schmidt and Dale Murphy were the two best players in the National League. I presumed both were going to be Hall of Famers, and I was insecure that perhaps Murphy was the better of the two. In 1986, his last dominant year, he hit .295 with 44 home runs. In 1987, which he played majoritively at age 31 (equivalent of this year for Utley), he fell to .224 with 24 homers. He never again hit more than those 24 homer in any of the next final 6 years of his career.

Utley may have yet some good baseball in him. He may even have some star-level baseball. But it is taken too much for granted that he is (A) slumping or (B) injured. He could be (C) on the decline. I hope he's not. Fortunately for him, either way he's more handsome than, say, Garry Cobb.