Drew (Philly): Hey Ben, Is there anything to be excited about in the phils farm system these days?

Ben Badler: (3:27 PM ET ) I don’t think there’s a trio of pitching prospects off to better starts than Carlos Carrasco, Jason Knapp and Kyle Drabek.

It’s hard to tell what’s more impressive: Utley playing 159 games and the entire 2008 postseason on a hip so sore it required surgery, or his ability to come back so quickly from an injury that was supposed to keep him out until May or even June.

Utley’s fast start comes as no surprise to the Phillies’ people, who saw him arrive at Citizens Bank Park each day at 9 a.m. and stay until 2 or 3 p.m. during his winter rehab sessions.

After hitting only eight of his 33 homers last year after the All-Star break, Utley is slugging at a .671 clip. His swing looks as compact and explosive as ever.

Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia’s new left fielder, got a glimpse of Utley’s mechanics when he received a copy of the team’s World Series video after signing his three-year contract. Ibanez is a connoisseur of good hitting, and he was so impressed with one of Utley’s postseason homers that he put the at-bat on “pause” and replayed it two dozen times.

Still, Utley’s swing ranks down on his list of attributes in Ibanez’s estimation.

“Hands down, it’s the way he works and prepares,” Ibanez said. “He’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever been around. There are no surprises for him when the game begins. His intensity and focus in all of his activities is really impressive. I had no idea.”

My problem with Romero is that he did not do his due diligence to ensure that the particular supplement he was using was acceptable under MLB drug policy.  It is his responsibility to be 100% certain that he is not using a banned substance.

One more thing.  Romero is adamant that he was unaware that 6-OXO Extreme contained a  banned substance, androstenedione, because the product’s label did not list it as an ingredient.  Fine.  However, this article in today’s Daily News states that this warning——“Use of this product may be banned by some athletic or government associations [including military].”——has been printed on every bottle of 6-OXO ever made.  This brings up two questions.  If Romero read the label so carefully looking for any banned substances the product may contain, how did he not see the warning?  Second, if he did see the warning, why would he even consider using the product before he—–not a trainer, not a teammate—–got confirmation from MLB that it was acceptable?

My issue is that you need to be responsible for what you use.  When you are in a situation like Romero’s, where your employer has a drug testing policy, you simply must be 100% certain that any supplement you use does not violate that policy.  Romero did not do his due dilligence.  That’s my problem with him.

One more thing.  This article in the Daily News has to make you wonder.   We are suppposed to believe that Romero was completely unaware that 6-OXO Extreme contained a banned substance (androstenedione) because it was not listed on the label.  Fine, I’ll go along with that, but answer me this: If Romero read the label well enough to check for any banned substances, how did he miss the warning ( “Use of this product may be banned by some athletic or government associations [including military].”) on the label?

As far as the offense goes, this team is clicking right now.  Utley and Ibanez are both forces to be reckoned with.  Both are just seeing the ball and driving it.  Let’s keep the momentum going!!!!