Ruben Amaro Jr. says Chase Utley shouldn't start once he returns

For 12 seasons, Chase Utley has been one of the Philadelphia Phillies' best players. At times, he was the best second baseman in the game. Though he didn't become a major-league regular until age 26, Utley built a dark horse Hall of Fame candidacy for a while.

Then, injuries and age-related decline struck. One of those is unfortunate, the other inevitable. While Utley had a reprieve from those issues the last two years, they combined to sink him again in 2015.

After hitting just .179/.257/.275 in 249 at-bats, Utley was sent to the disabled list with a right ankle injury. When he returns, he may find that his run with the Phillies has come to an end.

Those are pretty strong words from general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

Hernandez has performed well over the first few months of the season, hitting .302/.385/.385 over 207 plate appearances.

Hernandez may be the future at second base for Philadelphia, but he's earned that role mostly by default. Given the state of the franchise, the 36-year-old Utley isn't going to be on the next winning Phillies club. Hernandez was never really considered a strong prospect, and was viewed more as a backup/utility infielder coming up, so expecting him to be great moving forward might be foolish.

Admittedly, Utley hasn't performed up to standards this season, but it's harsh for Amaro to come out and trash a player who has meant so much to the franchise over the past decade. The Phillies should see what they have in Hernandez, but you would think any conversation about Utley losing playing time would happen behind closed doors, not with members of the media.

It's tough to know how things will play out once Utley returns. Though his numbers haven't been strong, he's still a leader in the clubhouse and commands a lot of respect from his teammates. That can lead to a messy situation for the front office.

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A trade may be the best option for both sides given Amaro's recent comments. Utley can at least go to a contender. Even if he sits with his new club, he'll still have a shot at a ring, and that's a better situation than he'll have once he returns to the Phillies.

This isn't the first, and won't be the last time, a franchise legend gets old and loses his role. Most of those instances are handled with respect. Amaro's approach in this scenario is puzzling at best.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik