Chase Utley may be a busy guy, but he always has time to answer fan mail — even love letters from fictional characters.
On the show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia the character Mac is an obsessive fan of the Philadelphia Phillies. So much so that a few seasons back he wrote a gushing letter to the team’s second baseman, even including stickers.
This week, Chase Utley finally got around to responding. Saying he’s replying to “a Philadelphia youngster named Mac,” Utley reads the letter, which said:
“Dear Chase,
“I feel like I can call you Chase because you and me are so much alike. I would love to meet you some day. It would be great to have a catch. I know I can’t throw as fast as you, but I think you would be impressed with my speed. I love your hair. You run fast. Do you have a good relationship with your father? Me neither. These are all things we can talk about and more. I know you have not been getting my letters because I know you would write back if you did, and I hope you write back this time and we get to be good friends.
“I am sure our relationship would be a real home run.
Mac”
Chase was kind in his reply, but turned down Mac’s request for a catch.
“Thank you for the compliment on my hair,” Utley said. “It’s my fourth favorite thing after baseball, running fast, and my dad.”
“Meeting you and having a game of catch sounds like a lot of fun but like I said I’m really busy playing a lot of baseball for the Phillies. I hope you have a good life and fans like you make my life a grand slam.”
As for Mac’s troubles with his father, Chase Utley also had a suggestion: “Maybe you could try being a better son.”