Andrew Utting

Andrew Utting ("Andy")

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 175 lb.

• Born September 9, 1977 in Melbourne, Victoria Australia

BR minors page

Biographical information

Andrew Utting played five years in the minor leagues, over a decade in Australia and for the Australian national team. He won a Silver Medal in the 2004 Olympics. His brother Ben Utting has also played for the Australian team and in the minors.

He went 0 for 2 in the 1994-1995 Australian Baseball League. Utting made a major impression as the captain of Australia's team in the 1995 World Junior Championships. He helped them to a Bronze Medal after losing by only one run in the semifinals to the Gold Medal winner, the USA. Utting made the tournament All-Star team as the top catcher. Utting signed with the Baltimore Orioles. He was 2 for 8 with two doubles in the 1995-1996 ABL.

In 1996, Utting made his US debut with the GCL Orioles (.263/~.359/.386) and the Frederick Keys (1 for 3). When Scott Dawes was injured in the 1996-1997 ABL season, Utting stepped in as the starting catcher for the Melbourne Reds, batting .170/.245/.213 with a .937 fielding percentage in a rough winter. In 1997, Andy played for the Bluefield Orioles, batting .230/~.357/.368, showing good walking ability and some power if unexceptional contact hitting.

With Dawes healthy in 1997-1998, Utting was a backup once more, hitting .217/.309/.267. He bounced all over the Orioles system in 1998, filling in wherever needed - Bluefield (.245/~.343/.347 in 40 games), Frederick (.108/~.195/.108 in 15 games), the Bowie Baysox (1 for 4, BB) and the Rochester Red Wings (5 for 18, 2 BB, 2B, HR in 5 games). His one home run in AAA came off of Dwight Gooden, which had been a longtime dream of his.

Utting had trouble throwing due to an injured rotator cuff and required surgery that sidelined him for the winter of 1998-1999. Let go by Baltimore, Utting caught on with the Cook County Cheetahs (.143, 1 HR, 3 RBI). Moving to first base with the 1999-2000 Victoria Aces, Utting hit only .213/.373/.255. Back with Cook County in 2000, he hit .207 and slugged .261 in over 100 at-bats back at catcher. That winter, he batted .178/.356/.311 in 16 games in the International Baseball League of Australia.

Moving to the Queensland Rams, Utting had a fine 2003 Claxton Shield, hitting .345/.387/.483 with 6 RBI in 7 games to help them to a title. He was on the Australian squad that won the 2003 Oceania Championship. In the 2004 Shield, he was 2 for 9. Due to injuries to a couple players, Utting was added to the Australian team for the 2004 Olympics. He batted .263/.417/.263 with 6 runs in 8 games, backing up David Nilsson at catcher and also DH'ing regularly. He scored one of two Australian runs in their Gold Medal game loss to Cuba as they earned Silver.

Utting hit .222/.286/.444 with 6 RBI in 7 games as the starting Australian first baseman in the 2005 Baseball World Cup. In the 2006 Claxton Shield, Andy hit .321/.406/.429 with 6 RBI in 7 games. He batted .308/.438/.615 while splitting DH duties with Ben Risinger in the 2006 Intercontinental Cup. He hit .348/.400/.435 as Queensland's C/DH in the 2007 Claxton Shield. He followed with a .275/.375/.300 performance in the 2008 Shield. Utting was with Australia for the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament, going 3 for 6 with 4 walks and a time hit by pitch as Australia failed to make it to the 2008 Olympics. He produced two of their four runs in a tough loss to Mexico.

Sources

• 1996-2001 Baseball Almanacs
• Defunct IBAF site
• Flintoff & Dunn Australian Baseball Almanacs
• Australian Baseball Federation
• Pat Doyle's Professional Baseball Player Database