Dear Dodger's Fans,
Chase Utley’s Slide… Was it legal? Heck no.
I am going to try to look at the slide while putting my
passion for the Mets to the side. It will be hard, but as a middle infielder
for much of my baseball career, I will explain why the slide was dangerous and
should have been called obstruction which would have resulted in both Utley and
Kendrick being called out, inning over. I will also try to disprove all the
arguments Dodgers fans seem to have.
I 100% believe that Utley had no intention to injure Tejada. He was absolutely just trying to break up the double play and get the tying run score. BUT, that still doesn’t make the slide legal. Utley did not start his slide until he was practically on top of the 2nd base bag. Sure, he didn’t go cleats up but since his slide was so late, he didn’t even have time to get a front leg out that you typically hit the bag with when sliding. Instead, he hit his knees, high up on Tejada’s leg, effectively fracturing Tejada’s fibula. Sure Utley was close enough to the bag to reach out and touch the bag, but that was clearly not his intention as he completely bypassed the bag and aimed directly for Tejada and NEVER touched the bag. Here is the rule that should have ruled Utley and the batter out:
I 100% believe that Utley had no intention to injure Tejada. He was absolutely just trying to break up the double play and get the tying run score. BUT, that still doesn’t make the slide legal. Utley did not start his slide until he was practically on top of the 2nd base bag. Sure, he didn’t go cleats up but since his slide was so late, he didn’t even have time to get a front leg out that you typically hit the bag with when sliding. Instead, he hit his knees, high up on Tejada’s leg, effectively fracturing Tejada’s fibula. Sure Utley was close enough to the bag to reach out and touch the bag, but that was clearly not his intention as he completely bypassed the bag and aimed directly for Tejada and NEVER touched the bag. Here is the rule that should have ruled Utley and the batter out:
5.09 (a) (13) (Rule 6.05, 2014)
A batter is out when --
(m) A preceding runner shall, in the umpire's judgment, intentionally
interfere with a fielder who is attempting to catch a thrown ball or to throw a
ball in an attempt to complete any play
The umpire apparently judged that
Utley did not intentionally interfere with the fielder. He simply judged
wrongly. There are no if, ands, or buts about it. Utley’s attempt of a “slide”
was not an attempt to injure Tejada, but it was an attempt to interfere with
the shortstop. Now there is a proper way to do this without being called for interference.
It is done just about every day during the baseball season and middle
infielders rarely got seriously hurt.
This brings me to the point of the Dodger fans arguments as
to why the slide wasn’t dirty
1. “Utley was just playing hard-nosed baseball, trying to win the game!”
1. “Utley was just playing hard-nosed baseball, trying to win the game!”
You’re right! That’s exactly what
he did, but he did it illegally. I have already addressed this multiple times. The
slide was just way too late. The media, all over the country (except for some
in LA) are calling the play a tackle rather than a slide. Multiple MLB
shortstops took to twitter to display their anger at the slide including Jose
Reyes who said it was a pathetic attempt at a slide. Justin Upton said that if
that Tejada was a superstar shortstop like Tulo out there, the next day the MLB
would have a rule called the “Tulo Rule.” He’s right, but we already have that
rule (look above at rule 5.09). If this was soccer, Utley would have been given
a Red Card for that slide tackle, not a warning, not even a Yellow Card, but a
big ole’ bright RED CARD. He would have been kicked off the field immediately because
that slide was, intentional or not, malicious.
2.
“It is Tejada’s fault. He shouldn’t have turned
his back to the runner!”
Hahahahahaha.
This argument makes me laugh, a lot. This is the classic “scapegoat” for the
Dodger’s and their fans. People who say this, know Utley did wrong, but are
still trying to justify it. These people have also never played baseball. Yes,
a typical double play would be turned without a “spin-o-rama,” but this wasn’t
your typical double play. The ball was hit up the middle and Murphy fielded the
ball directly behind the bag. He flipped the ball to a Tejada (a LITTLE behind
him). Tejada decided that the quickest way to get the ball to first was to
keeping coming across the bag, spin to get as much power as possible behind the
throw, and fire to first. Believe or not, this play is taught to middle
infielders of all ages. The idea is that by coming across the bag and spinning,
the fielder would get out of the way of the slide and get the ball to first
with as much velocity as possible. Tejada correctly tried this play, but as he
finished his spin, Utley was right on top of him. The spin did not put him in a
bad position, but rather it put him in the correct position at the wrong time. Even
with a perfect feed to Tejada, he likely still would have spun, and if he didn’t
spin, he still would have probably broken his leg because Utley was clearly
aiming for Tejada. Maybe Tejada would have gotten the throw off, but he still
would have been taken out by Utley and we would still be having this argument.
The only way Tejada would have avoided that slide was to either jump over Utley
as he ran to right field and forfeit the double play, which was not an option
on that critical play. Turning his back to the runner did not put him in a bad
position, simply playing the game of baseball with an out of control runner
did.
3.
“Tejada never touched the bag, so Mets fans need
to stop complaining. It’s irrelevant.”
Um I guess you’ve never heard of
the “neighborhood play.” Which this play certainly was despite what MLB may
say. The throw did not pull him off the bag. Tejada never had any intention of
making 100% sure he touched second due to the fact he thought he would be
protected by the neighborhood rule. In trying to turn a double play, the middle
fielder does not need to technically touch second so that he could get out of
the way as quickly as possible and protect himself against the slide. Well that
didn’t happen because Utley slid so late.
a.
“Ok but they wouldn’t have turned the DP anyway.
Kendrick was going to beat it out.”
Ehhh…
you can’t prove that. And if every double play that wasn’t turned was reviewed,
many many many calls would be overturned because middle infielders are taught
to not worry about touching second, just be close. That was Tejada. He was
maybe an inch away, maybe. If that is not in the “neighborhood” of second, then
Mr. Rodgers did not teach me the correct meaning of that word.
ALSO: The ump called Utley out. Utley never touched second,
ever. After the review, they decided to reward Utley the bag even without
touching the bag. Was Tejada supposed to tag Utley or touch second with a
broken leg after he had already been told Utley was out and time had been
granted time to treat his injury?? Was he supposed to assume that there could
be multiple outs by one guy?? I am still very upset about the decision to give
a guy a base who technically could be called out for 3 wrong doings: out
because of obstruction, out at second on the neighborhood play, and out on giving
himself up on the play after never touching second and heading to the dugout.
Final points: David Wright, one of the most respected, even keeled players in the league was not happy whatsoever about the play. That says something, a man who rarely argues and always "takes the positives out of the negatives" could not find a single positive from this play. The fact is, Utley slid late and broke the Mets' starting shortstops leg. He has rightfully been suspended but that is only to cover the fact that the umps screwed the Mets and ultimately cost them the game. I can't say the Mets would have won the game but we certainly would not have lost it in the 7th. The Dodgers got a giant reward for an illegal play. That is why Mets fans are so upset. Get it? Got it? Good. And if you don't, you're blind. Sorry.
Well you can't change the past and so it is time to move on and overcome adversity. Good luck to both teams and let controversy stay out of the rest of the series and let the best team win. #LGM #WinForRuben #HappyHarveyDay
-A crazed, die hard Mets fan
