Utley - Tejada

I'm a big Mets fan. Here are my thoughts on last night's incident.

1) Ripken is an idiot. I truly hope he gets the Nationals job.
2) The Mets have major problems with their middle relief. I am not so worried about their short stop play. It is somewhat of a trade-off: Better offense (at least power) and worse defense. But until you get to the Met closer, it is a real problem for the Mets once the starter exits.
3) The Dodgers are formiddable. The Dodgers got several clutch hits late in the game, and their pitching (starting and relief) has been excellent. I am already worrying that Kershaw comes back for game four. Ugh.
5) The slide was ok in terms of east to west, he was arguably within reach of the bag, even though Utley did not touch it;
6) The slide began too far north (beyond the bag, instead of sliding into the bag/sliding prior to the bag);
7) The slide was too high;
8) Who knows about intent. Only one person, so I don't even speculate about that.
9) I hope Tejada recovers. I am more of a Flores fan, but Tejada worked hard to regain his starting job, and I commend him for it. It is too bad his post-season ends this way. I hope he fully recovers.

My BIGGEST concern is that it bleed into games 3 and 4. Whereas the Dodgers had the advantage in games 1 and 2 (they had the better pitchers), in games 3 and 4 the Mets have the better pitchers (unless Kershaw comes back short rest for game 4). Chaos will only even the chances. I hope Harvey and the Mets focus on just playing good baseball, not on retaliation.

Chompsky

I'm a Mets fan too. I hope Torre has the balls to fine and suspend Utley. He has a history of these dirty slides and this one was clearly outside the rules. Utley has been washed up for several years and is a non-factor in the series except for his dirty play. One can argue that his Mendoza like performance is akin to stealing money from his employers, if I were the Dodgers I'd be advocating for his some punishment that releases them from the $45 million they owe him for the next three seasons. He wants to play rough, let MLB play rough with him. I'd fine him at least 25% of his season salary - let him think hard before he tries that bullshit again. That would be $3.75 million, BTW. And if he is still playing next year, one of the Met's hurlers should break his elbow, after throwing some heat behind his head.

I am surprised the league office suspended and fined Utley as they ruled he was safe on replay, determining the slide was not malicious but then after the game ruling it was malicious. There is no rule that requires a slide, indeed Torre talked to the umpire who thought slide was legal and Torre was only willing to say he thought it was a little late. Would expect Utley to challenge the ruling and I would expect he will win as he did not violate any rule of baseball as determined by either the umpires on the field, or the replay command center that MLB itself runs. Only suspended due to whining of New York press, players and fans and Tejada's injury, which was probably due to his steroid use creating weak bones.
COLLISIONS VS INTERFERENCE

The runner has a right to an unobstructed path while running the bases. The fielder has a right to make a play without interference. The runner has the right to the base path except when a fielder is attempting to field a BATTED BALL or has possession of the ball.

Sometimes when the runner and fielder collide, no penalty should be applied. The umpire must judge whether someone's rights were violated. This applies mainly to plays where the throw and the runner are arriving at the same time. There is no such thing as a must slide rule. When a runner collides with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball, he should be called out in almost all cases. If the runner collides with a fielder attempting to catch a throw, the umpire must first decide if the collision was intentional, then decide if the act interfered with, impeded, hindered or confused the fielder. If the runner is legally in the base path and simply running the bases when a collision occurs, he is not out. If he deviates from his path and/or intentionally interferes, or makes malicious contact, he is out. In sliding to a base he must be able to reach out and touch the base with his hand. If he slides into a fielder while more than an arms length from the base it is interference if the fielder is attempting a play. If a runner goes into a base standing up and this act hindered the fielder in an attempt to make a play, it is interference. If he does not slide, he must get out of the fielder's way.

The "must slide" rule is a myth. Only when the fielder has possession of the ball, is the runner required to make a choice of actions. The runner has two choices, slide OR attempt to get around the fielder. He is not required to slide only.
See also; Sliding

Rule 7.09 is the main rule that covers interference

As I understand interference was never in question. He was ruled out on the field. The challenge was that Tejada did not touch second. That was upheld. Utley could not be called out for not touching second as it was logical for him to leave the field after being called out. Putting him at second was the only thing umpires could do given the rules and the rulings.

Now whether it was a clean slide or not is a completely different question. Apparently Torre agreed with me that the hit was excessive. I liken it to when a receiver is defenseless going over the middle of field and someone just levels him even though there is no chance of catching the ball. As far as I am concerned that was a cheap shot dirty play by Utley. I would have suspended him for rest of postseason and then some.

Interesting this is the second time Utley has taken the Mets shortstop out on a dirty slide. Same slide in to home taking out a catcher and he is automatically out. Why do we protect catchers who have protective gear on and allow open season on middle infielders? I think the rule needs to be changed so dirty plays like this are eliminated and dirtbags like Utley are immediately tossed from a game followed by review by league office with suspensions added depending on how dirty the play was.

They made the Posey rule when he was injured on a questionable slide. Do we really need to wait until a superstar middle infielder gets his career put in jeopardy before we establish reasonable guidelines making dirty slides illegal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIiYw53nGd0

Here is Hal McCrae in 1977 ALCS - far worse than what Utley did other than the SS did not have bones weakened by Steroid usage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbdvlX1j77w
Same Series Brett knocks into Nettles then punches him and nothing happens to any player
Here is Brandon Philips in 2013 in an identical slide to Utley's - nothing happened
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPPFW4xjdM0

Here is Chase Utley in 2010, though this was against Cardinals so no one cared https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-d-cxj6LJM

Now here is a similar play this year from Brett Lawrie who was fined and suspended for conduct towards umpires in previous years, if MLB wanted to make a statement they could have started here rather than in playoffs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSW8Vvu6G6Q

Here is another similar play where 2B was injured and nothing is said, no fines suspension just a couple of weeks ago - if MLB wants to change the rules they should but do not change them when it has never been enforced in past in playoffs merely to help a New York team. ESPN reviewed and saw nothing wrong, actually started blaming the second baseman in this case, but again not a New York player

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEj7slTe7a4

Here is Hal McCrae in 1977 ALCS - far worse than what Utley did other than the SS did not have bones weakened by Steroid usage.

Mcrae play was a super cheap shot. If he was not suspended he should have been.
Regarding bones weakened by steroids is it possible you have Reuben confused with Miguel Tejada? Regardless, I do not think past use of roids warrants cheap shots and dirty play by an opponent.

Here is Chase Utley in 2010, though this was against Cardinals so no one cared

This play was illegal as well. Utley actually has his back turned to second base. Clearly making no pretense at sliding to the bag.

Brett Lawrie play another good example I would consider a dirty play.

I hope this will be addressed in the offseason with new clear rules that will eliminate this sort of play. I was skeptical when they made the new plate blocking rule whether it could be practically enforced. But over the course of this season I have seen a dramatic change in how runners approach sliding in to home. Odor in game 2 is an excellent example of scoring on a quality slide where in the past we probably see a collision and possible serious injury of one or both of the players. I believe we should be able to get the same game modification for the double play at second.

It apparently took Posey getting needlessly injured to address home plate collisions. Do we really need to have some superstar middle infielder severely injured before we take measures to clean up the situation at second?