October 12, 201510 yr If they are going to protect catchers, why not middle infielders? Hopefully this leads to MLB clarifying the rule in the offseason and making it a point of emphasis next year. It is a shame that it takes players breaking their legs to get things changed.
October 12, 201510 yr So, if Utley doesn't start game 3...do the Mets plunk someone else? (Maybe Adrian Gonzalez?) Or do you wait for Utley to get in the game? But I will be shocked if someone doesn't take on in between the shoulder blades tomorrow. I really don't think anyone gets plunked tonight unless the score is 4 or 5 run differential. Too important of a game and can't risk Matt Harvey getting tossed.
October 12, 201510 yr I have no issue with it. So you guys who think it was dirty think he was trying to injure Tejada? That's what a dirty play is, with malicious intent. Correct, he certainly was not trying to slide into the base, he made no effort or motion towards the base at any point.
October 12, 201510 yr Correct, he certainly was not trying to slide into the base, he made no effort or motion towards the base at any point. So you really think when Utley was running down the base path he thought to himself, "I'm going to go try and break Tejada's leg here"? You really think he intentionally was trying to hurt him?
October 13, 201510 yr So you really think when Utley was running down the base path he thought to himself, "I'm going to go try and break Tejada's leg here"? You really think he intentionally was trying to hurt him? I don't think he had the idea of "I want to hurt him" but I think he had the idea of "I'm going to hit him hard so he can't turn two". So no, I don't think he was aiming to break his leg, but I do think he was aiming for him. The thing that makes this different from a vast majority of take out slides is the timing and positioning of it. I don't remember seeing too many slides where the runner makes contact with the ground next to the bag. They normally make contact with the ground 3-4 feet on the 1st base side. That changes how the contact is. In this case it was a downward and through type of contact that rolled up Tejada's leg. Normally it's just an undercutting contact that flips the MIF. I also think that if it was a normal turn, Utley would've done a normal take out slide as to not get hit in the face with the throw to first. But because Tejada was turning, he saw the opportunity to go in later and not get a ball to the face.
October 13, 201510 yr I don't think he had the idea of "I want to hurt him" but I think he had the idea of "I'm going to hit him hard so he can't turn two". So no, I don't think he was aiming to break his leg, but I do think he was aiming for him. The thing that makes this different from a vast majority of take out slides is the timing and positioning of it. I don't remember seeing too many slides where the runner makes contact next to the bag. They normally make contact 3-4 feet on the 1st base side. That changes how the contact is. In this case it was a downward and through type of contact that rolled up Tejada's leg. Normally it's just an undercutting contact that flips the MIF. I also think that if it was a normal turn, Utley would've done a normal take out slide as to not get hit in the face with the throw to first. But because Tejada was turning, he saw the opportunity to go in later and not get a ball to the face. If there was no malicious intent, and his only motivation for it was to try and break up the double play, it's not a dirty play. Excessive? Maybe. Dirty? Not at all. JMO.
October 13, 201510 yr If there was no malicious intent, and his only motivation for it was to try and break up the double play, it's not a dirty play. Excessive? Maybe. Dirty? Not at all. JMO. I see your point. The reason I called it dirty is because the way he did it significantly increased the chances of injury to Tejada. Whether he meant to hurt him or not is irrelevant to me. It's the fact that he chose to do it in a way that increased likelihood of injury when he could have done it in the normal way that has less likelihood of injury. But as every post on BGP, that's JMO as well.
October 13, 201510 yr So you really think when Utley was running down the base path he thought to himself, "I'm going to go try and break Tejada's leg here"? You really think he intentionally was trying to hurt him? He wasnt trying to slide into second base.
October 13, 201510 yr He wasnt trying to slide into second base. Correct he was trying to break up a double play. Happens hundreds of times during the season.
October 13, 201510 yr Correct he was trying to break up a double play. Happens hundreds of times during the season. Not like he did it it does not.
October 13, 201510 yr Not like he did it it does not. Yes it does. Players go well out of the base path with their slides to attempt to stop double plays all the time. Regardless, there was no malicious intent to harm, so it's not dirty.
October 13, 201510 yr He wasnt trying to slide into second base. He doesn't have to, just within arms reach.
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