Posted on 10/11/2015 7:22:13 PM PDT by DoughtyOne
“That wasn’t a slide”
My thoughts, exactly.
Part-time player the past two seasons trying to be the MVP in his last season.
I have watched it a couple of times. It does not look like a dirty play to me.
...
Nope. It just led to a bad injury. And Utley took a foot to the groin and a knee to the head.
Check out the author’s name.
Sliding to break up a double play is an intentional and legal play.
He didn’t even start his “slide” until he was even with or past the base. Dirty play by a dirty thug of a player.
Mattingly is a POS for challenging the out call as well. No surprise the Yankees didn’t start winning until that loser was gone.
I agree 100% ...... if his leg wasn’t injured. it would be a non-issue
Utley barely hits 100 anymore, no great loss
For perspective, many historical plays to break up double plays look as bad or worse than Utley’s. This is a bad suspension.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=breaking+up+double+plays
I think as soon as Tejada broke his lead Utley was a dead duck doesn’t matter if it was accidental or not
The runner is supposed to target second base and not the fielder.
Jim 0216, this is my take on it.
Utley did not stay on the bag or even touch it, but he had also been called out incorrectly.
He was not tagged by Tajada. Once Tajada was down I believe a time out was automatic.
This froze Utley off the bag but not “put out” by any official means.
Once he was deemed not to have been forced out by way of Tajada missing the base, he was awarded the base.
It’s a strange play, but I believe this is a sound ruling.
The umpire had called him out. He was under the impression there was no chance of him attaining the bag at that point. This led him not to try to attain the base.
Agreed (and I'm a Dodger fan).
That’s why umpires use the ‘neighborhood rule’ on the touch of second base in double plays, which is also objected to by those who don’t watch a lot of baseball.
I believe that fibula bone has been broken by guys just jamming their foot on the base.
That said, the slide was at the limits of acceptibility and the suspension will probably be upheld, even though it would probably be overlooked in the regular season.
We were taught by our old coach, Cleve Jones, in high school to break up double plays in exactly that way. Use your lower leg to push him out of the play.
We were taught not to go in feet high and the infielders were taught to throw the ball right between the runners eyes if he did.
We were also taught in tackling practice to put the word “Riddell” right between the numbers then slide off to the shoulder before gripping behind the knees and sitting him on his seat. Now that is illegal and rightly so. Leading with the helmet causes all kinds of injuries to both sides.
I know that people will be worked up over this, so I suppose it’s a good idea.
I am very sorry to see Tajada prevented from playing in post season games.
I don’t think Utley or the Dodgers are happy over this outcome.
If folks will review how Tajada took it, I think they’ll begin to notice he knew it as just a part of the game. He expressed no anger at all.
One the way off the field he wasn’t growling.
Agreed, Utley took a ringer to the head & according to the ruling, he was safe whether he touched the base or not. The ump made an incorrect out call so by the rules, ruling is reversed..safe.
Utley was just trying to break up a double play..happens all the time. Unfortunately, resulted in broken/fractured femur.
A hard slide on the base path as you are coming in is fine. This wasn't that. The rule needs to clearly indicate that any attempt to take an infielder out of a play that you are not legitimately trying to make into safety is interference and results in both you and the player at first base being called out.
This isn't baseball. [It's not even legal in football.]
Amazing how many Freepers commented here, and obviously don’t know that trying to break up the double play has been a part of baseball practically forever.
It’s just bad luck of the broken leg.
Good explanation. Thanks.
I was still surprised they didn’t call Utley out for his slide that targeted Tajada, completely bypassing second base.
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