Chase Utley Suspended 2 Games for Slide that Broke Ruben Tejada's Leg

ESPN ^ | 10/11/2015 | Mark Saxon, ESPN Staff Writer

[DoughtyOne]

NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball has suspended Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Chase Utley for Games 3 and 4 of the National League Division Series for what the league deemed was an illegal slide into New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada.

[DoughtyOne]

...fielder, but I know what you mean.

He can go beyond the bag. He doesn’t have to stop on at the bag in plays like this.

[DoughtyOne]

Nice photos. I think it will take a lot more of them...

LOL

[FredZarguna]

No need to get butthurt over it.

My team is out of the playoffs, so there's no personal investment. But your concern over what could be a career-ending injury, or one that requires extensive and painful rehab is touching.

If someone intentionally breaks your leg, would you be kind enough to post it here, so I can ask you not to get butt hurt over it?

Lots of players play hard & aggressive, is that a bad thing?

When it's illegal, yes, it is.

[jocon307]

So I googled it and this is what I found on the ESPN site from just a few months ago (I guess it was the anniversary of the brawl or something) “[Juan] Marichal infamously clubbed Dodgers catcher John Roseboro over the head with a bat, an action never seen before or again on a major league field.”

So, that was a deliberate attack, not a dirty play, although Roseboro admits to provoking Marichal, so THAT part was a dirty play.

But, I note the “before or again”.

In the end they forgave all, I admire men for the way they can do that.

[FreeReign]

...fielder, but I know what you mean.

Yikes, that should be "fielder" thanks.

He can go beyond the bag. He doesn’t have to stop on at the bag in plays like this.

Yes I agree the runner doesn't have to stop at the bag.

Look, you think the runner started his slide at the bag or just before, if I'm reading you correctly. I think he started his slide just after the bag.

We don't agree.

[vbmoneyspender]

What is the problem is that he went past second base and then barreled into the fielder without sliding.

Are you looking at the picture you posted? Here it is again.

The pictures shows Utley sliding with his left knee. Dirt is clearly being sprayed by his knee. And Utley is reaching for the bag and actually looking down at it . . . when he gets hit in the face by Tejada's knee. At that point Utley gets thrown onto his back and his head actually bounces off of the ground. And yet you are faulting him for not completing the touch of the bag even though he got decked by Tejada's knee. Look at the video, it shows what happened if you are willing to see it.

[FredZarguna]

a.) he didn’t go out of the base path

That's why he's three feet behind the base.

b.) he can overshoot the bag and did, it’s legal

He cannot roll. That is not legal.

c.) he didn’t make an unfair hit

Right. That's why he was suspended. MLB is constantly suspending players for making clean, fair plays.

It's a real problem.

[vbmoneyspender]

[rainee]

I was horrified when watched it! Nobody wants to see that happen to any player. But after watching it over & over, my opinion hasn’t changed.
Maybe Tejada will follow Kangs lead & say no hard feelings, just part of the game. Will you think differently then?

[Mears]

“You can be the judge of that. LOL”

---

I may be an old lady but I’m not blind. :-)

.

[DoughtyOne]

His knee is on the ground in that shot with his hand just over the bag.

At that point he is already in contact with Tejada.

[DoughtyOne]

Fred, you’re wrong. Sorry, but you are.

If MLB had made this decision for cause, they would have kept him out the rest of the year.

MLB had better not start causing runners to double think their slides into second. It will screw up the game.

Too many plays like this take place without injury, to go postal over this one.

[DoughtyOne]

I hope not. I want you to enjoy these years.

[rainee]

& I agree with you, Kang/Coghlan was way worse!
Horrible..

[vbmoneyspender]

What is the problem is that he went past second base and then barreled into the fielder without sliding.

Here is best image I can find of where Utley was when Tejada's knee hit his face and it looks like he is right at 2nd base reaching down to touch the base

[rainee]

Oops, meant for you Fred ;)

& I agree with you, Kang/Coghlan was way worse!
Horrible..

[Rome2000]

It’s not about the contact.

It’s what MLB pulled in NY after the play that is the issue.

A scam was perpetrated that cost the Mets the game because all of Hollywood was in the stands and MLB couldnt risk a sweep.

All this BS about this is how the game is played leaves out one obvious fact.

In all of those other instances, the runner who slid was out,as was Utley.

That was the call, he RAN to the dugout, and the replay wasn’t conclusive to overturn.

IN FACT, the angle from above shows the bag deflecting as Tenada sweeps it before he is clobbered about 4 feet to the left, and Utley Clearly NEVER even touched second.

All this BS about the slide/tackle is irrelevant.

[rainee]

Larry Bowa saying Tejada deserves part of blame:

http://nypost.com/2015/10/11/why-ruben-tejada-deserves-some-blame-larry-bowa/blame too..

[FreeReign]

Dirt is clearly being sprayed by his knee.

This frame shows contact past the bag.

Looking at the dirt, it appears to me that the knee hit the ground about 6" to maybe a foot before this frame.

Torre says that's a late slide.

I agree.

[vbmoneyspender]

Come on. Try to be forthright on this. That still frame is well past the point where the initial contact took place. At that point they are barely even in contact with each other anymore.