Chase Utley suspended 2 games for dangerous slide

[Rylant]

... And rightfully so. Ruben Tejada suffered a broken leg in the collision, which Utley fully admitted, he was trying to slide into Tejada hard in an attempt to break up the double play.

They need to do something more in order to protect middle infielders who are hit by runners who are clearly not trying to reach Second, but are trying to collide with somebody in a vulnerable throwing position in an attempt!pt to break up a double play.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/154097...nded-for-slide

Rylant

[Big Ev]

if he wasn't injured I doubt he gets suspended. I love utleys physicality

[The Comish]

They've got to protect infielders from those slides - at least be an arm's length away from the bag and start your slide so that it's relatively believable that you're not trying to tackle the fielder. That Utley slide was ugly and he clearly had no intention other than to break up the double play. Garbage slide.

Hey Ev, you wouldn't like Utley's physicality if he slid into Erik Karlsson and broke his leg, would you? You are right though, I doubt there would be a suspension if Tejada wasn't hurt on the play.

[Rylant]

They've got to protect infielders from those slides - at least be an arm's length away from the bag and start your slide so that it's relatively believable that you're not trying to tackle the fielder. That Utley slide was ugly and he clearly had no intention other than to break up the double play. Garbage slide.

Hey Ev, you wouldn't like Utley's physicality if he slid into Erik Karlsson and broke his leg, would you? You are right though, I doubt there would be a suspension if Tejada wasn't hurt on the play.

When interviewed, Utley fully admitted that he was trying to break up the double play by sliding hard into Tejada. He also said that he felt terrible that Tejada was injured. Sounds believable, but I agree, they have to put something into place to protect those guys.

Rylant

[Axeman33]

It happens way too often in baseball and goes unnoticed by MLB. The only reason he got suspended was because its the playoffs and all eyes were on the game.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with the suspension. He didn't even touch the base as he was sliding, but they need to be more consistent on their rulings. If it's illegal in the playoffs, it needs to be illegal during the regular season as well.

[Big Ev]

They've got to protect infielders from those slides - at least be an arm's length away from the bag and start your slide so that it's relatively believable that you're not trying to tackle the fielder. That Utley slide was ugly and he clearly had no intention other than to break up the double play. Garbage slide.

Hey Ev, you wouldn't like Utley's physicality if he slid into Erik Karlsson and broke his leg, would you? You are right though, I doubt there would be a suspension if Tejada wasn't hurt on the play.

I love when people try to argue things that make no sense at all. Erik Karlsson doesn't play baseball. He plays hockey for the Ottawa Senators of the national hockey league.

[Zorro]

Hard slide is right.. I don't mind it when guys go for the bag and the defensive player is there.. But Utley clearly went for the defender.. Two games is fair in a playoff series,could have gave 3 and I wouldhave been ok with that as well..

[GinFizz]

The labor union is going to have a fun time with this suspension.

[The Comish]

I love when people try to argue things that make no sense at all. Erik Karlsson doesn't play baseball. He plays hockey for the Ottawa Senators of the national hockey league.

Okay, I guess you don't get subtlety or you are purposely being daft.

So you must like P.K. Subban's physicality as well, especially in last year's playoffs, when he broke Stone's wrist with a "tough" play. My point is taking out a player with a hard slide while he's trying to make a play and can't defend himself is nothing to applaud. I like P.K.'s physicality, but I wouldn't make that statement right after he broke Stone's wrist because it was a garbage play, much like Utley's slide - no intent other than to stop the unsuspecting player from making a play - Stone, a chance on goal; Tejada, throwing out the runner at first base. Both plays resulted in a player being hurt.

[mojavedesert]

Big Dodgers fan here and I hated the slide Utley made as he didn't even attempt to reach the bag. Completely wreckless play. I'd be fine if he was suspended longer than the 2 games but I hope it is not reduced because of an appeal. They need to look at this closer in the regular season also...I'm sure Pittsburgh shortstops would be happy about it.

[Big Ev]

Okay, I guess you don't get subtlety or you are purposely being daft.

So you must like P.K. Subban's physicality as well, especially in last year's playoffs, when he broke Stone's wrist with a "tough" play. My point is taking out a player with a hard slide while he's trying to make a play and can't defend himself is nothing to applaud. I like P.K.'s physicality, but I wouldn't make that statement right after he broke Stone's wrist because it was a garbage play, much like Utley's slide - no intent other than to stop the unsuspecting player from making a play - Stone, a chance on goal; Tejada, throwing out the runner at first base. Both plays resulted in a player being hurt.

you're comparing apples and oranges. A slash in hockey breaking a players wrist or injuring their wrist in general is a penalty because it is breaking a rule. What utley did might be considered wrong, but no rules were broken. His slide is fully allowable under the rules. So suspending him is the wrong move because he technically do nothing wrong. They will change the rule now, but you can't suspend a guy who didn't break the rules.

[GinFizz]

you're comparing apples and oranges. A slash in hockey breaking a players wrist or injuring their wrist in general is a penalty because it is breaking a rule. What utley did might be considered wrong, but no rules were broken. His slide is fully allowable under the rules. So suspending him is the wrong move because he technically do nothing wrong. They will change the rule now, but you can't suspend a guy who didn't break the rules.

Agreed.

[2014olympicgold]

Rule 5.09(a)(13) reads as follows:

The objective of this rule is to penalize the offensive team for deliberate, unwarranted, unsportsmanlike action by the runner in leaving the baseline for the obvious purpose of crashing the pivot man on a double play, rather than trying to reach the base. Obviously, this is an umpire's judgment play.

- - - Updated - - -

So there is a rule on sliding for a takeout and not for the base. but it's very vague and needs to be refined. I agree with the suspension because he's almost side by side with the base when he starts his "slide". To me it was very late.

[GinFizz]

The ump did not see it that way. There are plenty of slides that have hurt players in the past that have not received suspensions. Why now??? I believe they suspended him just because they did not want a riot to break out in Queens.

[2014olympicgold]

The ump did not see it that way. There are plenty of slides that have hurt players in the past that have not received suspensions. Why now??? I believe they suspended him just because they did not want a riot to break out in Queens.

Hes contesting it, so he's playing today. I doubt the league wouldn't have thought he'd appeal it.