Chase Utley Suspended for games 3 and 4

[calsnowskier]

The rule needs to be changed. Utley didn't even make an attempt to touch the base. He went directly for Tejada's legs. Breaking a dude's legs shouldn't ever be an acceptable strategic move.

No. No rules need to be changed. Existing rules simply need to be enforced.

 

[packerzrule]

Breaking a dude's legs shouldn't ever be an acceptable strategic move.

unless you work for the Mafia

 

[The Oldtimer]

Hopefully that was the last game he played this season

LMFAO!!! Great comment coming from a New York fan!!!

 

[The Oldtimer]

No. No rules need to be changed. Existing rules simply need to be enforced.

What is the "existing rule" and if there is an "existing rule", why wasn't it enforced Saturday night??

 

[bksballer89]

LMFAO!!! Great comment coming from a New York fan!!!

I'm not a Mets fan

 

[The Oldtimer]

How do you get suspended for being called safe on a legal play?

Yeah, that is the $64,000 question. I know there are some San Francisco and New York fans that want Utley hung by his gonads. I have been watching baseball for 70 years and IMO, Utley make a "legal" slide. If Tejada didn't break his leg, we wouldn't even be having this discussion!! Quite a few fans think Utley did it on "purpose".

 

[The Oldtimer]

I'm not a Mets fan

I didn't say you were Mets fan. I said you were a New York fan!!

 

[bksballer89]

I didn't say you were Mets fan. I said you were a New York fan!!

Don't judge me just because I'm a NY fan

 

[The Oldtimer]

Don't judge me just because I'm a NY fan

How else should I judge you?

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Yeah, that is the $64,000 question. I know there are some San Francisco and New York fans that want Utley hung by his gonads. I have been watching baseball for 70 years and IMO, Utley make a "legal" slide. If Tejada didn't break his leg, we wouldn't even be having this discussion!! Quite a few fans think Utley did it on "purpose".

I'm 99.9% sure Huwaryu was being sarcastic with that post.....but it flew over your head.

 

[bksballer89]

Yeah, that is the $64,000 question. I know there are some San Francisco and New York fans that want Utley hung by his gonads. I have been watching baseball for 70 years and IMO, Utley make a "legal" slide. If Tejada didn't break his leg, we wouldn't even be having this discussion!! Quite a few fans think Utley did it on "purpose".

Starting your slide when you're already at 2nd base is pretty illegal if you ask me.

 

[The Oldtimer]

Starting your slide when you're already at 2nd base is pretty illegal if you ask me.

You could be right, but they have not been enforcing it for 70/80 years.

 

[The Oldtimer]

I'm 99.9% sure Huwaryu was being sarcastic with that post.....but it flew over your head.

Could have "went over my head", but I still have that .1% chance that it didn't. LOL!!

 

[The Oldtimer]

Well deserved. He didn't start his slide till well after reaching 2nd base & almost simultaneously as when he makes contact with the infielder. That's the issue here. If you are going to try to break up a double play, you have to start your slide way earlier than that.

You just can't do what Utley did & think it's a "baseball play".

When they made the silly catcher contact rules I was telling everyone that far more contact occurs & players get hurt at 2B than do at home plate. That's the contact play that should have had it's rules changed, not contact at home plate.

I'm not sure what the MLB rule is about "when" to start your slide into second base, but Utley had a chance to touch second base with his left hand and IMO that is a "legal" slide as he didn't go "out of the base path". I've seen some runners go completely out of the base path to break up a double play.

 

[bksballer89]

MLB is a joke. How do you suspend someone for a playoffs game and can't hear the appeal before the next game?

Chase Utley's appeal of a two-game suspension is "highly unlikely" to be heard today, per the LA Times, which would mean the Dodgers INF would be eligible to play Game 3 vs. the Mets tonight.

 

[Davis_Mike]

I'm not sure what the MLB rule is about "when" to start your slide into second base, but Utley had a chance to touch second base with his left hand and IMO that is a "legal" slide as he didn't go "out of the base path". I've seen some runners go completely out of the base path to break up a double play.

Joe Torre said of the slide:

“I’d hate to think that Utley tried to hurt somebody. It certainly was late. That concerns me, the lateness of the slide. I’m looking at it just to see if there's anything we feel should be done.''

"I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09 (a) (13), which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base."

It has nothing to do with if he could reach the base, which he never did touch. It's about when he slid. He slid way too late.

The umps should have called Utley for obstruction & ruled a double play out. Going forward, just like the NFL does every season, there will be a rule emphasis to make sure the umpires start making the correct obstruction call for these plays.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I'm not a Mets fan

I didn't say you were Mets fan. I said you were a New York fan!!

Don't judge me just because I'm a NY fan

How else should I judge you?

Well, he was this close to being a Royals fan last week. . .

 

[Cyder]

How else should I judge you?

Considering he has a Heat and Saints logo he doesn't seem like a NY fan. To be a NY fan you need to root for NY teams, not just the Yankees

 

[mrwallace2ku]

All Utley had to do was reach out on his slide past second and try to touch 2nd base before his collision. The rules are clear.

Good clean hard-nosed basaballa.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I have been watching baseball for 70 years