ADVERTISEMENT

SIAP...So what do you think about this whole Chase Utley kerfuffle?

Sucks that the Met broke his leg, but Chase was doing what he was supposed to do. There were two similar plays in the Cubs-Pirates series and the Pirate player was hurt on that play. Legal, but like the buster Posy rule for catchers, MLB will probably do something to protect infielders. No coment, they will be changing something that has been in baseball for eons to protect current players! As for those who commented that the Mets will bean Utley, just remember that LA will then be obligated to hit a Met in retaliation.
 
Changed my mind... they won't throw at his head.... but you will see a bunch of wickedness directed at his knees and particularly nasty sliders that will bounce inches before him and target his ankles. maybe chase won't be afraid, but those ankle knockers are painful mothers.
 
I get a kick out of posters stating that he wasn't trying to slide to be safe but to take out Tejada. That's the entire point!!! Utleys job in that play is to prevent the double play!!! For those that still think it was dirty take a look at Utleys slide. He even came in somewhat sideways as to not lead with the spikes into the guy. He's been spiked many times and frankly utleys sideways slide was as safe as he could be to prevent injury to him and Tejada. Its unfortunate that he broke his leg buy Utley wasn't trying to hurt him. He was trying to break up the double. Its on Tejada to protect himself too and frankly if Im playing 2nd or SS with 1 out and UTELY ON FIRST. Im fully aware he is coming in hard to second. Utley is a baseball purest and he coming in to do his job.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EPC FAN
I get a kick out of posters stating that he wasn't trying to slide to be safe but to take out Tejada. That's the entire point!!! Utleys job in that play is to prevent the double play!!! For those that still think it was dirty take a look at Utleys slide. He even came in somewhat sideways as to not lead with the spikes into the guy. He's been spiked many times and frankly utleys sideways slide was as safe as he could be to prevent injury to him and Tejada. Its unfortunate that he broke his leg buy Utley wasn't trying to hurt him. He was trying to break up the double. Its on Tejada to protect himself too and frankly if Im playing 2nd or SS with 1 out and UTELY ON FIRST. Im fully aware he is coming in hard to second. Utley is a baseball purest and he coming in to do his job.

I don't think the MLB rules has as the runner's primary job to prevent the double play. That may be the team's ultimate goal in that situation, but that is not in the rule book or the "job" of a baserunner under MLB rules. In fact, the rule book specifically states that a runner may not deliberately interfere with a fielder with the obvious intent to break up a double play. That is exactly what Utley was doing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PSUSignore
I don't think the MLB rules has as the runner's primary job to prevent the double play. That may be the team's ultimate goal in that situation, but that is not in the rule book or the "job" of a baserunner under MLB rules. In fact, the rule book specifically states that a runner may not deliberately interfere with a fielder with the obvious intent to break up a double play. That is exactly what Utley was doing.

this is one of those silly "unwritten" rules that have been a part of baseball for decades. yes, the MLB "rule" book says one thing, but players have been getting away with doing this (and as an accepted part of the game) for a long long time.

fans can't suddenly make a stink about it because they didn't like the results.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EPC FAN
Take a look at this one, Howie. Billy Martin came out to argue, but he didn't go berserk. Know why? He would have done the same thing.


So Billy Martin would have done the same thing? So what? That is a total bullshit play (as was Utley's) and not a "baseball play" at all. I am not necessarily arguing that what Utley did was against the current rules or that he should have been suspended. The rules need to be changed to try to protect protect vulnerable middle infielders from bullshit plays like that. MLB needs to address this and hopefully will. And yes I thought that before this incident.
 
There seems to be a pretty clear line drawn between the dinosaurs who always espouse the 'played the game the right way' BS and those that can see how a sport is evolving. Thankfully the dinosaurs are being phased out
 
The rule doesn't need to be changed, it just needs to be enforced.

The rule currently states: "If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter-runner because of the action of his teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner."

So it's obvious when a guy isn't sliding directly into a bag, or is sliding well beyond how he normally would if he were merely attempting to be safe, that he is deliberately interfering with the intent to break up the double play instead. So just enforce the rule. And suspend those who don't because of the injuries it causes. It would remove nothing entertaining from the game, and would save multiple serious injuries per year so that fans could actually see the best players on the field more often.
 
There seems to be a pretty clear line drawn between the dinosaurs who always espouse the 'played the game the right way' BS and those that can see how a sport is evolving. Thankfully the dinosaurs are being phased out

And the Pussification of America is being phased in
 
Hypothetical for all the internet tough guys: Lets say MLB handles this like its still the 1970s and doesn't say anything and Chase plays last night. First time up Harvey hits him in the face with a 97mph fastball, shatters his jaw and Chase never plays again. You ok with that? Satchell Paige used to love to throw chin music, aw its just part of the game! Heck, Mickey Cocharane was KO'd by a beanball and hospitalized for 7 days in 1937 back when guys were tough! And you can't change the rules just because someone got hurt.

You cool with that?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Yanks49
The rule doesn't need to be changed, it just needs to be enforced.

The rule currently states: "If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter-runner because of the action of his teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner."

So it's obvious when a guy isn't sliding directly into a bag, or is sliding well beyond how he normally would if he were merely attempting to be safe, that he is deliberately interfering with the intent to break up the double play instead. So just enforce the rule. And suspend those who don't because of the injuries it causes. It would remove nothing entertaining from the game, and would save multiple serious injuries per year so that fans could actually see the best players on the field more often.

Wrong rule, that one applies only to "interference with a batted ball" (nope) or "interference with a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball" (nope).

The rule in question:
A batter is out when: Rule 5.09(a)(13) A preceding runner shall, in the umpire’s judgment, intentionally interfere with a fielder who is attempting to catch a thrown ball or to throw a ball in an attempt to complete any play;

Rule 5.09(a)(13) Comment (Rule 6.05(m) Comment): 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.
 
Wrong rule, that one applies only to "interference with a batted ball" (nope) or "interference with a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball" (nope).

The rule in question:
A batter is out when: Rule 5.09(a)(13) A preceding runner shall, in the umpire’s judgment, intentionally interfere with a fielder who is attempting to catch a thrown ball or to throw a ball in an attempt to complete any play;

Rule 5.09(a)(13) Comment (Rule 6.05(m) Comment): 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.

Thanks, cited the wrong one.
 
There seems to be a pretty clear line drawn between the dinosaurs who always espouse the 'played the game the right way' BS and those that can see how a sport is evolving. Thankfully the dinosaurs are being phased out
Yeah, the dinosaurs who've seen the game evolve into beer league softball in the AL, and pussified play around the bag at second base, in the Senior Circuit.
 
Yeah, the dinosaurs who've seen the game evolve into beer league softball in the AL, and pussified play around the bag at second base, in the Senior Circuit.

Hypothetical for all the internet tough guys: Lets say MLB handles this like its still the 1970s and doesn't say anything and Chase plays last night. First time up Harvey hits him in the face with a 97mph fastball, shatters his jaw and Chase never plays again. You ok with that? Satchell Paige used to love to throw chin music, aw its just part of the game! Heck, Mickey Cocharane was KO'd by a beanball and hospitalized for 7 days in 1937 back when guys were tough! And you can't change the rules just because someone got hurt.

So youre ok with that tough guy?
 
  • Like
Reactions: PSUSignore
Wrong rule, that one applies only to "interference with a batted ball" (nope) or "interference with a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball" (nope).

The rule in question:
A batter is out when: Rule 5.09(a)(13) A preceding runner shall, in the umpire’s judgment, intentionally interfere with a fielder who is attempting to catch a thrown ball or to throw a ball in an attempt to complete any play;

Rule 5.09(a)(13) Comment (Rule 6.05(m) Comment): 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.

Gracias, Signore

The answer here is that the umpires did not enforce the written rule in the Utley situation ... did it cost the Mets the game - I can't be certain of that, but it did give the Dodgers a run or two that they should not have earned had the rule as detailed above been enforced.

I suspect that the future holds that MLB will reinforce understanding the rule and the comment with their professional umpires. Expect to see some guys called out because the "leading" baserunner went after the fielder turning the DP instead of going to the base.

Doesn't help the guys who are currently in casts because the professional umpires did NOT enforce the written rule.
 
The answer here is that the umpires did not enforce the written rule in the Utley situation ... did it cost the Mets the game - I can't be certain of that, but it did give the Dodgers a run or two that they should not have earned had the rule as detailed above been enforced.
Agreed, and they likely didn't enforce it because there is a history of this rule not being enforced. Over the past few days many examples of aggressive "slides" have been shown, and I don't believe one was called. One could argue this is the fault of MLB in not telling umps to enforce this rule. But I personally don't think it's even debatable that Utley violated this rule as it is currently written, he did. If he was indeed sliding to the bag, he would have started his slide much, much earlier. Instead, he basically started his slide when he was already at the bag so he could take out Tejada. The injury is an unfortunate consequence, I doubt that was intentional, but at the same time injuries are inevitable with "slides" like this.

What really sticks in my craw is that MLB reviewed this, and still screwed it up. Then LA went on to take the lead later in the inning, in at bats that likely never should have even took place. To top it all off, the suspension confirms that MLB believes that Utley violated the rule, yet the suspension does nothing to correct the bad calls (live and in review). This call could single-handedly cost the Mets game 2 and potentially the series as it allowed LA to get their top pitchers back into play in game 4 and 5.

The good news is that this is likely the incident that changes how this rule is enforced in the future. Given all of the publicity I expect MLB will make some changes in the pretty near future.
 
The answer here is that the umpires did not enforce the written rule in the Utley situation ... did it cost the Mets the game - I can't be certain of that, but it did give the Dodgers a run or two that they should not have earned had the rule as detailed above been enforced.
Agreed, and they likely didn't enforce it because there is a history of this rule not being enforced. Over the past few days many examples of aggressive "slides" have been shown, and I don't believe one was called. One could argue this is the fault of MLB in not telling umps to enforce this rule. But I personally don't think it's even debatable that Utley violated this rule as it is currently written, he did. If he was indeed sliding to the bag, he would have started his slide much, much earlier. Instead, he basically started his slide when he was already at the bag so he could take out Tejada. The injury is an unfortunate consequence, I doubt that was intentional, but at the same time injuries are inevitable with "slides" like this.

What really sticks in my craw is that MLB reviewed this, and still screwed it up. Then LA went on to take the lead later in the inning, in at bats that likely never should have even took place. To top it all off, the suspension confirms that MLB believes that Utley violated the rule, yet the suspension does nothing to correct the bad calls (live and in review). This call could single-handedly cost the Mets game 2 and potentially the series as it allowed LA to get their top pitchers back into play in game 4 and 5.

The good news is that this is likely the incident that changes how this rule is enforced in the future. Given all of the publicity I expect MLB will make some changes in the pretty near future.
 
The answer here is that the umpires did not enforce the written rule in the Utley situation ... did it cost the Mets the game - I can't be certain of that, but it did give the Dodgers a run or two that they should not have earned had the rule as detailed above been enforced.
Agreed, and they likely didn't enforce it because there is a history of this rule not being enforced. Over the past few days many examples of aggressive "slides" have been shown, and I don't believe one was called. One could argue this is the fault of MLB in not telling umps to enforce this rule. But I personally don't think it's even debatable that Utley violated this rule as it is currently written, he did. If he was indeed sliding to the bag, he would have started his slide much, much earlier. Instead, he basically started his slide when he was already at the bag so he could take out Tejada. The injury is an unfortunate consequence, I doubt that was intentional, but at the same time injuries are inevitable with "slides" like this.

What really sticks in my craw is that MLB reviewed this, and still screwed it up. Then LA went on to take the lead later in the inning, in at bats that likely never should have even took place. To top it all off, the suspension confirms that MLB believes that Utley violated the rule, yet the suspension does nothing to correct the bad calls (live and in review). This call could single-handedly cost the Mets game 2 and potentially the series as it allowed LA to get their top pitchers back into play in game 4 and 5.

The good news is that this is likely the incident that changes how this rule is enforced in the future. Given all of the publicity I expect MLB will make some changes in the pretty near future.
 
ADVERTISEMENT