I'm not taking sides, either Bums or Mets. I do not feel Tejada has learned how to turn two without getting airborne, when necessary, I doubt we'd even see contact, say if Jeter was making that play, and many others, I really doubt would of been plowed down..... I'm not condoning Utley's slide, but I'm not supporting Tejada's failure to launch either......
I believe when Tejada took the relay he pretty much had his back to the bag, I don't think he even saw Utley coming before he was blindsided.
Exactly the point: Tejada knew he could possibly have to turn 2, before the ball was hit....He didn't see Chase coming, but knew he was and should have been a bit more seasoned of a SS, to turn 2, instead of being plowed down. In a way most Middle Infielders would have. I'm just not impressed and never have been with Tejada's skill sets...........just saying.......! I can't support Chase's slide or side either....!! i
Not to jump on the injured but the bad throw by Murphy meant there was no chance of getting two there.
...^^^Rick, that has nothing to do with the rule. And he appear to try to grab for the bag on the way by...he was kneed in the side of the head by Tejada as he got to the bag.
No one starts there slide at the bag & because of that alone I think Torre saw intent, as do many others. Myself included. And remember, this is not the 1st time that Utley went out of his way with TeJada, there appears to be some history between these two. Tonight's game is going to be interesting. I'm guessing that sometime during this game the benches will empty. This is an interesting read on the topic......http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/154038044/chase-utley-slide-should-be-outlawed
...of course there was "intent", and the long standing play of a runner intentionally interfering with the turning of a DP has always been allowed and everyone knows the runner "intends" to interfere....again, it's always been a part of the game because that's the way the rules are currently worded and have always been interpreted. ...and I'm aware of Tejada's and Utley's "history"...I provided the video showing it...but Utley was not ruled out or suspended the first time either, was he? ...again, the problem is not the play itself, but instead, it's the wording of the rules. ...already glanced at the article you linked...Brian Kenney?...lol...he told 1/2 the story as he generally does...and also contradicts himself and also implies that the game should be replayed. ...how is it that 4 Umps on the field have the benefit of looking at the replay and they rule Utley safe, but Torre over-rules them?...again, it's total BS.
"Fox Sports commentator and former pitcher CJ Nitkowski wrote a story in which he asked more than 60 current and former major leaguers their opinion on Utley's slide: 79 percent said they thought it was legal; but 71 percent also thought it was dirty. I read that as a contradiction. And that is the power of Torre invoking this suspension in the middle of the postseason: If 79 percent of players believe this was a legal slide, in which Utley clearly and deliberately left the baseline for the obvious purpose of crashing the pivot man on a double play, then we need to change the way the play is ruled."
Utley was simply doing what and how he was taught to play the game, IMO.... McRae's slide into Randolph makes this play by Utley/Tejada look girl scout pedestrian, even taking into account tejada's injury, IMO....Same with the Rose/Harrelson incident........just saying....!
