Chase Utley angered some people Saturday night with a vicious takeout slide on Ruben Tejada in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 5-2 win over the New York Mets in Game 2 of the teams’ National League Division Series.
Utley slid extremely late while preventing a potential double play, sending Tejada crashing to the ground and breaking the Mets shortstop’s leg. Many former and current major leaguers have since weighed in on the controversial play, with most — not all — being critical.
First, we’ll start with the Mets’ clubhouse, where Tejada’s teammates understandably weren’t happy.
David Wright: “I have a problem with the play on a number of different levels, one being the slide itself. In my opinion, he wasn’t anywhere close to the bag.”
Michael Cuddyer: “That’s not a slide, it was a tackle. It was late and he came down on Ruben’s legs before he hit the ground. So that’s not a slide.”
“It’s up to you to decide if tackling is legal in baseball.”
Kelly Johnson: “If (Utley) hits the ground first I have no problem with it. But he just crushed Ruben in the legs. There has to be a line drawn somewhere.”
The frustration wasn’t limited to the Mets’ clubhouse, of course. Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez criticized the questionable slide on MLB Network after the game.
“That is something that is mind-boggling coming from a second baseman who plays the same position,” Martinez said. “It kind of bothers me to see that, that he went to break up the double play.
“This kid has a family. This kid needs his job. You might jeopardize his career. Who knows?” Martinez added. ” … Why didn’t you slide with a little bit more time. You do have the time to slide a little bit further away from Tejada and still break up the double play.”
As is the case nowadays with most contentious situations, Twitter immediately exploded. Everyone seemed to have an opinion, especially those with big league experience.
If you tell Utley to teach kids to slide on second base? Would he teach them the way he slided tonight?
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) October 11, 2015
Ok… After a few more looks at it, Utley should have come in lower. I think the idea of coming in hard and breaking it up was right tho!
— Tony Gwynn Jr. (@tonygwynnjr) October 11, 2015
The agree that the slide was late, but not dirty! #NLDS2015 #DodgersMets
— Tony Gwynn Jr. (@tonygwynnjr) October 11, 2015
that was a really weak attempt at a slide by utley😡😡😡😡
— Jose Reyes (@lamelaza_7) October 11, 2015
If that was a superstar shortstop we would have a Tulo Rule being enforced tomorrow
— Justin Upton (@JUST_JUP) October 11, 2015
Always called him one of my toughest teammates…Utley showing why I always called him a winner!!! #MLBPlayoffs
— Shane Victorino (@ShaneVictorino) October 11, 2015
Like it or not, Utley plays hard and I would want him on my team.
— Mark Mulder (@markmulder20) October 11, 2015
Chase Utley s slide so dirty …wow so late .when I played I weighed 240 and would never consider hitting someone so harg
— Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) October 11, 2015
If that wasn't a takeout by Utley, @Greg_YNWA1, then what exactly was it? Because he wasn't trying to get to the base.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 11, 2015
Alex Cora has been excellent with his analysis of the Utley slide on ESPN. Called it a "tackle" and a dirty play. He's right.
— JackCurryYES (@JackCurryYES) October 11, 2015
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) October 11, 2015
Utley obviously not only crossed line but was way out of line to break up a double play leaving Tejada with a broken leg. Now what baseball?
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) October 11, 2015
It was beyond dirty! No intent by Utley 2 make a baseball play. My cousins would be in the parking lot in the regal https://t.co/47Ol0vwZ0N
— Marcellus Wiley (@marcelluswiley) October 11, 2015
Utley was out three times: 1) willful interference 2) neighborhood play 3) never touched bag, abandoned field #FireChrisGuccione
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) October 11, 2015
It should come as no surprise, but Utley said he didn’t mean to injure Tejada.
Just exchanged texts with #Dodgers’ Utley. Here is what he said: “In no way shape or form was I trying to hurt Ruben…
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 11, 2015
“… I slid in hard like I have for 12 years. I feel terrible about the outcome. I've reached out to Ruben via David Wright.”
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 11, 2015
Thumbnail photo via Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports Images
