March 8th, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka It’s not a matter of if it will happen, it’s a matter of when. But make no mistake about it – it will happen. Chase Utley is going to get drilled by a Mets pitcher this season.
Why?
Because that’s the way things are and always have been in the 147-year history of Major League Baseball. It’s one of baseball’s unwritten rules. It’s in The Baseball Codes – you back your teammates no matter what – period.
Ruben Tejada is carted off the field after suffering a broken fibula from Chase Utley’s takeout slide.
(Photo credit – Gregory Bull)
Last week Major League Baseball announced that it had overturned its October 11, 2015 decision to suspend Utley for two games for his takeout slide of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada during Game-2 of the 2015 NLDS at Dodger Stadium – a slide that left the then 25-year-old Santiago, Panama native with a fractured right fibula; a slide that forced Major League Baseball and the the MLB Players Association to change the rules governing takeout slides at second base that will, of course, forever be known as ‘The Utley Rule.’
Is it right or wrong?
It really doesn’t matter. Agree or disagree, it’s going to happen and even Chase Utley knows it.
During the winter, Utley and Mets reliever Erik Goeddel – both alumni of UCLA – somehow ended up on the same golf vacation in Cabo San Lucas and somehow ended up in the same foursome one day.
“I was a little surprised when my brother said we were golfing with him,” Goeddel told reporters at Mets spring training camp in Port St. Lucie, FL last week. “I didn’t really want to talk about it, I don’t think he really did either, but, you know, it just came up. We didn’t talk about it in much detail really, it was quick. … Kind of awkward.
“He understands. He definitely knows there is something coming,” Goeddel added. “He said ‘Just don’t peg me in the head.’ So he knows.”
Utley was hit by 10 pitches in 2015. Six of them were during his one month with the Dodgers.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
Although there are valid arguments on both sides of the suspension being overturned, the simple truth is that Utley did not violate any rules that were in place at the time. But more importantly – and you have to believe that this weighed heavily in Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre’s ultimate decision – is that there had been several equally violent takeout slides for which no suspensions were handed out, most notably the takeout slide of Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang by Cubs base runner Chris Coghlan less than a month earlier that sent Kang into emergency surgery for a fractured left tibia and torn lateral meniscus.
“I think [upholding the suspension] would have been an issue,” Torre told reporters on Sunday. “There wasn’t anything clear-cut to say that play violated a rule.”
There is now.
If there is anything positive to come out of Utley’s takeout slide it’s that it will (hopefully) prevent future serious injuries to middle infielders during double play attempts. The new Utley Rule requires base runners to make a “bona fide attempt to reach and remain on the base,” and prohibits the base runner “from changing his pathway to the base or utilizing a ‘roll block’ for the purpose of initiating contact with the fielder.”
“What’s important is that we have a rule and have given these guidelines,” said Torre, comparing the rule change to ‘The Posey Rule’ implemented two years ago. “We’ve eliminated [catchers] being carried off the field. That’s the good news. Hopefully the same message will be delivered under this new rule. We certainly want to keep guys on the field.”
Although an Utley drilling in inevitable, it is unlikely that it will happen when the Dodgers and Mets meet at at Dodger Stadium on May 9 – 12. But you can absolutely bet the farm that it will happen when the two teams meet again two weeks later on May 27 – 29 at Citi Field – amidst chants of “We want Ut-Ley” from angry Mets fans … unless, of course, he doesn’t play in those games. But that would merely prolong the inevitable even longer – something that nobody wants.
The irony of it all is that even though Utley’s suspension has officially been overturned, what will happen to the guy who drills him?
“If it happens we’ll have to address it,” Torre said. “We’re hopeful that doesn’t happen.”
Torre can hope all he wants, but it will happen – at least in the opinion of one former player:
The best that Torre and Dodger fans and Chase Utley and even the rest of the Dodgers and Mets players can hope for is just get it over with quickly and be done with it once and for all and move on – something that Utley very much wants to do.
“I think it’s good for everyone that we can put this behind us and focus on baseball,” Utley told reporters on Monday. “I can’t say enough how terrible I felt about what happened to Ruben. I had no intent to hurt him whatsoever, and anybody who thinks I did is completely wrong. I’m happy he’s healthy, he’s in camp, and he’s playing well. There’s nobody happier than me, really.”
And what’s Tejada’s take?
“I don’t care really. I am here healthy, happy here,” Tejada said on Sunday upon learning of MLB’s decision. “I don’t care what is going to happen, what decision they make.”
While Tejada’s comment is somewhat ambiguous, Mets manager Terry Collins made it quite clear that he isn’t pleased with the decision but wisely took the politically correct route … for now.
“I can’t go there, I guess,” Collins said. “There are too many phone calls made after saying something about it. I’ve gotta let it go.”
Let the good times roll.
Posted in 
As I stated in the forum, I feel that guys are still going to get hurt at second base, probably more so now than in the past, especially since the player has to be on the bag to accommodate the replay officials. Although Utley’s slide was a late one, there isn’t that much of a difference between a “bona fide” slide to second base and having the runner slide into the base to take out the fielder. The fact the infielder now has to have his foot on the bag on double-play attempts only makes the chances for injury that much greater.
He gets drilled? Good. It will improve his OBP. He needs all the help he can get with that.
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I think middle infielders will still be given the benefit as long as they make an attempt to kick the bag as they slide through. Some were really taking advantage, off the bag by a foot or more. The most important thing in this is the runner getting down IN the baseline. It’s my view that Utley was clearly out of the baseline when he contacted Tejada. He may have started his slide in the baseline (debatable) but he was clearly out of it when he made contact as there is no baseline on the outside of the bag. The rules covering this situation have been in place for decades.
Some years back the lords of baseball handed down an interpretation of that rule. They said if the runner can reach the base he’s good. They said nothing about actually touching it, or even trying to. Utley’s left arm passed directly over the base, therefore he was able to reach it.
The new rule is only minimally better. Now they actually have to try to reach the base, which probably means put on a good show.
The new rule is better, but not enough. On a force play there is no advantage to tricky slides other than to interfere with the fielder. The only gain, other than interference, is beating the ball to the base. So there is a simple rule that covers it:
“On a force play the runner must slide directly to the base.”
This takes me back to a rule I advocated about 20 years ago. “If a player injures an opposing player deliberately or while violating a rule, his suspension will be equal to the length of time the injured player was unable to play plus 10 games. If scheduling permits all 10 games will be against the team the injured player plays for.”
What has been completely overlooked in all of this is that it was the umpires themselves who brought all of this on by allowing the neighborhood play to get ridiculously out of hand (as you noted). This led to the evolution of base runners going way out of their way to (try to) takeout the SS or 2B to break up a DP. Umpires allowed this to go unchecked for a very long time and MLB (and the MLBPA) perpetuated it by preventing neighborhood plays from being reviewable.
While I agree that the infielders should still be given some latitude (and the new rule allows for this), it is unfair to handicap the base runner while giving a very distinct advantage to the fielder. You can’t allow for the neighborhood play to be grossly abused and not allow a base runner to try to break up a DP.
Of course the flip side to this argument is that it was a two-way street – or at least it was supposed to be. It’s probably just my Dodgers bias but it seemed that they were always on the short end of the stick on these plays.
I still disagree with you (and always will) on the Utley slide simply because his left hand went right over the bag and could have easily touched it – although the replay clearly showed that it did not. There is no argument that his slide was late, but with the way that the existing rules were being enforced at the time, he did not violate them.
I also disagree that the existing rules were adequate. They were ambiguous at best. The new rule removes the ambiguity; although the new neighborhood play review rule is still a bit unclear which, of course, will lead to A LOT of challenges – at least initially.
“but with the way that the existing rules were being enforced at the time, he did not violate them.”
Being enforced maybe, but the rule is already there and Utley violated it. Don’t mean to sound anal about this, but I quoted you the rule. It’s clearly written. If after having been declared out a runner interferes with a fielder’s opportunity to make a play on another runner, that other runner is to be declared out. Ball is dead. No run may score. Utley sliding past the bag, and clearly out of any baseline, and breaking Tejada’s leg sort of interfered with Tejada’s opportunity to make a subsequent play. Just enforce the rules as written blue. No need to change anything other than the obvious lack of enforcement of the rule book.
The problem is that previous interpretation as well as the new rule allow for interference with the fielder. On a force play there is no other reason not to go directly to the bag (shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line). On a tag play there is a difference in that the runner doesn’t necessarily have to beat the ball but can beat the tag. Remember, Maury was an expert at that. I do hope we’re in agreement with not taking that away from the runner.
It’s clear to me that they don’t want to change anything but are being forced to. So they’re making as little change as they can get away with.
“allow for interference”? Not sure I follow you there, but the rest I agree with.
Mr. Badger, I don’t have the new rule (or the old rule for that matter) in front of me as I type this, so I can’t quote it. It does allow for sliding to the side of the base, providing the runner is within reach of the base and attempts to touch and maintain contact with it.
Now, this makes perfect sense on a tag play and that’s the way it should be. But on a force play the only reason for not going directly to the base is to interfere with the fielder.
Now, I said all this in the previous post, just adding a little detail. If you find any fault with my analysis I would most like to hear it.
No fault to find, just understanding to gain.
The only thing I have to add is the the rule on this begins with “if in the judgment of the umpire”. So umps could have stopped this at any time. They didn’t. Now they might. It’s simple really. Stay in the baseline and don’t go after the infielder with intent.
I think the umpires could easily have called interference, but Tejada was never going to turn the double anyway.
He should have just made sure of the force and gotten out of the way. I was surprised Utley wasn’t called out for leaving the bag before the review. Middle infielders know the job is dangerous when they take it.
When a runner is called out he is supposed to leave the field immediately. If the review finds him safe he comes back out. This also is why the fact that he never touched the base isn’t a relevant issue.
Simple solution: Trade Utley to the Mets, then let Tejada pitch batting practice.
I doubt it would be deGrom, Harvey, Syndergaard or Matz that would be the one that will try to hit Utley. I don’t think the Mets would take a chance of having one of them suspended.
Can they activate Mrs. Tejada for 1 game?
Everyone knows it is coming, so when it happens the umpires should enforce rule 8.02(d) 1. and immediately expel the pitcher and manager.
I have a feeling that is how it will go down – that is, without any pre-game warnings. That said, Mets fans will go ballistic if/when it goes down that way.
Rumor that Cardinals are considering Tejada as a fill-in for the injured Peralta at SS. A trade could change the retaliation dynamic. Mets may decide that drilling Utley not worth the chance of pitcher and manager being kicked-out of the game when Tejada is playing SS in St. Louis.
Huh… The possibilities are endless. lol!
SPOT ON! 🙂