
The Chirp: Chase Utley Slide Edition
On Saturday night, the Dodgers played the Mets in Game 2 of their National League Division Series. With the Mets leading 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley broke up a potentially inning-ending double play by taking out Mets shortstop Rubén Tejada.
Tejada suffered a broken right fibula on the play. Utley later went on to score the go-ahead run — and the Dodgers defeated the Mets, 5-2, to even the series. As Utley’s controversial play and its fallout unfolded, athletes from across the sports world took to Twitter to react:
that was a really weak attempt at a slide by utley????
— Jose Reyes (@lamelaza_7) October 11, 2015
It bothered me to see Utley's slide and the way he went after Tejada. Being a 2nd base man he needed to think how to break the DP not hisleg
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) October 11, 2015
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
W/O even discussing the nature of the slide/tackle...I don't see how runner was awarded 2nd base when he made NO attempt to touch bag.
— Jeremy Guthrie (@TheRealJGuts) 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
Never wanna see anyone get hurt but I have seen worse but the magnitude of this one will bring up a lot of debate for sure!!! #MLBPlayoffs
— Shane Victorino (@ShaneVictorino) October 11, 2015
Lots of opinions on-was it clean, was it a late slide, was it this-that! Feel bad for Tejada getting hurt? https://t.co/lsdfsPUHLq
— Shane Victorino (@ShaneVictorino) October 11, 2015
That's good baseball by Mr. Utley right there...
— Tony Gwynn Jr. (@tonygwynnjr) October 11, 2015
... Sucks to see Tejada hurt on the play tho!
— Tony Gwynn Jr. (@tonygwynnjr) October 11, 2015
Look... No doubt we should all be sensitive to the fact Tejada got hurt on the play. The fact remains that had Tejada not needed to spin...
— Tony Gwynn Jr. (@tonygwynnjr) October 11, 2015
He would have been able to evade or protect himself better and possibly turn the double play.
— 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
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
Littttttttttt they going nuts #Dodgers
— Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) October 11, 2015
What chase utley do?
— FOST (@GeorgeFoster72) October 11, 2015
What?! Controversy call in a playoff game?! This has NEVER happened!....
— Cody Decker (@Decker6) October 11, 2015
Like it or not, Utley plays hard and I would want him on my team.
— Mark Mulder (@markmulder20) October 11, 2015
Relax people. I never said it wasn't a late/dirty slide. I love Twitter.
— Mark Mulder (@markmulder20) October 11, 2015
When your back leg lands pass the bag, it's dirty.
— Alex (@ac13alex) October 11, 2015
— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) October 11, 2015
They boys up in replay in NYC gonna have some questions to answer very soon...
— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) October 11, 2015
Like anything else in the world, it's legal til' it ain't. @ this point, "dirty" is an interpretation until the rules are changed. #evolve
— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) October 11, 2015
It's not a difficult assessment to make. It was late, it was high, but... It was legal. Our game is constantly evolving. This will help.
— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) October 11, 2015
It's interference if the fielder is attempting to make a play on the ball, or if the runner makes contact whilst unable to reach the bag.
— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) October 11, 2015
So let's figure this out. Utley made no effort to slide to the bag, then go back, and touch the bag, runs off the field, and
— Frank J. Viola, Jr. (@FrankViola16) October 11, 2015
Then is called safe. Something very wrong with this picture!!!
— Frank J. Viola, Jr. (@FrankViola16) October 11, 2015
Dirty play by utley
— JOSE MOLINA (@Joeycatch8) October 11, 2015
Now watching that utley slide I feel both could have done that play better. Sad to see guys get hurt trying to play game hard
— Dontrelle Willis (@DTrainMLB) October 11, 2015