Dodger Talk

Sorry real, can't agree there. I think Tejada "ballerinering" (new word) the throw makes it look even more obvious that Utley had no intention of sliding into the base at all. He never slid! I don't see how you can justify his actions there. He literally dropped to one knee after reaching the base. Like I said I'm all for sliding hard but please lets make it look like we had some sort of intention to actually slide into the base.

 

Utley has a history of doing this too. I don't think he intended to break his leg but he certainly intended to crash right into him. Not a baseball play man I can't agree with that.

 

Yep, definitely one of them haha. It's been a heck of a series so far especially on the mound for both teams.

 

The result is what people are basing their opinion of dirty or non-dirty. Look a couple innings prior and Rollins (I think) gets nearly cleaned out but jumps the slide and turns the double. Tejada doesn't do that backwards turn he sees utley and jumps him. The slide was a bit late but he did start down before the bag and was below the knees when utley hit in the face. That play happens multiple times in a game. We see web gems from SS and 2B who avoid and still make the play. I understand Mets fans being pissed afterall Tejada broke his leg in the collision but it still wasn't a dirty play. Again, (in hindsight) I have no idea why Tejada does the backwards ballet move but it was probably more the reason the collision was so much worse. In the end, as a fan of the opposite team whose player got hurt i'm yelling but after cooling off I wouldn't knock my players for putting the body on the line to break up that DP. Until baseball changes the slide rule, which I am not sure they can, then middle infielders know that type of slide is coming. Tejada doesn't get seriously hurt and all we are saying was "Man, Utley is oldschool and that was a great veteran play"

 

Puff, I'm sorry I just can't agree. I'll have to agree to disagree with my Laker brethren here.

I don't see how you can watch the play and say Utley slid before getting to the bag. Sure he may have started going down but his knee hits the dirt when he's reached the bag. Typically, your sliding through the bag not dropping to slide when REACHING the bag.

Again i dont believe what Tejada did has much relevance here. Yes, he could've simply planted turned and fired to first but I really don't think it mattered. Utley had every intention of smashing into him.

I'm not sure if you guys have seen him play often before he was a Dodger but once a Philthy always a Philthy. Never liked the guy and never will.

 

If you want to use that as your argument then fine, no sense in going back and forth. But I'm sure this will be taken care of in the offseason and I'm glad it will. Again I'm all for hard slides but if I wanted to see a tackle that's what the NFL is for.

 

Orig I get what you are saying however I'll make a couple quick points on it.

First, if he "started" down before the bag then he slid before the bag that is as plain as it gets. No where in baseball does it say that a player must slide at a certain distance to refrain from possibly making contact with the defender with the exception of home (choose a lane), first (running lane) and fielding (interfering with a defender making a natural play on a batted ball). The actual rule for sliding into second base in order to break-up a double is actually that a slide must occur within and arms length of the base. So technically if Tejada was to the 2nd base side of the bag Utley could of still done the same thing. Was it late? YES. I agree and even understand but the slide was not dirty.

Second, what Tejada did was absolutely relevant ESPECIALLY if he believed Utley was a dirty player. Tejada went for flashy, I still don't understand that peroit (spelled wrong) move, but he knew the hard slide was coming and did that anyway. Tejada is making a play and I won't fault him for that but he is partially culpable to the outcome. I think Utley had every intent of breaking up the play and making Tejada have to worry about him (Utley) than making that throw. That is done on nearly every double-play ball by the runner.

Third, in the end no matter what we say the crux is you believe Utley to be dirty player. It is the same as Bruce Bowen to us Lakers fans. If a play could be looked at one way or the other we will always (more often than not) say Bowen was being dirty. The question I have is this, are you as upset at the slides that cause the SS/2b to jump over the runner? How about the slides that go past the bag? Many players do that which also means late slides and they run into the defender with spikes. Like I said, I saw atleast one Mets player clip a Rollins (I believe) turning the DP. No one speaks of it because no one got hurt yet Rollins wound up on the ground (again I believe) and got up. That play was clean, hard-nosed, playoff baseball.

Last thing, I agree that the slide was a little late and that the intent was to break up the play. I just won't agree he was being dirty nor his intent was to hurt Tejada. Roles reversed I'd be just as pissed but like to think after a day I would realize the play was still in the scope of the rules and It was dirty. He'll get hit for sure and maybe someone else but in the end I think this thing has been blown way out of proportion.

 

The Bowen comparison is a fair one, but that means you should see where I'm coming from too.

I have an issue with slides where the slider's knee is hitting the ground 3 feet parallel to the right of the bag. I tried, I really did. I've watched the play over and over again and it just looks so ridiculous. You can argue Tejada's Tango made it look even more egregious! He's still essentially upright when he reaches the bag while plowing ahead full speed while falling slowly.

I even have YANKEES fans agreeing with me! If I was a Dodgers fan I'd be defending it too but that slide was just foul and we can go on and on about the technicality of a slide and the rules but we'll just have to agree to disagree man.

 

I'm speaking for myself but yeah I'm with you. Maybe dirty was the wrong word. Just didn't look good to me at all man. And I hate Chase Utley so that doesn't help.

Haven't really followed baseball too much lately so I cant say NY wins but I'm scarred from years ago and Utley was a big reason why haha

 

Both are better than being pathetic for the better part of the last decade.