[randall44]

Apparently I'm the only one who doesn't have a problem with it. It was a late slide, yes, but he was right on the base and I thought his job was to break up the double play. He didn't go in with spikes high or kicking at anyone, or barrel rolling like I've seen some players do. And yes he was aiming at Tejada, how else is he supposed to break up the double play, but he did not go out of the baseline to do it. I've seen players who couldn't even touch the base going in sliding at the shortstop. He assumed he would be out and he wanted to try and keep the SS from completing the double play, in a legal manner, which he is allowed to do, and encouraged to do. If you want to pass a rule preventing the runner from trying to break up a double play I guess you will need to pass the "Tejada" rule.

[woogie23]

I just saw the "hard slide" and this is yet another case of absolute BS behaviour by MLB runners. I understand if you slide into the bag and the 2B/SS is still over the bag and this results in a collision, that's the game. But intentionally "sliding" into the 2B/SS while he's off the bag and trying to do his job is just absolute and utter BS to the extreme.

This is the third slide this year that I've seen that should have resulted in a ban for the runner. Lawrie against Escobar, Coughlan against Kang, and Utley against Tejada. Each of the runners (I almost want to say "sliders", but they can't really be described as slides) should be banned for that crap.

My two reasons for this are:

1) What are we teaching people who watch this? It's OK to be reckless and try to "take someone out" if it helps your team? No, you play the game and do your best to be safe, not take out the other side. In all three of these cases, if the player had simply slid into the bag, they probably would have been safe without any contact. In two of them, they "broke up a double play" that wouldn't have been turned anyway, and in Kang's case, he managed to complete the double play even with Coughlan being an *$$hat.

2) If you can't run into the catcher who's got all that padding (and I used to be a catcher and was hit many times), why is it allowed to do it to a fielder? Double standards that MLB needs to change.

I admit to being happy that MLB was doing away with the "in-the-vicinity" rule for double plays at first, but this makes me think that needs to be reviewed also.

I wasn't planning on rooting for the Dodgers in the first place, but this has completely turned me off of even the remotest chance of rooting for them. Go METS!

Cheers,

This is assault. As a Cubs fan I want to be biased as far as the Coghlan slide into Kang, but that one was bad too. I think the one last night was the worst of the 3 that you mentioned though. No chance of being safe, my biggest issue with the one last night, is Utley didn't even attempt to touch the bag. He started his slide way late and assaulted Tejada with that tackle. Utley might as well tackled the 3rd baseman while he was running off the field. I like the idea of suspending these players as long as it takes the injured player to get back. Or at least as long as it takes them to be cleared to play. I would be a fan of all 3 of those plays you mentioned receiving the same type of punishment. All 3 were dirty and meant to "take out" the defensive player.

[Hofcollector]

This is assault. As a Cubs fan I want to be biased as far as the Coghlan slide into Kang, but that one was bad too. I think the one last night was the worst of the 3 that you mentioned though. No chance of being safe, my biggest issue with the one last night, is Utley didn't even attempt to touch the bag. He started his slide way late and assaulted Tejada with that tackle. Utley might as well tackled the 3rd baseman while he was running off the field. I like the idea of suspending these players as long as it takes the injured player to get back. Or at least as long as it takes them to be cleared to play. I would be a fan of all 3 of those plays you mentioned receiving the same type of punishment. All 3 were dirty and meant to "take out" the defensive player.

Playing devil's advocate here, he was in fact called safe.

[natejeffries]

I like the idea of suspending them for as long as it takes for the player to come back which in Utley's case might be mute since he probably has little playing career left anyway. And Tejada may never play again.

This is assault. As a Cubs fan I want to be biased as far as the Coghlan slide into Kang, but that one was bad too. I think the one last night was the worst of the 3 that you mentioned though. No chance of being safe, my biggest issue with the one last night, is Utley didn't even attempt to touch the bag. He started his slide way late and assaulted Tejada with that tackle. Utley might as well tackled the 3rd baseman while he was running off the field. I like the idea of suspending these players as long as it takes the injured player to get back. Or at least as long as it takes them to be cleared to play. I would be a fan of all 3 of those plays you mentioned receiving the same type of punishment. All 3 were dirty and meant to "take out" the defensive player.

[woogie23]

Playing devil's advocate here, he was in fact called safe.

True, but it was after review. Plus Utley thought he was out, so didn't even bother trying to get to the bag on his late slide.

[Hofcollector]

True, but it was after review. Plus Utley thought he was out, so didn't even bother trying to get to the bag on his late slide.

He assumed the bag was tagged as did the umpire making the call. Again, I don't agree with the safe call because he left the field of play and should have tagged the bag anyway. But, I don't make the rules.

[buckles2335]

I have no issues with the slide... Baseball along with every other thing is getting soft. America the home of the coddlers.

[crossada]

I imagine someone will get plunked Monday then it will be over and done with.

Utley is a hardnosed player for sure but breaking up a double play is part of baseball. Making more Buster Posey rules does nothing for the game as its always been played this way.

Pete Rose's all-star game appearance is still one of the most intentionally brutal attacks in sports history and it was called a part of the game back then as these things should be now.

[nquarry]

If this happened in the regular season and didn't result in a serious injury, then it wouldn't be news at all. Players are taught to break up a double play. It is part of the game and has been for a long time. Obviously, Utley didn't mean to hurt him. I will admit that the slide was late but it is still nothing that hasn't been done before. It was just blown out of proportion due to the circumstances.

I would not be surprised if MLB gets rid of this take-out slide soon. I don't necessarily agree with it, but the injuries from this play has increased a lot recently. Also, Utley should NOT be suspended. I have not seen anyone receive a suspension because of this, so why should there be a suspension now?

[natejeffries]

The slide wasn't just late it was after Tejada had already moved to the bag. And it was high, Utley had his hands and legs up and basically did a karate kick sweep of Utley at his knee/thigh area.

It's the most dangerous takeout move I have seen with the most catastrophic consequence at the wrong time of the season. Yes, players are taught to try to break up double plays if they can with their slide, but this could hardly be called a slide. A slide means you start about six feet before the bag, he didn't even start his kung fu move until he got to the base.

I would give him 10 games, which won't help Tejada or the Mets any because this guy is a non-entity whose career is basically over anyway.

Also take into consideration the bad blood his old Phillies team had with the Mets this year where there was a series of bean ball exchanges and heightened tensions that probably delighted Utley when he decided to do his takeout move.

The whole play was totally out of bounds and there is no way to excuse it.