Chase Utley's Slide

Here is the Chase Utley slide as I saw it. The Dodgers had runners on first and third with one out. Kike Hernandez was the runner on third and Chase Utley was on first. Howie Kendrick of the Dodgers hit a one hopper up the middle off of New York Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon that was fielded by second baseman Daniel Murphy. Shortstop Ruben Tejada went to cover second base. Murphy's momentum was carrying him away from the infield and his underhanded toss to Tejada was a little bit high and away from Tejada and to the shortstop side. Tejada caught the ball and tried to do a 360 spin that would allow him get off a throw to first base to double up Kendrick and get the Mets out of the inning. Right as Tejada completed his spin and started to throw the ball, Utley started his high and hard slide. Utley's head collided with Tejada's thigh and Utley's legs clipped Tejada's legs and knocked him down. He was not able to get off the throw. Hernandez scored from third base, tying the game at two and starting a four run Dodgers rally that allowed them to win the game 5-2.

The media reaction to Utley's slide was predictable. Baseball purists and ex-players thought it was a "hard nosed play" and Utley's intent was to not injure Tejada but to prevent the double play from occurring. The sports media described it as a "dirty play." Utley does not have a reputation as a dirty player and his intent was not to break Tejada's leg but to prevent the double play from occurring. The umpires on the field did not call Utley out for interference because he could still reach the bag making it a legal play in the eyes of the rules of the game.

Baseball analysts and ex-players Dallas Braden and Doug Glanville of ESPN's Baseball Tonight both agreed that it was a "hard-nosed play" and that the "break up slide" is a part of baseball. However, they both did agree that Utley could have and maybe should have started his slide a little bit sooner but that he was still within the rules of the game. The lead announcer immediately denounced the play as a "dirty play."