By Chad Williams, a guest writer to C&C. Native of West Virginia, Sport Management major at Liberty University, former high school and collegiate baseball player.
In Game 2 of the American League Division Series (ALDS) between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, Chase Utley made a hard slide into Ruben Tejada to break up a double play. As a result of the play, Tejada’s leg was broken and Utley was suspended for two games.
We, as baseball fans and students of the game, did not know it yet, but we were witnessing the game of baseball change before our very eyes.
Utley’s dirty slide, and yes it was a dirty play, grabbed the attention of Major League Baseball (MLB). The MLB found what they thought was a solution to breaking up double plays. In February of 2016, the “Utley Rule” formally known as Rule 6.01(j)(7.14) in the Official MLB Handbook, came into existence.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Image
The “Utley Rule” basically eliminates a runner coming into contact with a middle infielder. Contact can be made as long as the runner slides before he gets to the bag, is going for the bag, is arm length away from bag and makes an attempt to stop on the bag.
First off, the “Utley Rule” should not be in the game of baseball.
It was a knee jerk reaction to one dirty play out of hundreds and thousands clean slides. It is unfortunate what happened to Tenaha and the MLB should take action in protecting its players, but this is not the way to do it.
Second, the “Utley Rule” is very ambiguous.
Sometimes it is very tough to determine whether the runner attempted to stop on the bag or not. Here is another thought, just because a runner slides through a bag does not mean it is a dirty play. A runner should be allowed to slide through the bag.
Sliding in hard into a bag is not dirty. It has been part of the game for a very long time. Where it becomes wrong is where there is malicious intent, such as the Utley slide.
Lastly, the “Utley Rule” has cost teams games and there have been unhappy middle infielders when they get targeted at second base and the umpires did not see it.
Earlier in the season, the Astros cut a 6-0 deficit against the Brewers down to two runs with a four run rally in the ninth. A ball was hit to the second baseman who then threw it to the shortstop to turn the double play. Rasmus, the Astros runner, was said to have
slid through the bag. Runners at first and second were out, game over.
FTW! MLB. Charles Curtis
In this case, the umpires determined the game. The “Utley Rule” was not created to dictate games but to keep players safe. It should also be noted that in this play the shortstop did not even try to complete the double play.
It is like the middle infielders expect to get the call now like how LeBron expects a foul every time he drives to the hoop.
On Sunday, a huge fight broke out between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers after Blue Jays Jose Bautista slid hard into the second baseman Rougned Odor. Odor was mad because he thought Bautista’s slide was not within the rules and the umpire did not call it.
Odor threw a punch at Bautista and the rest is history.
Richard W. Rodriguez / TNS
In conclusion, hard sliding into second base has been a part of the game and will always be part of the game. The “Utley Rule” was an over reaction to what Chase Utley did in the ALDS last year. Now the rule is taking the game out of the player’s hands and putting it into the umpires, and causing heated moments on the field.
The “Utley Rule” will continue to struggle in the MLB. Oh, and it is only a month and a half into the season.
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