• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

October 11, 2015, Queens, NY  Chase Utley went hard and Ruben Tejada went home, and as a result, Tejada will miss the rest of the playoffs for the Mets.

Here’s what Utley said about the slide: “It was one of those awkward plays, first and third, tying run was on third base. I was going hard trying to break up the double play. I feel terrible that he was injured. I had no intent to hurt anyone whatsoever. But I did have the intent to try to break up the double play.”

Wright says Utley's Wrong
Wright says Utley’s Wrong

This was Mets captain David Wright’s take: “Only Chase knows what the intent was. You know, there’s a way to play the game hard. But only Chase knows going in there what his intent was. I have a problem with the play on a number of different levels. One being the slide itself. You know, in my opinion, he wasn’t anywhere close to the bag.”

The Dodgers won 5-2, and the Mets didn’t cash in on a strong pitching performance by Noah Syndergaard who lasted 6 1/3 innings, surrendering only 5 hits and striking out 9 on 115 pitches, leaving the Mets with a 2-1 lead. The series is now tied at 1-1 as the Mets head back to the friendly confines of Citi Field.

The loss of Tejada looms large, not because he has a massive stick in the line up, but because he is a superb shortstop. Baseball is a very “nuanced” sport and not having Tejada’s defensive presence may prove pivotal.

One thing is for sure, the Mets faithful will enthusiastically boo Utley and for the Mets, beating the Dodgers isn’t just business, it’s personal. Not only was Tejada injured, but Utley’s explanation was insulting.

Professor Clifford Benton can be reached at @cliffordbenton.

 

By Vernon McKenzie

Graduate of New Institute Of Technology with a BA in Communications with a focus on Television Radio. Owner and Executive Producer of PureSportsNY

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