The night started so well as Noah Syndergaard was throwing gas to start the game, and struck out nine as he looked to out pitch Zach Greinke. Then Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto slugged home runs over the right field wall in the second inning, and things looked to be repeating from the night before. But it wasn’t enough. Syndergaard also walked four, one given up to Enrique Hernandez who ended up scoring on the now-infamous double play that wasn’t. Howie Kendrick hit it up the middle, and Chase Utley slid hard going into second base, upending Ruben Tejada who received a so-so toss from Daniel Murphy. Not only was Utley’s slide extremely late, but it was pretty obvious that while Tejada did not touch the bag, neither did Utley.

Was it dirty? I can’t say that for certain. Utley is a hard-nosed type of player and it is the postseason after all, so I’m sure he was simply doing his best to break up the play. I’m also pretty positive it was not his intention to hurt Tejada. However, intention or not Tejada is now done for the rest of the year with a fracture fibula, and I don’t think the Mets are too fond of Utley or the call. That play changed the momentum of the game, but the Mets still have the mojo heading back home and having Matt Harvey face off against Brett Anderson.

I’m pretty pissed, and I think the Mets are too. And that’s a good thing. Because now they have something extra to play for. Get well soon Tejada!

29 comments on “Gut Reaction: Dodgers 5, Mets 2 (10/10/15)

  • Name

    Lost in all the fiasco is the fact that Collins put the cherry on top of his idiocy by bringing in Bartolo Colon.

    Let’s recap. It cost us our shortstop, cost us the game, and possibly cost us the season. If there is any justice, it will cost Collins his job.

    • boomboom (formerly Eric)

      I don’t understand this comment? Colon got the ground ball for the potential dp. My problem is that once brought in, he should have stayed in. The game was tied now and Colon is supposed to be the long man. Why take him out? Reed has performed much worse coming into the inning mid way as opposed to starting it off.

    • James Preller

      That’s yet another ridiculous comment.

      • Eric

        Why??

    • TexasGusCC

      Name is right and it is about time we look at the decision and not the result. But if you want to discuss the “grounder”, let’s realize it was a line drive up the middle. So, we bring in a flyball pitcher that doesn’t strike out many in a strikeout and groundout situation. How can this be defended? Collins quoting his 2-22 history against Kendrick by Colon is par for the course. By referring to the book, our mindless coward will look to escape blame.

  • Rob Rogan

    “Was it dirty?”

    Absolutely. He was like a heat-seeking missile heading right for Tejada. Just about started his “slide” *at* the bag. Even his teammates were hesitant to even defend him. But this is nothing new for Utley. Piece of garbage.

  • Chris B

    I wonder if the call would be any different if the name on the back of the SS’s jersey said ‘Tulowitzki’ or ‘Jeter’ instead.

    • Julian

      No freaking question. Even if it were Jimmy Rollins, the play would have never even been looked at. I have never been a fan of Ruben Tejada, but this is an absolute garbage move by the MLB.

      You’re right, if Jeter were involved then Joe Torre would have gotten involved himself. At this point, we need to realize that this could doom the 2015 Mets.

      If I am Sandy Alderson, I immediately call-up Wilfredo Tovar (if possible). He might not have the bat that Tejada does, but his glove can equivilate Tejada’s.

      • TexasGusCC

        I thought Tovar also, but Matt Reynolds who never played an inning in the majors or even wore a uniform, for the playoffs? All I can say, “Go get me Matt”!

  • Metsense

    The runner never touched the bag, on a late slide (or as the players called it a tackle) that broke the shortstops leg who had pivoted away from the bag to avoid contact and they don’t call interference on it. The ump had the original call right. Replay is a boring joke. Replay is supposed to get the play right.
    TC overmanaged when he brought in Colon over Reed. Reed got them there and should have been used first. Colon is more valuable in a tie game for multiple innings. TC stated he would not flip Clippard and Reed because ” they are creatures of habit” . So Colon was used to coming into the 7th inning with runners on 1st and 3rd? It was Colon’s first postseason relief appearence ever. TC over managed there.
    Lagares should start over Cuddyer in game #3.
    We Wux Robbed! Mets still in 4.

  • DED

    I believe Tovar is on the 60 day disabled list.

    Juston Upton said it: if the Metes shortstop has been a superstar, different outcome. We would now have the “Tulo Rule,” or something like it. And, if it had not been gritty star of yesteryear Chase Utley, again with the different result.

    I do not make a practice of bitching about the officiating; thank god I don’t follow soccer. But the Neighborhood Play is recognized in major league baseball; the umpire did call the runner out, and Utley did go outside the baseline to interfere with the play, which in Earth results in a call of interference, with both runner and batter called out, end of inning. And the umpires had replay to check their decision! Unlike Don Denkinger, for example. Really a dirty, call, probably changing the outcome of the game.

  • Aging Bull

    An ugly ending no doubt. But it’s hard to say that the Mets were robbed or that Collins lost the game. Aside from the 2 HRs, the Mets managed 4 baserunners, one of them erased on a CS. They K’d 11 times. Collins played a hunch and it could have turned out – it didnt. Reed couldnt get the big out in a situation that called for a LOOGY. Can’t have it every way. No doubt Utley was dirty – typical, but this is playoff baseball and these plays won’t get called, esp with a no-name like Tejada. If that’s a star SS, the result is different.
    Let;s hope that this fires them up. I’d like to see the Mets get a safe lead and then see Harvey drill somebody. But the best retaliation is a blowout with Citi going crazy. Don’t let this go back to LA.

  • Chris F

    It was not a slide. Therefore it was not a late slide. Tejada would have grounds to file a complaint for assault. That filthy criminal hit Tejada before even coming close to looking like a slide, which he led with his knees. It’s only too bad Tejadas leg didn’t break his neck.

    Utley is a filthy player who puts a bullseye on folks at the bag. This was interference at the least and both Utley and e runner should have been called out. It was a disgrace of umpiring on the field and in the replay booth.

    Justin Upton: if this happened to a superstar shortstop, there would be a Tulo Rule enforced today.

  • DED

    Yegods, it just occurred to me: this means that Eric Campbell will be added to the roster. My Mets are in trouble.

  • Chris F

    A recent slide by Utley. Gunning for the fielder or actually trying touch second base? This is not hard baseball, but another vulgar action by a filthy player.

    https://mobile.twitter.com/RosenbergMerc/status/653067605830336512/video/1

  • DED

    One should never call for retaliation, because that would be wrong, and each of us is perfect in his own unique way, especially Chase Utley.

    But here’s a prediction: 5th inning, Andre Ethier, or perhaps Cory Seagar at the plate, a 98 mph fastball to the kneecap. With a momentum shift to follow, as Utley tries to make amends to his teammate for putting him in harm’s way.

    And this: a 9th inning home run off the bat of Wilmer Flores.

  • Michael Geus

    What bothers me the most about the Utley furor is it is obscuring the real issue. The last needed piece of evidence to prove that replay in baseball is idiotic.
    The supposed argument for replay, why we all put up with interminable delays, was to “get it right.” I’ve heard that argument many times, as someone who hates replay, that someday there will be a big call and replay will make things “fairer.” The whole thing has always made me sick. In a game with as many calls, many intricate, as baseball, you cannot get them all correct. That is life. If a team wants to be a Champion and a call goes against you, overcome it.

    So first of all, the Mets did not lose the game because of the call, or the reversal, or the slide. That was all one play, and two more outs end the inning at 2-2. And the Mets still had many at bats after that, and at bats before that play. I have never blamed officiating for a loss in over 50 years of participating, coaching, or watching sports, I’m not going to start now.

    However, I do want to point out that if replay is about “fairness”, and “getting it right” – well, we just witnessed a big fail on a huge national stage. At the risk of angering Mets fans, and this is not a defense of Utley, the call on the field was correct. Tejada did exactly what he was supposed to do in trying to attempt a double play. And if it was not a double play attempt, why was Utley continuing to fly at Tejada?

    But somehow this got reviewed, and all common sense and logic was tossed out. The explanation from Torre, who has such a storied history of defending bullshit that the irony was inescapable, went like this:

    1. Utley went after Tejada to break up a DP
    2. But it could never have been a DP because MLB knows for a fact that if Utley didn’t slide at Tejada the play would not have continued. Even though Tejada was upended in the middle of what was going to be a throw.
    3. Tejada, incredibly held on to the ball and Utley and Tejada were both on the ground, shaken up. An out call was clearly made, so Tejada had no reason to tag Utley. Utley then ran off the field! And (this is my favorite part) this makes Utley safe because we all know that if the call had been safe Tejada (who had the presence of mind to never drop the ball) would not have tagged Utley while they were lying there, while Utley, who had been kicked in the head, would have had the presence of mind to go back to second.

    We know all these things because? The answer is we don’t.

    What we know is the umpire on the field ruled Utley out. Tejada, it turns out, never touched the bag. Neither did Utley, who, once again, jogged off the field. After that comes assumption, and nothing on the videotape can prove otherwise.

    MLB might want to check with Felix Unger about what happens when you assume. I already know they won’t. Replay, sadly, is here to stay and the game suffers for it every night.

    • boomboom (formerly Eric)

      good comment

    • TexasGusCC

      Beautiful Michael

  • Michael Geus

    As for Utley, I didn’t expect it to be called interference at the time, and still don’t see it that way. That doesn’t mean I would have slid that way myself, or think the Mets should be okay with it all. For now, though, I recommend just focusing and beating these guys. It’s the freaking playoffs, you can’t let Utley get you out of your game.

    Now next year is a different story, it’s not like we are suspending play with the Dodgers after all this. And me, I don’t see why a pitcher needs to handle this. the Dodgers have middle infielders too. Eric Campbell could finally be useful!

    Now for the faint of heart who think that is not fair to Seager, etc., if it was me I would give him fair warning. I would make it crystal clear, in the champagne soaked post game locker room, that we know how to slide hard too and that the Dodgers should be careful next year.

    But I do know that none of that will happen. It’s not the Met way. We will whine to the MLB offices and ask for rules changes. I wouldn’t even want a rule change until I had my shot at them. But it is what it is.

    I will have to settle for the champagne soaked post game, and that is the most important thing anyway. Beating them is the best revenge, the rest would just be for fun.

  • Michael Geus

    A couple of quick thoughts on Tejada. A real tough break for him, this could impact his ability to be ready in 2016.

    And, that by the way, leaves the Mets without a shortstop in sight for 2016.

    Tradition!

    But hey, Sandy proved to me this year that it just doesn’t matter. If the plan is to win without a shortstop and we keep winning, count me in. I don’t care how, just how many.

  • DED

    I believe you left the Quick Thoughts idea behind a while ago, bro.

    I do believe interference should have been called. A legal slide is a slide to a base, which that wasn’t.

    As for “not the Mets way;” it certainly isn’t the Shawn Estes way. However, the Mets starting pitcher will be Matt Harvey.

    • Michael Geus

      Well, the thoughts on Ruben were quick, but overall, duly noted, got it, bro.

      Sorry to waste everyone’s time today, won’t happen again.

      LGM!

      • Aging Bull

        No apology necessary, IMHO!

      • Chris F

        Enjoyed the read. This is the place for longer thoughts, especially on a topic of this matter if you ask me.

  • DED

    Waste everyone’s time? Doesn’t everybody else here multitask, too? I’m applying a hand rubbed finish on a bedroom dresser ensemble, and cooking a loaf of banana walnut bread as I type this.

    No, not really. The banana bread was earlier. Came out good too.

  • LGMNOW

    While I know there are a lot of Mets fans who flat out do not like TC, I completely like the way he has handled this mess both on the field and media wise. The Mets do not need any more distraction from what should be and I am convinced that it is there only goal to advance and that is to the NLCS and beyond. One at bat, one inning, one game and one series at a time. I can’t believe Mark Mulder’s tweet. He likes the way Utley plays the game and would take him on his team any time. What planet does Mulder or for that matter Utley live on? Baseball is a sport played by men. As men baseball players need to play like men. Unfortunately, there are athletes in all sports who do not know how they should perform as professionals or as men. Utley is apparently one of those players. Victorino is apparently another. Davd Wright plays the game the way it should e played and deals with the media the way they should be dealt with. Now go out there starting on Monday, raise the bar and win the next two games. If perchance they should go back to LA then let de Grom go 6 or 7, then bring in in Thor for 1 or 2 an then let Famila close it out. If Utley ever comes to the plate again in this NLDS then get him out – do not let him get on base in any way shape or fashion. Lets Go Mets!

    • DED

      Regarding how Terry Collins handled this business, I agree 100%.

      My comment on Collins used to be “he’s smarter than he looks.” Over the years of press Q & A’s I have come to a very different conclusion: that he disagrees with me on certain matters of personnel deployment, but that Terry needs make no apologies for his intelligence.

  • Chris F

    So Utly is suspended for two games. But he’s ok to play back in LA. Something smells fishy, but that it was called illegal triggers a string of issues, like why should the game result stand if the runs were gathered on an illegal slide, in which both he and the runner going to first should have been called out.

    Down the rabbit hole to Alice in Wonderland we go.

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