Ruben Tejada’s injury could have been avoided if MLB enforced its own rules

Major League Baseball suspended Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley for Games 3 and 4 of the National League Division Series, for an illegal slide that resulted in Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada’s right leg being broken. It’s a good start.

But it certainly cannot be the end. MLB doesn’t need a new rule. They need to enforce the one already in place: if the rules are foggy to anyone for any reason, clarification needs to be made.

Utley has chosen to appeal the decision, and MLB stated they will try for a hearing prior to Game 3 on Monday. But whether Utley remains suspended, the suspension sends a clear signal that late and/or takeout slides are no longer acceptable. It’s too bad it took a severe injury in a playoff game for MLB to reach the conclusion. Unnecessarily hard “slides” have been the norm for far too long, and it isn’t the first time that players have been hurt as a result of the reckless actions of a heat-seeking baserunner. such as Utley.

We could sit here and play devil’s advocate, that MLB has never determined or punished a baserunner for taking out a fielder on an aggressive slide to break up a double play. All would be correct, but that doesn’t make it right. Unfortunately, the inaction of MLB to uphold a rule actually in place -- in fact, blatantly ignored it -- has, in a way, built somewhat of a case in support of Utley. MLB never acknowledged this to be a problem, so why should players think it is?

Soon after it was announced that Utley would appeal the suspension, his agent Joel Wolfe released a statement. He was, strictly speaking, entirely correct in one aspect: takeout slides are routine. And to expand on that, they’re cheered on in some respects, especially in critical moments of the game. For his part, Wolfe is simply defending Utley and the actions that MLB has condoned over the years.

“A two game suspension for a legal baseball play is outrageous and completely unacceptable. Chase did what all players are taught to do in this situation -- break up the double play. We routinely see plays at second base similar to this one that have not resulted in suspensions. Chase feels terrible about Ruben Tejada’s injury and everyone who knows him knows that he would never intentionally hurt anybody. We will be appealing this suspension immediately.”

Furthermore, Utley and his agent are compiling a mass of videos showing where Utley has slid in nearly, or in the exact same manner -- all without consequence -- according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. With such a quick turnaround on the hearing, and Utley/Wolfe wanting to plead their side of the case, there’s no promise that a determination on the suspension will be made prior to Monday night’s game -- and as Sherman points out, the union will certainly object to lack of “due process.”

What is not noted by Wolfe (and why would it be?) is that, while it took some pushing, prodding, and much fist-shaking, MLB’s chief baseball officer Joe Torre determined that Utley indeed made an “illegal slide.” During a FOX Sports 1 interview on Sunday night during the Blue Jays-Rangers game, Torre said that the determination was made because Utley’s slide was directed at Tejada and not to the bag.

I doubt very much that every player goes into a late slide -- aggressive as it might be -- with the sole intention of injuring a player. But some slides are worse than others, and there are players who play with a grittier edge than others. Some, like Utley, have built a reputation for being “dirty” and “aggressive” when it comes to sliding late -- even among other baseball players. For others, though, this is the norm and it’s just another hard play with an unfortunate result.

Unfortunately, Tejada isn’t the only player to have his season end because of an overtly aggressive baserunner -- Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang saw his year come to an end when the Cubs’ Chris Coghlan upended him to break up a double play on September 17. Kang suffered a tibial plateau fracture with a lateral meniscal injury to his left leg and knee. After undergoing surgery, his recovery was listed at six to eight months.

Other examples of players losing time to field collisions include the Tigers’ Omar Infante on a slide from Colby Rasmus, and the time Brett Gardner’s slide resulted in a tear of Carlos Guillen’s knee.

The problem is, MLB has never really enforced rule 5.09(a)(13), which cites a runner interfering with the act of a fielder fielding a ball, the runner behaving with “unsportsmanlike conduct” and preventing what should have been a double play. While it’s within the judgement of the umpires to make decisions on the field, it doesn’t do the game much good if the rules aren’t going to be enforced.

Torre’s statement at the very least acknowledges there is a problem, and MLB will be looking into it in the offseason:

”I recognize that there has been much commentary and many questions regarding the unfortunate play in last night’s game in which Ruben Tejada was injured. As I said after the game, the determination of whether a baserunner has intentionally interfered with a player attempting to turn a double play is left to the judgment of the umpire on the field, and that judgment call is not subject to review. I should add that determining where to draw the line between illegal slide and a legitimate hard play is an extremely difficult call for our umpires.
”However, after thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr. Utley’s action warrants discipline. While I sincerely believe that Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada, and was attempting to help his club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09(a)(13), which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base.

“We have been in discussions with the Players’ Association throughout the year regarding potential rule changes to better protect middle infielders, and we intend to continue those discussions this offseason.”

If upheld, Utley will miss two games, sure, and the Dodgers will be short a player for a determined amount of time. Tejada does not have that luxury. He can’t appeal his fractured leg. He’s gone for a significantly longer period of time and unlike Utley, he can’t do anything about it. The Mets are left without their shortstop because of the reckless actions of a player who hasn’t been held accountable.

If there’s a small, seemingly hollow consolation, it’s that this event will certainly bring about change in the offseason. It won’t restore Tejada to the Mets or their fans this year. They can’t undo the runs allowed as a result of the wrong calls being made. But you have to start somewhere. Here is a good a place as any to begin.

MLB has a problem of their own creation. Not only in Utley’s reckless baserunning, but any player who feels that this sort of tackle-like play is permissible. Hopefully it’s a wake-up call to enforce and enhance a rule forgotten for far too long.