Tomorrow, I’m mentally moving on from the Chase Utley garbage. Does that mean I’m not going to viciously boo him when I’m there for Game 4?  No, I’m primed to boo him like I was to boo John Rocker during the 1999 NLCS. 

What I mean is that I’m going to start focusing on the positive. I’m going to focus on how this team will respond. I’m going to focus on how the Mets accomplished a lot by being tied 1-1 in this series. For now?  I’m still seething. 

When my son woke up this morning he wanted to know what happened. Usually, I’ll pull up the highlights. I didn’t this morning. I couldn’t show him that clip. I don’t want him seeing someone get hurt . . . especially like that. I also want to show him the right way to play the game. 

Utley doesn’t. I know people call him hard nosed. He thinks he’s a winner.  So does his former teammate. However, they were in the minority. Most everyone knew what happened. Utley made a dirty play to try to save the Dodgers season. Do I think he wanted to injure Ruben Tejada?  I’ll take him at his word that he didn’t. 

However, I don’t think he cared if he injured Tejada. The singular thing he cared about was breaking up the double play. When he accomplished his goal, he trotted off the field while a player he injured was writhing in pain. It was a classless move. In any other situation, the player sticks around or will come out of the dugout to see if the player he injured was alright. 

Utley didn’t. So did Utley want to injure him?  No. Did he care if he did?  No. Would he do it again?  If history serves as any precedent, yes. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Utley will play again in this series, and Tejada may never play again in his career. 

Sad part is, I think if Utley had to do it all over again, he would. He’s justified it to himself. His current and former teammates are celebrating his play. Nothing’s going to change.

The only thing the Mets can do is make sure he doesn’t play again after Tuesday.