What Chase Utley did in the seventh inning to Ruben Tejada was cheap, dirty, and any other adjective you want to use. There’s a fine line between hard nosed, and dirty. Utley crossed that line a long time ago:

https://twitter.com/rosenbergmerc/status/653077617105436672

https://twitter.com/rosenbergmerc/status/653073357152251906

As we know, he crossed it again when he broke Tejada’s right leg: 

As we know, this play was reviewed, and Utley was called safe. This means MLB found Tejada did not touch the bag, couldn’t turn a double play (neighborhood play exception), and Utley’s slide was not interference. The last part is the key. MLB ruled Utley’s slide was legal. 

Sure enough, Joe Torre made a buffoon out of himself at a press conference.  I’ll detail all the ways later, but with reference to this play, he acknowledged that: (1) the play was not ruled interference; and (2) MLB will investigate the slide because it was a late slide. 

Essentially, Torre is talking out of both sides of his mouth. He’s saying the slide was ruled legal, but it wasn’t because it was late. By suspending Utley for a late slide, you’re acknowledging the call on the field and the replay was blatantly wrong. It’s saying there should have been an inning ending double play on the interference call. 

If that’s the case, the inning is over. The Mets enter the eighth inning with a 2-1 lead. Disciplining Utley acknowledges the play was completely wrong, and if a protest had been filed, MLB would have to grant it. If MLB disciplines Utley and doesn’t overturn the result of the game, it’s a failure of epic proportions. Just like Game 2’s umpiring was. 

MLB failed on all fronts early this morning. They can’t compound it today.