Ruben Tejada

The Slide Debate

If you’ve been on Twitter, Instagram, or another social media site I’m not yet aware of because I’m getting old, chances are you’ve seen Daniel Murphy‘s takeout slide against Chase Utley:

    

Here’s the thing. If you want to tell me it’s a dirty play because Murphy can’t touch second, fine. However, you must concede two points: (1) Murphy slid; and (2) Utley could’ve avoided contact by sidestepping or jumping. With that in mind, let’s look at Utley’s slide again:

To avoid any confusion, here’s a still of the point of impact:

  

Is this the same slide as Murphy’s?  Could Ruben Tejada protect himself?  Of course not. Even if Tejada didn’t spin, with the way Utley slid/tackled Tejada, Utley’s arms are at Tejada’s hips. His face is buried in Tejada’s abdomen. This is not a baseball play. Stop kidding yourself. 

Another point, people have picked the ONE questionable slide in Murphy’s career. Utley is a guy with a reputation for being dirty:

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

So tell me this, how are these two plays or players comparable?  If you’re answer is anything other than they’re not, your a Dodger fan, hate the Mets, or both. 

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Meet the Matt

After Ruben Tejada‘s injury, the Mets had to replace him on the roster. We knew Wilmer Flores [standing ovation] was going to be the starting SS, but the Mets had to pick a backup. Even though Kelly Johnson played one game this year, he wasn’t going to fit the bill. 

The Mets chose Matt Reynolds because he’s a SS. He’s the Mets 12th ranked prospect. He had a disappointing year in AAA. He dropped from a .335/.385/.479 hitter in AAA to a .267/.319/.402 hitter. Part of that may have to do with his mid-season elbow injury. His worst month was July when he went on the DL. 

Overall, it doesn’t really matter how he hits. Flores was original at SS because of his bat. Reynolds just needs to be ready to be called upon. Most likely that means as a pinch runner (13/17 in SB attempts this year) or as a defensive replacement. He’s been improving defensively. 

With all that said, he most likely will not play today or at any point in the playoffs. If he does get his chance, I would not discount him from doing something great. 

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Utley Suspension Accomplishes Nothing

Well I guess even after reviewing on replay after the Dodgers’ challenge, MLB finally reviewed the ball and its own rulebook:

So finally, MLB admits it was interference. If the play was called properly on the field, it would’ve been an inning ending double play. If called properly, the Mets lead the game 2-1 going into the top of the eighth. 

Instead, Chase Utley was ruled safe, and the Dodgers won 5-2. Either way Ruben Tejada still has a broken leg. Utley is appealing. He may or may not play in Games 3 and 4. 

The Mets still lost Game 2, partially due to a blown call and inane replay rules.  A 2-0 series lead is now 1-1. Good job MLB. 

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Tejada Gave His Right Leg for the Mets

There have been many comments made about Chase Utley‘s “slide.”  Depending on your intellect (or fandom), Utley was either hard nosed (no) or dirty (yes). The competing narrative is Ruben Tejada put himself in position to get hurt:

https://twitter.com/brettanderson35/status/653387476694867968

(Yes, I know that’s not Reynold’s Twitter account. The person publishes his quotes). 

You know what I don’t hear?  I don’t hear what Noah Syndergaard was saying:

Tejada knew who was coming. He knows how dirty Utley plays. He was anticipating the slide by using a spin move to get away from the bag. He knew that by doing this he was leaving himself vulnerable. He did it anyway because he was trying to get the double play to preserve the lead in a playoff game.

What he did took guts. What Utley did was callow. Let’s change the narrative to reflect what Tejada was willing to do to help his team win, instead of the other way around. 

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MLB Better Not Suspend Utley

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. 

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Major Flaw in Replay System 

I think Mets fans everywhere correctly questioned why this play wasn’t the neighborhood play:

Now, we know the neighborhood play isn’t reviewable. However, this play was reviewed because the umpires on the field determined it wasn’t the neighborhood play. My question is why can’t the replay officials review the play and determine that the neighborhood play should’ve applied?

Keep in mind we have replay because umpires blow calls. The replay system is in place because we can’t trust the umpires’ judgment. However, in this specific instance we’re going to trust their judgment even though they got everything about the play wrong. 

Look at the play again. Utley “put a body on Tejada to break up the double play.”  When the collision took place, Tejada’s arm was in a throwing position. If the slide/tackle was made to prevent the double play, and this slide/tackle prevented the throw. How is this not the neighborhood play?  If upon the collision, Tejada throws the ball in any direction, do the umpires then rule there’s a neighborhood play?

Furthermore, why couldn’t the replay officials rule it was interference?  We all know Utley wasn’t trying to slide there. We know the fiction we create regarding sliding and breaking up double plays, but this was: (1) not a slide; (2) started the tackle after the out call was made; and (3) not even an attempt to touch second until he was well past the bag. 

I understand the arguments in both directions regarding replay. However, if the replay officials cannot review every aspect of the play, what’s the point of replay?  In essence, replay officials have their hands tied by an umpiring crews bad decision. If the replay system is in place to correct bad umpiring, why are we relying on their poor judgment calls when reviewing a play?

The whole system doesn’t made sense. The umpires on the field made a series of bad calls. The replay rules prevented the replay officials from correcting the call in the fashion it should have been. This rule needs to be fixed now. 

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Mets Can’t Get Direct Retribution from Utley

Every Mets fan is whipped into a frenzy right now over Chase Utley‘s dirty “slide” which broke Ruben Tejada‘s leg. They can’t wait for him to be beaned or taken out with a retaliatory slide. 

The problem is that it’s not going to happen. Utley is a bench player. If he comes up in a big spot, you can’t bean him. You risk the game and the series. If you do that, Utley wins. If he’s not playing in the field, how can you retaliate with a take out slide?  Seriously, the only way to get direct retribution from Utley is to hire Jeff Gilloly to take him out during pre-game introductions. Please note, I’m not advocating this. 

Also, it’s dumb to expect Matt Harvey to plunk someone. First, who do you pick?  Second, if you’re not injuring the player, how is this payback?  Third, it will lead to warnings taking away the inside corner of the plate. Fourth, Harvey risks getting tossed. Fifth, it’s not enough. 

We learned that with the whole Mike Piazza–Roger Clemens–Shawn Estes debacle. Remember this happened years after the Mets plunked Tino Martinez as payback. No one was happy until the Mets could plunk Clemens directly. So if plunking someone won’t suffice, what will?

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Replays Show MLB Doesn’t Know the Rulebook

It all came down to the seventh inning. Terry Collins pushed Noah Syndergaard a little too far. Thor left the game after 6.1 innings with runners on first and third. 

Puzzlingly, Collins would bring on Bartolo Colon. Colon induced a ground ball, and Daniel Murphy made a nice play. He flipped the ball to Ruben Tejada, and I’m not sure what happened next:

You see, the umps ruled Chase Utley safe. No, seriously. They called him safe. You see Tejada missed the bag. It doesn’t matter that Utley didn’t touch the bag. It doesn’t matter he didn’t begin his slide until after the out call was made. MLB will pick and choose which rules they will enforce:

https://twitter.com/chisportsfan03/status/653057143520686080

Here’s another angle:

https://twitter.com/athwayoflife/status/653063091614183424

That’s right, if the rule was properly enforced, it’s an inning ending double play. Instead, Utley is ruled safe, and Tejada is done with a broken right fibula. 

Speaking of a double play, the umpires ruled that it was not a neighborhood play because Murphy’s throw pulled Tejada off the bag. No, seriously. The fact that Tejada thought he touched second and began to spin to throw to first wasn’t indicative that there was a double play chance. 

Yes, I know the Mets bullpen, lead by Addison Reed imploded. The bullpen was handed a 2-1 lead courtesy of Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto homeruns. The game ended there. It became a 5-2 loss. 

The Mets bullpen failed. The umpires failed. Replay failed. MLB failed. 

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deGrominant Start to the NLDS

Mets fans have been waiting nine years for this game. They were treated to a special, record setting game:

Everyone expected a pitcher’s duel, and both teams delivered. Clayton Kershaw pitched 6.2 innings allowing four hits, three earned (two were inherited runners scored), four walks, and 11 strikeouts. Jacob deGrom was better. He threw 121 pitches over seven innings. He allowed five hits, one intentional walk, and 13 strikeouts. He was Tom Seaver-esque:

This was the type of game if you have no rooting interest, you enjoy every minute of it. When you’re a Mets fan, you live and die with every pitch. It’s tense. It’s trying. It’s worth it.  I actually checked with my Dad to see if his defribulator was working. I took it that since he replied it was. 

Personally, I don’t think I was breathing until the seventh inning. deGrom and Kershaw, though dominant, were seemingly in trouble every inning. Michael Cuddyer, and his extra shoddy defense, made sure of that. 

Up until the seventh inning, the only run was from a fourth inning Daniel Murphy home run. It was a special moment. Murphy was first around for the second collapse in 2008. He’s the second longest tenured position player. He fought to be an everyday player. With one swing of the bat, he showed everyone he deserved this chance. 

Ironically, on a night the Mets sat Michael Conforto because of Kershaw, only the Mets lefties got hits off of Kershaw. However, the Mets batters did their job in the seventh. Lucas Duda walked. Ruben Tejada fought back from an 0-2 count to walk. After a deGrom sacrifice, Curtis Granderson battled to walk. The bases were loaded with two outs, and Mattingly panicked. 

He lifted Kershaw and brought in Pedro Baez. He looked nervous. He got David Wright to a full count, and Wright delivered with a two RBI single. I screamed and woke up the house. It was worth it. My celebration was something like this:

I breathed a little easier when Juan Lagares came in for Cuddyer shifting Yoenis Cespedes to left. Of course, Tyler Clippard allowed a run in the eighth giving me angina again. Terry Collins didn’t let it get out of control. He brought in Jeurys Familia, who got ended the rally, and earned the four out save preserving the Mets 3-1 victory. 

Overall, this night wasn’t about Murphy, or Wright, or the fans who waited nine years for this moment. This was about deGrom. He has answered every call in his career.  He was Rookie of the Year. He was an All Star. He earned this start, and he more than delivered. He was better than the Franchise. 

The Mets are up 1-0 in the series. Later tonight, we’re expecting another pitcher’s duel, and the Mets are sending out the hottest pitcher in baseball. I like the Mets chances. Lets Go Mets!

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Game Two Pitching Matchup

Yesterdsy, I looked at how the Mets fared against Clayton Kershaw. Game Two promises to have its own pitcher’s duel between Zack Greinke and Noah Syndergaard. 

That means if the Mets want/need to win Game Two, they will need to get some runs off of Greinke or get into the Dodgers bullpen. With that said, here’s how the Mets have fared against Greinke:

Starting Lineup

Curtis Granderson 10-52 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, and 11 Ks

David Wright 3-9 with 1 double and 2 Ks

Daniel Murphy 4-13 with 2 BBs and 1 K

Yoenis Cespedes 1-5 with 1 BB and 1 K

Lucas Duda 3-12 with 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BBs, and 4 Ks

Travis d’Arnaud 0-0

Michael Conforto 0-2 with 1 RBI and 1 K

Ruben Tejada 0-6 with 1 K

Combined 21-99 (.212 BA) with 5 BBs (.274 OBP), 3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 HRs (.343 slugging), 5 RBIs, and 21 Ks

Bench

Kevin Plawecki 2-6 with 1 double and 1 K
Wilmer Flores 3-8 with 1 K

Kelly Johnson 0-9

Michael Cuddyer 10-40 with 1 double, 1 HR, 7 RBIs, 2 BBs, 10 Ks

Juan Lagares 1-8 with 1 HR, 3 RBIs, and 1 K

Kirk Nieuwenhuis 1-5 with 1 K

Combined 17-76 (.224) with 2 BBs (.244 OBP), 2 doubles, 2 HRs (.329 slugging), 10 RBIs, and 14 Ks

Team Totals 38-175 (.217 BA) with 7 BBs (.241), 5 doubles, 2 triples, 4 HRS (.337 slugging), 15 RBIs, and 35 Ks

Obviously, the .215/.241/.337 line indicates the Mets don’t hit Greinke well, but then again who does?  Greinke has limited batters to .187/.231/.276 this year. So, the Mets do hit Greinke than the league as a whole. 

This goes especially for the top of the Mets lineup. Granderson, Wright, and Murphy have historically hit Greinke very well. If the Mets want to score runs, it’s going to have to start at the top. 

As far as Syndergaard goes, he’s only faced the Dodgers once, and it was at Dodger Stadium. In that game, he pitched six innings allowing two hits, one earned, two walks, and six strikeouts. He got a no decision, but the Mets went on to a 2-1 win. That game was against Kershaw. 

Thor is certainly capable of repeating that performance. In his last four starts, he’s had a 2.93 ERA, a 0.651 WHIP, and a 12.0 K/9.  In this stretch, he’s limited opposing hitters to .163/.188/.337. He’s the key to everything. He’s primed for this playoff run. 

It’s strange to say I’m confident the Mets can pull a game out against Greinke, but Thor gives me that confidence. I can’t wait for him to take the mound Saturday night. 

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