I Dont Even Understand What Just Happened

There are no words to describe how fucking bad the Mets were screwed here. Absolutely none. This will go down as one of the most embarrassing moments for Major League Baseball and instant replay. One of the worst black eyes the game has ever seen. Mass confusion. Blown calls. Extra outs. A screw job for the ages.

Chase Utley comes barreling down the base path and up ends Ruben Tejada with a blatantly dirty slide. There are no if, ands or buts about that. There is absolutely not way anyone with a brain can call that a clean slide. First and foremost because he wasnt even able to touch the bag on his “slide.” He started that “slide” after passing the bag. Dude never even came remotely close to 2nd base. Made no effort. Probably couldnt have even touched if if he wanted to because he barely slid in the first place. Ran right through the bag and kamikaze’d Tejada. It was essentially a tackle. Thats a dirty play.

BUT. I dont have a problem with dirty play in the post season. Old man Utley is a scumbag, always has been, always will be, and never has even tried to hide it. He was gonna do whatever it took to break up that double play, rules be damned. Ruben Tejada’s fibula be damned. It sucks being on the short end of that. It really fucking sucks that in 2015, when baseball has modified almost every rule imaginable and made it an agenda to prevent players from being hurt in these situations, the Mets somehow get dicked over on a play where there was clearly intent. Thats just shitty Mets luck. The one time the umps decide to let the game be played like Pete Rose in the 70s, the Mets are the ones getting fucked.

Here’s my problem. Or problems. Isn’t the “neighborhood play” not reviewable specifically because of this? They didnt want guys standing in on hard slides fearful of a replay calling a runner safe so they deemed it not reviewable. And while this wasnt a true blue “neighborhood play” call, isnt that still the idea behind it? And then for the umpires to take a second look at that play…see how there was clearly intent…see that Utley never touched the bag and ran off the field…see some barely conclusive evidence that Utley was safe anyway (enough of a toss up that you could have let the call on the field stand)…and reward all of that…well thats just fucking crazy. I mean if the point of instant replay is to get the call completely correct – follow the rulebook – well thats this right here:

But like I said I’m not even looking for that. I dont expect Utley to get called out on a double play obstruction call. And I understand that Utley doesnt need to really touch the bag after being ruled out because he figured he was just out. Thats annoying as FUCK that a guy who never touched second and ran off the field was awarded the base, but you can understand why the umps would say “We fucked that up, he thought he was out.”

But again – this isnt a play that was really supposed to be reviewable. If it is being reviewed, then all aspects of the play can be reviewed – meaning that slide should have been deemed dirty. And then after botching both of those parts, you reward him the bag after he never made any attempt – before or after the call – to touch second base. Meet me half way, blue. Its a fucked up controversial play. Enough of coin flip that you can call Utley out and let the run score. Split that down the middle, bro. I dont need the double play on a technicality. Just give me the out a second. You botched it once, you botched it twice, just throw me a fucking bone.

The point of replay and the rules surrounding replay are A) get the call right and B) keep players safe and neither of those things happened so whats the fucking point at all?

PS – Yea, a better throw from Murphy and none of this happens. And yea Reed gets some outs after the call and it doesnt matter. But cmon thats as big of a game changing call as you can get in baseball.

PPS – If I’m Terry Collins I argue that whole fiasco until someone from Major League Baseball needs to physically remove me from the field. Eject me, suspend me, fine me. Throw fucking everything at me. But I am screaming my fucking head off until I need to be physically restrained.

UPDATE: Didnt realize that rule that everyone is throwing around right now clearly says “batted.” That will be the amendment made to the rule book tomorrow to fix this from ever happening again, and the Mets are the team that unfortunately had to get screwed to make this happen.