Went to a fight and a hockey game broke out !!
 

Or watched a MLB playoff game and a football game broke out....

Was it a slide or a tackle?

Rule 7.09:

It is interference by a batter or a runner when --

(e) If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter-runner because of the action of his teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner.

Pretty clear except to the umpires at the game last night. Nothing "clean" about the slide at all...

If Utley gets in the game Monday, Harvey should bean him in the head. Period

No doubt a dirty play. I hope they drill that punk in the head monday

Reggie! Reggie! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvWKWvrVfrI

Love hearing Joe Garagiola, Tony Kubek and George "Tom" Seaver on the telecast. I remember the play and what a world series that was !!!!

Doesn't the NFL have rules to protect linemens legs from this type barrel rollup type action ? but MLB doesnot ? the slide was late, and started after the bag. As one player said if the SS was a star, there would be a new Tulow rule.

Utley didn't do this. You are citing the wrong rule.

You are correct in that there is another rule that could also be applied....

Taken from David Schoenfield's SweetSpot blogger....

"Rule 6.05 reads:

A batter is out when --

(m) A preceding runner shall, in the umpire's judgment, intentionally interfere with a fielder who is attempting to catch a thrown ball or to throw a ball in an attempt to complete any play:

Rule 6.05(m) Comment: The objective of this rule is to penalize the offensive team for deliberate, unwarranted, unsportsmanlike action by the runner in leaving the baseline for the obvious purpose of crashing the pivot man on a double play, rather than trying to reach the base. Obviously this is an umpire's judgment play.

Was Utley trying to reach the base? No. Did he leave the baseline? Yes? Was it deliberate, unwarranted and unsportsmanlike? Yes. CALL THE RULE. IT'S ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.

Or you can use Rule 7.09:

It is interference by a batter or a runner when --

(e) If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter-runner because of the action of his teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner.

Deliberately and willfully? Again, yes. CALL THE RULE. IT'S ALREADY ON THE BOOKS."

Post in the sports forum first of all, but that slide happens as part of baseball. So much whining

It's not the slide that anyone really cares about....it's the umps giving the Dodgers an extra base runner and a fourth out. If you think that's fair, maybe the Cardinals should get to choose the inning they can employ that strategy against the Cubs. I assume that would work for you?

The slide only became an issue because the umps badly blew the call.

Chief baseball officer Joe Torre said in a release he believed discipline was warranted because Utley violated the rule against targeting defenseless fielders, particularly around second base. He cited rule 5.09 (a)(13), which, he said, "is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base." He then noted the league has been "in discussions" with the players' union in regard to protecting middle infielders, an emphasis that apparently began Saturday night

In the head ? Really...

Wouldn't a 90 MPH fastball intentionally thrown at someone's head be considered a deadly weapon? Met's should concern themselves with wining the damn series rather than retaliation.

Bingo....You want revenge, win the damn series.

You missed my sarcasm. The play was dirty and I think the suspension was warranted. Mets should be fired up today and have a good chance of taking this thing.

That wasn't a shot at you Knicks. In the last 24 hours Retaliation is all I have been hearing around here (here being NY area). At the golf course , at the store in the newspapers. Retaliation is to eliminate the Dodgers in 3 games not lose your focus thinking about how and when to send your message.

This is crap. This happened quite a few times this season and no one was suspended. Kang of the Pirates suffered a broken leg on a very similar play(affecting the pennant race and playoffs) and there was no suspension. Put the rule in for next year but you can't suspend him here.

just sayin
 

Pedro would have send the message to the leadoff hitter on the first pitch fastball to the ribs. Baseball has these checks and balances built in.
you wanna steal signs....be prepared. you wanna peek back at the catcher for location...be prepared. you wanna slowly home trot around the bases, or watch it land before you start your trot....be prepared.
you wanna play dirty and slide that way....be prepared !

FTFY