Dodgers Dugout: Answering all your Chase Utley slide questions

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, reminding you that that is one win down, 10 to go.

The slide

Let's get right to it. What happened during that play in the seventh, when Chase Utley’s slide took out Ruben Tejada, breaking Tejada’s leg and allowing a run to score and keeping the inning alive? Here are some answers:

---Was it a clean play? To me, a dirty play is when someone is intentionally trying to hurt someone. Utley was not trying to hurt Tejada, he was trying to break up the double play. I think it was a hard slide, and a late slide because the play was slow-developing. Daniel Murphy didn't get much on the throw to Tejada, leaving him exposed. Another reason I don't think it was dirty: You usually don't try to play dirty by slamming the side of your face into a guy's knee. 

---Tejada definitely did not touch the base, but neither did Utley, so why was Utley called safe on appeal? Re-create the inning as if the umpire got the call correctly. If he saw Tejada had missed the bag, he wouldn't have called Utley out. However, if he also saw that Utley hadn't touched the base, he wouldn't call him safe either. He would have made no call at all. Utley would have seen this and stepped on the base while Tejada was on the ground in pain. Instead, when Utley saw the umpire had called him out, he ran off the field. If Utley had seen a safe call, or a no call, he would have touched the base and stayed on it. That is why Utley was called safe even though he never touched the base.

-- What is this "neighborhood play" they kept talking about on TV? A neighborhood play is when the fielder, when attempting to force the runner at second while turning a double play, catches and throws the ball while near second base. It's a play designed to keep the fielder safe, and is used when there is no doubt of the double play. In this case, however, because Murphy's throw was so late in arriving, the neighborhood play wasn't used. The neighborhood play is pretty much a judgment call.

What we saw with the Utley slide was the way baseball used to be played. It was a play Kirk Gibson would have made. Nowadays, catchers can't block home plate and I'm sure there will be talk of rewriting the rules to protect fielders in this case. It's too bad Tejada got hurt. No one wants to see that. But, sometimes athletes are going to get hurt on fluke plays, and there is no way to rewrite the rules to protect everyone at all times. And I would be saying the same thing if the situation was reversed and a Met had slammed his face into a Dodger.

Game 2 thoughts

I have to admit that when Zack Greinke gave up those two homers, all the enthusiasm drained from my body. I'm glad I didn't turn off the TV. Here's what went through my mind during Game 2:

---The TBS announcers are just exhausting. It's OK to take a breath and not talk sometimes, guys. 

---Kiké Hernandez was on base three times Saturday and stole a base. He should be a permanent fixture in the lineup, batting leadoff.

---I like Corey Seager a lot, but he should be batting seventh or eighth to take some of the pressure off of him.

---I'm not a big fan of all those towels waving. Makes me think my car is ready at the carwash.

---Did you ever think that Chris Hatcher would become one of the most reliable men in the bullpen? I was actually happy to see him on the mound in the eighth. I admire and respect the way he has bounced back from a horrible start. He just kept his head down and worked to get better.

---I was wrong to leave Utley off my playoff roster. He proved why he belonged by playing hard-nosed baseball. The Dodgers don't win Saturday without him.

---At one point, with the Mets leading 2-0, TBS analyst Cal Ripken said that taking an early lead really put the pressure on the Dodgers, and that the longer the game goes, the greater the pressure becomes. Thanks for that keen insight.

---Have you noticed the people who sit in the very first row behind home plate? They barely react to anything. Best seats in the house, and they look bored out of their minds. It's like looking at a painting of fans.

---Hey TBS, parents are watching these games with their kids. Enough with the Cialis and Viagra commercials.

---Is it me, or does Greinke seem to hold it together better in big games than Clayton Kershaw?

---Howie Kendrick isn't as fast as Dee Gordon, but he was fast enough to score on that double. I'm glad he's on the team.

---Justin Turner may be the most underrated player in baseball.

---I find it hilarious that Pedro Martinez, a guy who threw up and in his whole career, is suddenly concerned about jeopardizing a player's future.

---I'm still sticking with my prediction of the Dodgers in four games.

The rest of the schedule

Game 3: Monday at New York, 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m., Brett Anderson (10-9, 3.69) vs. Matt Harvey (13-8, 2.71)

Game 4: Tuesday at New York, 5 p.m., TBA vs. Steven Matz (4-0, 2.27)

Game 5*: Thursday at Dodger Stadium, 5 p.m., TBA vs. Jacob deGrom

* if necessary. All times Pacific. All games on TBS.

And finally

Bill Plaschke takes a look at Utley's slide. You can read all about it here.

Have a comment or something you'd like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me and follow me on Twitter: @latimeshouston.