Chase Utley Rule

Another baseball item for you and I promise to move on for all you Non-Inside Baseball fans.  (Kind of cool that the term “too inside baseball” has become the accepted way of saying that something is “too technical” or “too down in the weeds.”)

This season, a new interpretation of a rule having to do with the “hard slide” at second base to break up a double play has been implemented.  It has been dubbed the “Chase Utley Rule.” 

Last season during a playoff game Chase Utley slid into second to break up a double play and not only broke up the double play but also broke the guy’s leg.  That the guy with the broken leg played for the New York Mets probably fueled the issue  (click here.)

Thus, kind of like how a traffic light gets put up at an intersection after there has been a bad accident there, the baseball powers that be decided they had to do something to reduce injuries resulting from this practice.   This season if the umps deem it too hard a slide, they are calling  an out on the slider and the runner to first regardless if the throw got there in time or not.

As a former shortstop, I never liked the hard slide business.   Once when playing softball for the American Legion, our second baseman Lance Kebaugh flipped me  a ball for a double play.  As I tried to throw on to first for the double play, the runner, some big galoot, came barreling down on me like a runaway train and my throw to first went over Bootsie Norris’ head.  (This was some feat because Bootsie was like 6′ 9″.) 

After the play, things settled down as the next batter stepped in.  Bootsie then yelled out to me for all to hear  “J. Scott, next time that happens, you throw the ball and hit ’em right in the nuts.”   The crowd loved it.

Here are a couple old photos I found in the shoe box.  I think Bart took these.  Note the Buzzy’s Country Store Has Everything sign in the background.   

Me Flipping Ball to Lance

Dennis Clarke Looks On as Yours Truly Tries to Get Out of the Way of the Sliding Runner

Lindy – Perfect Form, Perfect Swing

And just because I mentioned it above: