Tonight, a day after the Phillies beaned us three times to bring the total to 8 beanings on the year, Utley decides to make himself a Brian Dawkins-style missile to take out the defenseless Nationals catcher Jesus Flores.
It will be a long time before the Nationals should stop throwing at Utley. As far as I'm concerned, the Nationals would be completely justified to take out Utley, Howard, and Rollins. No, forget that. I say throw at Hamels.
This is war.
- The little angel on my shoulder is telling me I shouldn't blog for injuries. He's right. But I'm pissed. The Phillies have way more to lose than we do, and whatever happens would be their own damn fault. Flores is the best thing we have going (except maybe Lannan, Dukes). Intentionally attempting to hurt another player, which to my eyes is clearly what Utley did, is unforgivable. Tomorrow I'll probably feel differently, but right now I want payback.
7 comments:
Dunno...I'm still not convinced it wasn't just Utley playing the game the way it should be played [or some such cliche]. Knock the ball loose at all costs...
Manny is the last manager that I would expect to order a retaliation on a player. This team is too young and dare I say, fragile, to get into a physical contest with the Phillies. I would love to see that become part of their character but I just don't see it happening. However, I bet Pat Corrales was wishing that he was 30 years younger and could show some of the twenty year olds how "the game" is played.
You're both right, to an extent.
@NE--Utley's play, like Jack Tatum's spearing and horse-collaring Roy Williams, will always be viewed by some as "playing the game hard, clean, blah blah..." Unless (or until) the act is specifically outlawed, it is ok, clean, hard, admirable even, to this way of thinking.
I just don't agree with that. A play that you know darn well is likely to hurt the other guy, and oh by the way is less likely to score the run than a less studly but smarter hook slide, is dirty in my mind. The fact that it isn't specifically outlawed doesn't make it ok.
@Dale--you're right too, and I guess I appreciate that about Manny. Like I said in my post, I'll probably feel differently about it in the morning. During the game, I really would have wanted some retaliation. Manny's level-headedness is one reason among many why he's a better choice as an MLB manager than I would be.
Steven, point well taken on Tatum-Williams -- and hopefully you're feeling differently about it in the morning -- but didn't you advocate throwing at Utley?
That sounds fairly studly...and sort of smells like a play that "you know darn well is likely to hurt the other guy"
But like I said -- I'm still not convinced either way...(but your Tatum-Williams comparison got me thinking, anyway). I should probably go back and watch the 3rd inning again on Tivo...
Yes, I said throw at him, and then I said no we shouldn't do that. But boy did I want to! But the angel on my shoulder reminded me that this isn't really what I think, that it would not only be sinking to their level but just inviting further injury to our guys. The last thing we need are some Milton Bradley-style ACL tears.
Really, I wish the league would change the rule about catchers at home plate to give them some protection. It's really a totally unnecessary risk to the player, and nothing else in baseball compares really.
In the meantime I'll just boo quietly at my MLB.tv.
If Utley is just a dirty player, there's not much we can do about that. Should the Nats seek revenge, the act of vengeance will be remembered far longer than its cause, and quite possibily with great disfavor. ("He started it!" is a poor excuse at age 3, not to mention at age 23 or 33.) And it won't calm things down any.
If Utley himself was seeking vengeance, he got it -- having, of course, exercised the ethics of a schoolyard bully, but that's the way it goes.
Oh, by the way, when at bat, Utley rides the plate like a pony. One of these days, when Utley gets hit by a pitch, an umpire with guts is going to call a strike on him instead of awarding him first base. (If it makes us feel better, we could say he already got what he had coming when Lannan's pitch broke his hand.)
In the meantime, let's console ourselves by rooting for the Mets. Except when they're in town, of course.
Chase is dirty? How short can your memory be. Lannen broke Utley's hand last year ... if that is too long ago you drilled him again this year in apparent retaliation for the Phils hitting Zimmerman (with Flores set up directly behind Chase, I might add) ... if THAT is too long ago the Nats got him AGAIN two nights ago.
If you're calling Chase is dirty I would LOVE to hear how you would describe Dukes.
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