Chase Utley talks Mets fans, 'The Slide' & takes a few calls - Boomer & Gio

5/1/19
Longtime Mets’ nemesis Chase Utley joined ‘Boomer & Gio’ on Wednesday morning to discuss his part in the Mets-Phillies rivalry and his memories of playing in Flushing.
Mets-Phillies games dialed up the intensity and Utley remembered an incident with a particular young fan.
“I remember coming off the field one time and there was a boy - he was 10 years old - maybe,” Utley recalled. “As I’m walking to the dugout, he looks me right in the eyes and he goes ‘I hope you blanking die.’ And I looked right at his dad. I’m like I can’t believe this. He’s 10 years old, he said this. Maybe his dad is going to say it - and his dad repeated the same thing as he’s going at me.”
“You touched a nerve here in New York, I can tell you that,” Esiason said.
Utley infamously broke Ruben Tejada’s leg sliding into second base during Game 2 of the 2015 NLDS while a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In retrospect, he wishes that he didn't slide in so hard.
“Looking back on it, knowing that his leg was going to break - I would have changed it a bit,” said Utley, now a special adviser for the Dodgers. “I would probably have gone in a little bit easier. That’s one thing that you do not want to do - is hurt an opposing player. The intent was to go in and break up the double play.”
He attempted to reach out to Tejada through David Wright, but Tejada didn't want to talk to him.
"There was no conversation, I tried to reach out to him -- it didn't go so well," Utley said. "I tried to get ahold of him through David Wright. He passed on some messages. I wanted to talk to (Tejada), he didn't want to talk to me. I sent him a very nice bottle of tequila to say sorry."
Later Wednesday, former Mets infielder Wilmer Flores, a member of that 2015 team who replaced Tejada after he broke his leg, appeared on WFAN's "Benigno and Roberts" and was asked if he believed Utley's slide was dirty.
"Yeah, it definitely was," Flories said. "There's no question about it.
"Maybe he wasn't trying to be dirty, but he slid too late."

[@michaeldepinto3562]

I'm a Mets fan and I'm sorry I couldn't help but laugh when Boomer said "You broke our Second Baseman's Leg" and Chase Utley calmly corrects him "You're Shortstop" 😂😂 Ice Water in those Vains!

[@griffingerber8003]

Shout out to Mets fans who recognize that if he played in queens he’d be beloved like no other

[@anthonys.5653]

I'm a Die Hard Philly fan, and New York fans are the only other fan base who rival us...respect!

[@NGLaw56]

I despise the man, but I respect the hell out of his game -Mets fan

[@vendmaster8491]

" world FUCKING champions"

[@carlosinda3553]

Utley still owned the mets fans in retirement

[@NateR90]

He is way overrated shouldn’t get any recognition other than his dirty slide

[@carlosinda3553]

@@NateR90 the slide wasn't that bad.

[@alantherock225]

@@carlosinda3553 Well it broke a guy's leg and he never even touched the base so...

[@dakruise1]

Alan Kay that’s baseball, suzyn

[@bobbyzwicharowski1129]

Alan Kay learn baseball

[@kylebuckmaster6976]

Around 19:20: “See you sweetheart.” 😂😂😂

[@crazysteve9390]

08 WFC

[@_D_E_N_N_I_S_]

Utley nailed Harper in philly. I also liked his honesty about the bat flip stuff. Chase never even smiled when he hit home runs lol.

[@larrycopeland2413]

His first MLB hit was a slam... put his head down and sprinted around the bases.

[@JDela-le2kp]

Chase is a pro, he should be a manager one day, iam a die hard Met Fan and he was a met killer but there is no way he TRIED to break Tejadas leg. I wanted him on our side. That said, the slide was late and he took a good shot to the head as well, but no intent to break bones

[@carlosinda3553]

Thank You

[@TheJoseprds99]

Yea he lost some brain cell good for him

[@PhillyLeotardo25]

J. Indel he may not tried to break Tejada’s leg but he had intent to injure him hence not even attempting to touch the base. If I was locked in a room with Hitler Bin Laden and Utley I would shoot Utley twice.... in the hip so he can walk around with a cane like he made Tejada do whiling ending his career

[@dakruise1]

Kevin Hayes he intended to break a double play

[@NGLaw56]

I despise the man, but I respect the hell out of his game -Mets fan

[@RetroGameQuest]

What a legend. Guy would get a statue if he played in Queens, but since he's wearing red, he's a villain.

[@LouSwole]

Are you kidding me... we cant even get a statue of our legends...

[@stephenstone8480]

Chase Utley always had respect for the game and always played it the right way. He will forever be THE MAN!!

[@NoNameNo.5]

“Chase Utley you ARE the MAN!”

[@logancabanas8462]

Being hated by other teams means you did you job right. Forever a Phillie chase. Stay gritty #PhightinPhils

[@RO-pg9hw]

He was loved and appreciated while with the Dodgers as well. Glad he is still with the organization.

[@bigploppa154]

so vontaze burfict did his job right? jack tatum did his job right?

[@smokesgtp]

I'm the biggest Mets fan in the world, but the slide was old school, real, legal baseball. Perfectly executed.

[@carlosinda3553]

THANK YOU

[@runningthor1999]

smokesgtp you dumbass, he missed the fucking base! Perfectly executed? You’re blind, as well as clearly not a Mets fan.

[@tRiEtHANDTHeKiDD]

hey i can lie about what team i support too! I'm a Dodger fan and that slide was down right out dirty and he is a dirty player. Dude didn't even touch second

[@Garrett1240]

It may have been common place back in the day but I don’t think it should be going forward.

[@surjux6271]

Baseball is not meant to be a brute's sport. This "old school" play should stay in the past.

[@frankh3989]

Utley sounds like Mel Gibson

[@jackllach161]

So enthusiastic!

[@thefilmcubano]

Shortly after this interview they broke his kneecaps

[@t206kid]

Why they interviewing Ellen?

[@markfrascinella8707]

Read the comments first, disliked all positives, heard him talk for 5 seconds, and posted this. Get on my level Mets fans

[@robertlaurence5145]

All that sounds pretty cunty, asking people to drop to that level makes it even worse.

[@markfrascinella8707]

Robert Laurence another instance utley sent home on a base hit vs the cubs, clearly gonna be safe ahead of the throw, doesn’t slide but tries to end catcher Navarro’s career, wrecks him but never touches plate and is out. Yes in a nutshell he’s a bully that always takes a free hit regardless of respect and regard for his opponent. Seems like u did too. F UTLEY LGM

[@robertlaurence5145]

@@markfrascinella8707 No, in Your mind He's trying to end people careers and break legs, that doesn't make it true, All I see when I see those plays is a guy playing the way many guys including Pete Rose played and there's nothing wrong with it, which makes the whining of the fans even funnier.

[@michaeldepinto3562]

@@robertlaurence5145 So then you are Cool with Posey having his leg broken and Acuna being thrown at? As much as you or I don't like it Baseball has Changed. Every Baseball Fan Whines about Something

[@casmierekelly389]

CHASE UTLEY YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!

[@crazysteve9390]

Harry the K

[@davesecx]

Utley is my favorite baseball player of all time. Dude is the man.

[@bambam8527]

Chase Utley or Bill Belichick?

[@TheRonan93]

i love you Chase you are the man

[@TRosati26]

Who fed Utley a frog before the interview?!

[@lakc72]

Your mom

[@TRosati26]

@@lakc72 Nailed it

[@JayRacer]

Probably in the a.m.

[@eaglesfan9712]

He played the shit out of Bommer.

[@haleysteedman8585]

Just found out I'm probably related to him yeehaw

[@jbvap]

Kinda reminds me of Edward Norton.

[@themaskedmet3097]

Wow good call

[@Passiomusic1]

Chipper jones was a stand up guy

[@Froston1]

YOU ARE THE MAN CHASE UTLEY!

[@christianvoto5220]

leave

[@30xron]

You got to be gay

[@LumpyNutz]

Incorrect, that is not a man

[@wtfbeto1188]

I HATED UTLEY IN PHILADELPHIA, BUT WAS SO HAPPY THE DAY I READ HE WAS COMING TO LOS ANGELES.

[@AR-wg1di]

As a Mets fan, I always look at him as being elite, mostly because he always kills the Mets but then you look at his numbers and he was below average from 2013 and on. Shows how much he killed the Mets.

[@jasonfranklin2925]

yes his body broke down.

[@PopePlatinumBeats]

Mets fans suppose to hate Utley.... he murdered you guys for years... nothing wrong with that.... i hate any player who ever put on a mets uniform

[@romanc.5074]

I couldn't care less about what Utley said, that was a dirty play. Now, I don't blame him completely but MLB that alow and glorified that kind of plays in the field. Taking out a defenseless defender, how could anybody think that was right? It wasn't football. Sick, stupid, and senseless.

[@jamesphillips4888]

He’s a jerk lol

[@jfk70]

Bryce Harper comment by Boomer didn't age well... yeah, the NL MVP wants to stay. Sigh. Haters.

[@jfk70]

Chase slid hard before the bag and within the path. It was unfortunate timing.

[@izzymarcus8550]

He literally wasn’t close to the bag and never touched it. Also slid almost even with the bag. Also didn’t even look at the bag while sliding just at Tejada. He didn’t care about being safe he might not wanted to have injured him that bad but all he wanted was to make a hard collision as fast as he could.

[@justaguy2648]

Ugh

[@kylebuckmaster6976]

New York Nick Oof, salty.

[@justaguy2648]

Kyle B about what? I just don’t like him from being a Phillie

[@justaguy2648]

And ugh is my natural reaction to his face

[@Lorrddyyy]

I hate Chase forever

[@rowdyrebel5820]

Utley’s still a villain even if he doesn’t break his leg. Just such an unfortunate incident to make his villain status even worse.

[@NathanMartin-iy1wm]

This guy proves how whiney mets fans are

[@michaelodea7498]

No wonder I don’t listen anymore. Gio is awful and cuts off Boomer

[@ThePhenomm]

I don’t care F Utley, if this was any other fan base they would hate him too

[@farrockqns2577]

ThePhenomm exactly the dumb ass mfs don’t get that

[@wima13]

Dirty player