Tommy Lasorda calls for rule change following Chase Utley incident

Naturally, the controversy surrounding Chase Utley and the Dodgers wasn't going to pass without Dodgers icon Tommy Lasorda giving his two cents on the matter.

But the Hall of Fame manager didn't automatically take the side of his beloved Dodger Blue. In fact, Lasorda insists that the incident, which left Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada with a broken leg, is a sign that there needs to be a rule change, the New York Daily News reports. 

"They give catchers protection, right?" Lasorda reportedly said. "What about those middle infielders? What kind of protection do you want to give them?"

It isn't said whether or not Lasorda elaborated on what that "protection" is going to be. Regardless, he doesn't seem to think that Utley receiving a two-game suspension for pummeling Tejada is enough.

The heavily-debated slide occurred during the seventh inning of Game 2 of the NLDS down in Los Angeles on Saturday. It then spawned heated discussion across the internet as to the whether or not the slide was illegal, and malicious. 

Former Yankees manager and current MLB chief disciplinarian Joe Torre handed down the suspension. He had taken the podium after Saturday's game and said that he hoped Utley wasn't trying to injure anyone, according to NJ.com. But by Sunday evening, he had decided that the slide couldn't go unpunished.

"After thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr. Utley's action warrants discipline," Torre said in a statement, according to ESPN. "While I sincerely believe that Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada, and was attempting to help his Club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09 (a) (13), which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base."

Utley reportedly appealed the suspension, and per the NY Daily News the league was "unlikely" to hear the appeal on Monday--making him eligible to play in Game 3 on Monday night.

The issue of Utley's slide is far from over. Depending on how the appeal plays out, there could be a huge outcry as to what the punishment for such slides should be.

Perhaps Lasorda's call for a rule protecting infielders is something that comes to fruition.