Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN
Because of Utley's ability to appeal, his suspension has no real impact. What is lasting is MLB declaring war on those kinds of plays.
Except it was okay when Cubs second basemen Chris Coghlan took out Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang last month. Kang, a potential rookie of the year candidate, tore his left lateral meniscus and had a fractured tibia and will likely miss the start of the 2016 season.
Coghlan wasn't fined or suspended although he was clearly going to take Kang out rather than slide into the base. Instead it was called a good hard baseball play and that taking out the fielder is part of baseball.
I don't think the Utley play was any different and the MLB needs to be consistent. Either make take-out slides illegal or don't -- you can't have it both ways.