Mets fans welcome home Ruben Tejada with rousing pregame ovation
New York Mets fans welcomed injured shortstop Ruben Tejada back to Citi Field on Monday night, two days after his season ended on an ugly take-out slide by Los Angeles Dodgers’ second baseman Chase Utley.
The play has become one of the most controversial in recent baseball history and has led to suggestions that baseball adjust its rules in the offseason to give more protection to middle infielders.
[Related: Rusty Staub throws out first pitch two weeks after heart attack]
With his right foot in a walking boot and using a cane, Tejada came out of the dugout in uniform to take part in the pregame introductions at Game 3 of the NLDS. Let’s just say if Tejada had any doubt about how Mets fans felt about him before Monday night, he now feels the love.
They were loud and many held up pictures of the 25-year-old from Panama. Others held up signs that said ‘Win one for Ruben.”
[Also: Clayton Kershaw to start NLDS Game 4 for Dodgers on three days rest]
While the Tejada moment was touching, Mets fans took out their frustrations on the man responsible for injuring him. Los Angeles second baseman Chase Utley was suspended by Major league Baseball prior to the game, but was still eligible to play because he appealed the suspension. However, he wasn’t in the lineup.
When Utley was introduced before the game, fans booed him almost as loudly as they cheered Tejada.
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Kyle Ringo is a contributing writer to Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KyleRingo
