28 replies to this topic

[DJ MC]

MLB rules committee decides to eliminate collisions at home plate

 

The rule has yet to be formally defined or drafted, but the upshot of all of this will be that base runners will be required to slide into home plate, not initiate contact with the catcher. Likewise, catchers will not be able to block home plate. Rather, they must tag runners — and allow runners a path to the plate — just as any other fielder does at any other base. Players who violate the collision rules will be subject to discipline in all likelihood, though exact sanctions will be determined once the rule is finalized.

[aurelius]

Unless it's the final game of the playoffs or something, where a loss means you go home, having your catcher block home plate is pretty dumb. Johnny Bench said Posey was wrong for what he did. Bench was a great catcher, old-school player, he blamed Posey for positioning. Pete Rose says Fosse didn't have the ball when he was blocking the plate, so that puts it on the catcher to somehow know whether the ball will be in his possession when the runner arrives. Not so easy to do on a close play. I don't think they need a rule change but each team should tell their catcher not to physically block the plate unless it's a game seven situation.

[Oriole85]

Unless it's the final game of the playoffs or something, where a loss means you go home, having your catcher block home plate is pretty dumb. Johnny Bench said Posey was wrong for what he did. Bench was a great catcher, old-school player, he blamed Posey for positioning. Pete Rose says Fosse didn't have the ball when he was blocking the plate, so that puts it on the catcher to somehow know whether the ball will be in his possession when the runner arrives. Not so easy to do on a close play. I don't think they need a rule change but each team should tell their catcher not to physically block the plate unless it's a game seven situation.

Pretty much I agree with what you said here. I don't think a rule change is necessary but it's one of those "not worth it" things. I noticed that Wieters appeared to be blocking the plate less after the TB game where he came up OK out of that bang-bang play. To save one run and possibly one game isn't worth risking your season (or career) over in most cases. It's the most exciting play in baseball IMO.

[DJ MC]

Johnny Bench is a big fan of the new rule eliminating home plate collisions

[aurelius]

And like he said, sometimes you can't avoid it. The catcher's looking for the ball, not at the runner, not at the plate, as puts himself in position to get that throw to the plate. He may not be intentionally blocking the plate, but he is. I don't know how you make a rule for that, the rule already says you can't block without the ball. But the catcher's allowed to get the ball and the runner's allowed to go home unimpeded. I guess they can make all the runners slide whether they want to or not.

[Oriole85]

CBS Sports: Ban on plate collisions possible in time for spring training games

 

http://www.cbssports...ing-games-begin

[Oriole85]

ESPN: Not all catchers favor proposed rule

 

http://espn.go.com/m...-collision-rule

 

In the Toronto Blue Jays' camp Wednesday morning, catcher Dioner Navarro made it clear he wasn't a proponent of the rule, even though he was carried off the field on a stretcher as recently as August following a collision with the Philadelphia Phillies' Chase Utley. When the conversation turned to the new rule, which is expected to be made official shortly, Navarro replied, succinctly: "I don't care. We're still going to get crushed."

Asked why he felt that way, despite a rule that is specifically intended to prevent catchers from getting crushed, Navarro said: "Because it's been like that for over 100 years."
 

Blue Jays backup Erik Kratz was even more outspoken, saying catchers who still want to block the plate to prevent a big run should be allowed to do so.

"If you're a guy who wants to stay in there and save a run, why can't you?" Kratz asked. "Why would they take that advantage away from somebody who's willing to get hurt?

"Look, I get it," Kratz continued. "I get why they're doing this. I've been fortunate. I've never had a bad injury like [Buster Posey]. ... If I'd lost a season because of this, I'd probably be all for it. But I haven't experienced that."

[Oriole85]

ESPN: MLB adopts rule on collisions at plate

 

http://espn.go.com/m...ons-1-exception

 

Major League Baseball and its players have banned most home plate collisions but left open an exception if the catcher has the ball and is blocking the runner's direct path to home plate.
 

A new rule, 7.13, was adopted by MLB and the players' association on a one-year experimental basis, the sides said Monday.

 

Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters, who was steamrolled at the plate by Sean Rodriguez in 2012 and flattened by Ryan Kalish at Fenway in 2011, is one of the biggest supporters of the rule change, although he'd still like to get clarifications from MLB on exactly what is and isn't permitted.

[Oriole85]

Fox Sports: MLB likely to adjust two rules: Plays at home & transfer catches

 

The first, at minimum, would be a guideline in which catchers will be asked to give the runner a lane to the plate in their initial positioning, further reducing the possibility of collisions at home plate.

 

The second would be a less strict interpretation of the transfer rule, in which umpires would rule on catches the way they did in the past, using more of a common-sense approach rather than following the letter of the law.