MLB intends to ban plate collisions

[Denver Native (Carol)]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.—Pete Rose sounded bowled over.

Charlie Hustle, who famously flattened Ray Fosse to score the winning run in the 1970 All-Star game, couldn't believe Major League Baseball intends to eliminate home-plate collisions by 2015 at the latest.

"What are they going to do next, you can't break up a double play?" Rose said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press after MLB announced its plan Wednesday.

"You're not allowed to pitch inside. The hitters wear more armor than the Humvees in Afghanistan. Now you're not allowed to try to be safe at home plate?" Rose said. "What's the game coming to? Evidently the guys making all these rules never played the game of baseball."

rest - http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_24704063/mlb-intends-ban-plate-collisions

[OrangeHoof]

That's really great that MLB wants to ban collisions at home plate. Now HOW do you go about doing that? You don't have a penalty box in baseball. You can't flag the runner 15 yards. Suspend the catcher if he blocks home plate? Suspend the runner if he doesn't slide? What if the throw is slightly up the third base line and the catcher needs to go get it?

Just like the NFL, I suspect the cures are going to be worse than the disease.

[Buff]

That's really great that MLB wants to ban collisions at home plate. Now HOW do you go about doing that? You don't have a penalty box in baseball. You can't flag the runner 15 yards. Suspend the catcher if he blocks home plate? Suspend the runner if he doesn't slide? What if the throw is slightly up the third base line and the catcher needs to go get it?

Just like the NFL, I suspect the cures are going to be worse than the disease.

After reading the article is sounds pretty clear that the onus is on the baserunner to avoid the collision. I actually think it will be relatively easy to police - and the net effect will be pretty minimal. Though I understand the objections - it seems like they ought to let the big boys play big boy baseball.

[WTE]

I believe the last base runner to legally crash into a catcher at home plate is David Ross of the World Champion Boston Red Sox.

[chazoe60]

I hate this idea

[Timmy!]

Boooooo

[Poet]

We saw this coming.

[chazoe60]

While we're at it why don't we just make the ball bigger, paint it neon yellow, and make pitchers pitch underhand?

[Buff]

While we're at it why don't we just make the ball bigger, paint it neon yellow, and make pitchers pitch underhand?

Meh - the football rule changes are a lot more drastic. I think this is basically a moot point. It's such a small and insignificant part of the game.

[Slick]

Catcher is a pretty important position in baseball. I don't really blame them for trying to protect those guys. One thing I think will be hard is for the catchers to not block the plate. They've been taught to hunker down, block the plate and wait for the relay or outfield throw since they were in Little League.

[CoachChaz]

As a lifelong catcher, I like it from the stance of avoiding being trucked by someone running full speed at the catcher. But, I have a hard time seeing catchers NOT blocking the plate and thus, the question of the runner having access to the plate comes about. Are they just suppose to concede the out? It'll be interesting to see it play out.

The other question that comes to mind is What's next? How about taking out the infielder at 2nd base on double play attempts? I've probably seen more injuries occur there than anywhere else.

[Dapper Dan]

I'd love for Pete Rose to take over as the next commish.

But I wouldn't bet on it.

[ShaneFalco]

wow.....

[Denver Native (Carol)]

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.

A comment attached to the rule states "the failure by the runner to make an effort to touch the plate, the runner's lowering of the shoulder, or the runner's pushing through with his hands, elbows or arms, would support a determination that the runner deviated from the pathway in order to initiate contact with the catcher in violation."

rest - http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10512206/mlb-bans-home-collisions-1-exception

[BroncoWave]

I'm fine with this. Baseball is not a contact sport. Plate collisions just put people at too big of a risk for injury. I just don't see the necessity of the play.

What I'm wondering is how it will be enforced. I assume they will either award an automatic run or call an automatic out based on who the ump deems to have initiated the contact.

[MOtorboat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys8zoImFYX8

[Buff]

Someone tried to make the case the other day that Major League II was better than the original. I mean, c'mon.

[Pudge]

Someone tried to make the case the other day that Major League II was better than the original. I mean, c'mon.

That's like the other day when someone tried telling me that die hard wasn't a Christmas movie

[Buff]

That's like the other day when someone tried telling me that die hard wasn't a Christmas movie

People are so full of shit nowadays.

[MOtorboat]

Someone tried to make the case the other day that Major League II was better than the original. I mean, c'mon.

You live in Colorado.

They were high.

Explanation accepted.

[Buff]

You live in Colorado.

They were high.

Explanation accepted.

No, I think it was Brian Kenny on twitter, which made it all the more appalling that someone reputable was trying to advance that line of thinking.

[MOtorboat]

No, I think it was Brian Kenny on twitter, which made it all the more appalling that someone reputable was trying to advance that line of thinking.

Brian Kenny seems very ego-oriented.

[Buff]

Brian Kenny seems very ego-oriented.

That seems like a fair statement. Most of those guys on MLBN are now that you mention it. But I haven't really watched much this year.

[ShaneFalco]

I played catcher. I loved taking on skinny baserunners. :) I guess when you get to the MLB, the base runners are not so skinny anymore :)

[chazoe60]

All of this because Buster Posey is the biggest faggot ever and the Giants are the biggest group of whining douche bags the world of sports has ever seen. I hate that franchise more than any other.

[CoachChaz]

All of this because Buster Posey is the biggest faggot ever and the Giants are the biggest group of whining douche bags the world of sports has ever seen. I hate that franchise more than any other.

While I agree with your assessment of the Giants...this is not ALL because of Posey.

[chazoe60]

While I agree with your assessment of the Giants...this is not ALL because of Posey.
I know, but I will take any chance I get to mention how much I despise those ******s, and the Posey injury was the impetus for the conversation that sparked the rule change.

[weazel]

They have to do everything they can to keep it the most boring game played

[MOtorboat]

I don't mind this at all. I ask myself, why were collisions only allowed at the plate and not other bases in the past? And why can't catchers swipe tag like regular fielders?

(Maybe Coach can answer that latter question)

[weazel]

I don't mind this at all. I ask myself, why were collisions only allowed at the plate and not other bases in the past? And why can't catchers swipe tag like regular fielders?

(Maybe Coach can answer that latter question)

they can swipe tag... it happens all the time. They just block the plate to make it harder on the runner.

Here's a video of Buck Martinez doing both in one play... after he broke his leg. Best play I've ever seen.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGksb1YOFC8

[MOtorboat]

Ha! Awesome find.

I just don't think home plate collisions add much to the game, so getting rid of them doesn't take much away, IMO. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a Royals collision for a couple of years. I'm sure it's happened, but the last one I remember is Matt Traenor, I think, and that would be at least two seasons ago.

[CoachChaz]

Ha! Awesome find.

I just don't think home plate collisions add much to the game, so getting rid of them doesn't take much away, IMO. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a Royals collision for a couple of years. I'm sure it's happened, but the last one I remember is Matt Traenor, I think, and that would be at least two seasons ago.

Weiters is usually involved in a few, but due to him being 6'5", 230...I usually dont worry about them. However...he is a Gold Glove catcher and losing him to injury would be tough.

That being said, having played the position for 15 years of my life, I've always thought it was one of the dumbest plays in the game. It's the only base where you can intentionally make contact with the defender in order to jar the ball loose. Why? It just never made sense to me, so I have no problem getting rid of it...provided they make the rule right. Which they havent

[weazel]

are they going to make one of those gay safe zones like in softball?