MLB to ban homeplate collisions starting in 2014

[reillymcshane]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2013/12/11/catchers-blocking-home-plate-banned-concussions/3991229/

 

No details on the new rule, and how it will be accomplished, enforced, etc.

 

But no catcher has to face being run down by Prince Fielder.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I hope the rule gives equal protections to both runners and catchers - the flip side to the rule being too harsh on runners plowing over catchers would be catchers setting up shop over the plate and breaking ankles/hands of runners being forced to slide into a shin guard. Got to have a home plate obstruction call on a catcher blocking the plate if a runner can't go through him.

 

If written and enforced correctly, it takes a very dangerous play for both runner and catcher and makes it alot safer. Knowing how these rules get applied, there's going to be issues.

[endaround]

It basically should be like any other base. Catchers can not block the plate.

[CheezWizHed]

High schools have been doing it for years: You can't take out the catcher / Catcher can't block the plate unless he has the ball.

 

My favorite BB story is playing catcher when someone came plowing into me and tried to take me out. I was completely ready, planted my glove into his gut and stood him straight up. He was called out, then kicked out of the game.

[DuWayne Steurer]

The comments on the ESPN boards are hilarious.

 

"The pussification of American sports continues"

"May as well put skirts on everyone"

"Put it on a tee"

"They get paid enough to deal with the injuries"

 

I don't think people understand what concussions do to a person........I really honestly don't. Jim McMahon can go 5 minutes without remembering where he is, or forgetting why he's on an airplane, or having trouble remembering his girlfriend's name.

 

No matter how much these guys make, there's no way that making it less dangerous for the participants is a bad thing, ever.

 

Initially, I was hesitant to see this rule change, but the more the guys like Matheny came forward and said "we need to do this"....the more I got on board with it.

[Invader3K]

Yeah, I can get behind it with the amount of players who have come out and said something needed to be done. It will be interesting to see what plays at the plate look like going forward.

 

Edit: Thinking on it more, the other thing this will accomplish is that it will place an increased emphasis on defense from the other positions. Runners will be even less likely to take a chance going from third base, if the outfielder with the ball has a cannon arm, etc.

[jerichoholicninja]

This only makes sense if catchers can't block the plate AT ALL. No other defensive players can block a base so a catcher shouldn't be able to either, ball or not. Where it is going to get really annoying is that the rule is probably going to be any runner making "malicious" contact with a catcher is going to be out and possibly thrown out of the game while no catcher will ever be tossed for doing anything to prevent a runner from scoring. I can see the thugly Yadier just standing in front of the plate without the ball daring a runner to do run into him and then whining later about the "correct way to play the game".

 

What really bothers me is the reason that they are doing this. They say it is about preventing concussions. I'm totally on board with that but then Buster Posey's injury is cited. He didn't get concussed. It was his inability to know how to block the plate that got him hurt in the first place.

[DuWayne Steurer]

This only makes sense if catchers can't block the plate AT ALL. No other defensive players can block a base so a catcher shouldn't be able to either, ball or not. Where it is going to get really annoying is that the rule is probably going to be any runner making "malicious" contact with a catcher is going to be out and possibly thrown out of the game while no catcher will ever be tossed for doing anything to prevent a runner from scoring. I can see the thugly Yadier just standing in front of the plate without the ball daring a runner to do run into him and then whining later about the "correct way to play the game".

 

What really bothers me is the reason that they are doing this. They say it is about preventing concussions. I'm totally on board with that but then Buster Posey's injury is cited. He didn't get concussed. It was his inability to know how to block the plate that got him hurt in the first place.

 

The ESPN article said that catchers would not be allowed to block the plate.

[WV Brew]

Hopefully, McCann will be suspended retroactively.

[dlk9s]

Good. I've never understood why the rules for home plate were different than other bases (aside from being able to run/slide through the plate).

[Ennder]

Next step put the DH in the NL to protect our pitchers. Silly that the NL loses 10+ pitchers a year to injuries while hitting and running the bases. No wonder the AL is stronger.

[DocLuna7]

I can maybe get on board with this in theory, and obviously think it's worthwhile to try and prevent major debilitating injuries and concussions from happening if they are avoidable, but I am having a real tough time visualizing how this is going to be enforced. This seems to open up a lot of room for interpretation and judgement calls which will make next year very interesting to watch from that perspective.

[RobDeer 45]

Yes, I think it's good in theory, but not sure how it will be enforced. Catchers may have the hardest time adjusting to this because their instinct is to block the plate. I think it will be a bigger story this coming year, barely a story the following year, and pretty much gone from our minds year 3.

[jerichoholicninja]

I can maybe get on board with this in theory, and obviously think it's worthwhile to try and prevent major debilitating injuries and concussions from happening if they are avoidable, but I am having a real tough time visualizing how this is going to be enforced. This seems to open up a lot of room for interpretation and judgement calls which will make next year very interesting to watch from that perspective.

 

Don't worry. We have instant replay now to figure it all out!

[RightFieldCoder]

Yes, I think it's good in theory, but not sure how it will be enforced.

I imagine it will be the same way they enforce not blocking the other bases.