Proposal to ban home plate collisions advances

[Nate Colbert]

Apologies if cabrera'd:

...the Rules Committee began drafting a proposal to ban collisions at home plate...(and is) expected to be in place for next season.

[Bench]

Ending hard-nosed hitting, increasing replay.  You'll know the NFL-esque wussification will be complete when baseball starts handing out post-season awards to known steroid users.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Watching teevee getting ready to work, Matt Lauer says they've already done this in his son's little league (as if that's all the more reason for MLB to do it).

[MusicMan]

You'll know the NFL-esque wussification will be complete

WFW

[JimR]

Watching teevee getting ready to work, Matt Lauer says they've already done this in his son's little league (as if that's all the more reason for MLB to do it).

this has been the rule in Texas HS baseball for years. the runner is out and ejected.

[Houston]

In Maryland travel ball next year, a player will be kicked out of the league for intentionally running into a fielder. They are ejected and suspended for two games for just tossing equipment in anger.

[Uncle Charlie]

Personally don't have a problem with it.  It's probably the most dangerous play in sports.  A guy standing still, watching a ball come into his mitt, while another guy is barreling down on him with the knowledge that touching the plate isn't important in the first instance, but dislodging the ball is the most crtiical.  If he does that, touching the plate right after it is easy.  It puts the catcher in a position to shorten his year and/or career.  Make the guy slide.

[Dobro]

Complete and utter horseshit.

[NeilT]

It's easily the most exciting play in sports.  It also seems stupidly dangerous.

Is this because of Pete Rose?  Is this his important contribution to the game of baseball?

[Mr. Happy]

Having caught at younger ages, I can totally understand the reason for the ban. Ownership has too much invested in players like Posey and Molina to continue to permit open season on a vulnerable player. As Coach pointed out, it's already the rule at many lower levels. I don't see it as "pussification" at all. Rather, I see it as pure common sense.

[Bench]

Watching teevee getting ready to work, Matt Lauer says they've already done this in his son's little league (as if that's all the more reason for MLB to do it).

That was the rule when I umpired little league in 1994 as well. 

[Bench]

Complete and utter horseshit.

Lighten up.

[BizidyDizidy]

Lighten up.

It's just the roids talking.

[VirtualBob]

If they can call the phantom force out at second on a DP to protect the fielder, then they sure ought to provide a little protection for the catcher.  I was thinking that allowing the catcher to wear spiked shoulder pads might be a better option though. 

[jester9450]

this has been the rule in Texas HS baseball for years. the runner is out and ejected.

It happen to me only thing i disagree with is the ejection from the game.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Personally, I thought Ausmus had the way to go with the "Olé" tag.

[Limey]

If they can call the phantom force out at second on a DP to protect the fielder, then they sure ought to provide a little protection for the catcher.

Let's not even get started on every first baseman walking off the base as he gloves the ball...

[Limey]

Personally, I thought Ausmus had the way to go with the "Olé" tag.

This.  The catcher doesn't have to block the plate.  The only reason for the charge is because the catcher is standing in the way.  If he's off to the side, first base style, then a slide (or run through) will work fine.

[HudsonHawk]

This.  The catcher doesn't have to block the plate.  The only reason for the charge is because the catcher is standing in the way.  If he's off to the side, first base style, then a slide (or run through) will work fine.

But that doesn't always happen. Runners still plow into catcher even when he's not blocking the plate. That's the problem.

[Limey]

But that doesn't always happen. Runners still plow into catcher even when he's not blocking the plate. That's the problem.

Call his ass out for interference.  That rule's already in place, correct?

[juliogotay]

The great Johnny Bench was on tv this morning and he heartily embraces the new rule. Said he practiced and taught the swipe tag.

[Duman]

IMO this is a good rule change.  As several have mentioned, it has been against the rules in youth & high school sports for a long time.  But not always enforced.

A kid on my son's middle school team blatantly ran over the catcher last year.  Lowered his shoulder and lifted the kid off the ground. Ball was dislodged and the ump only called him out but didn't throw him out.  He should have! And IMO, the coach should have benched him when he wasn't thrown out.  Instead, the coach argued why he was out, since the ball was dropped.  The ump missed his second shot of throwing the kid out.  The field ump didn't help out the plate ump either.

In TN, middle school is supposed to follow High School rules which state - he was to be called out and ejected from the game for running over the catcher. It was clear that was his intent when he rounded third.  I also believe that any ejection results in a game suspension as well. 

As the father of a kid who catches some, I want this rule enforced. 

[Texifornia]

I was knocked unconscious as a catcher once in early '70s Little League and a few years later in high school aged summer league.

These weren't the only collisions, just the only ones in which I was actually knocked out. My coaches encouraged plate blocking. If it's banned at the ML level, it will put an end to this nonsense for good.

[NeilT]

I was knocked unconscious as a catcher once in early '70s Little League and a few years later in high school aged summer league.

These weren't the only collisions, just the only ones in which I was actually knocked out. My coaches encouraged plate blocking. If it's banned at the ML level, it will put an end to this nonsense for good.

I didn't think they were banning plate blocking.  I thought they were requiring that a runner slide.

[roadrunner]

Most home plate collisions aren't even exciting.  They are usually really awkward because the throw clearly beat the runner. 

A close play at the plate is just as exciting, so this rule really doesn't hurt the game IMO.

[Texifornia]

I didn't think they were banning plate blocking.  I thought they were requiring that a runner slide.

I meant to say that an "ole'" tag a la Ausmus would have been met with derision or even benching.

[HudsonHawk]

I meant to say that an "ole'" tag a la Ausmus would have been met with derision or even benching.

A collision with the catcher blocking the plate, with the ball, is different than a runner simply smashing a catcher for the hell of it.  It's the latter that's a problem.

[SoonerJim]

It's easily the most exciting play in sports.  It also seems stupidly dangerous.

Is this because of Pete Rose?  Is this his important contribution to the game of baseball?

Ray Fosse was the AL equivalent to Johnny Bench; the most promising young catcher in the league. His career ended on the All Star play for which Pete Rose is lauded. The catcher is analogous to a quarterback, and losing a prime catcher as has happened to Posey and Castro recently makes your team worse. It's not an issue of wussification; rather, it's protecting an investment. Castro was taken out by some marginal doofus in spring training, as I recall.

[juliogotay]

Ray Fosse was the AL equivalent to Johnny Bench; the most promising young catcher in the league. His career ended on the All Star play for which Pete Rose is lauded. The catcher is analogous to a quarterback, and losing a prime catcher as has happened to Posey and Castro recently makes your team worse. It's not an issue of wussification; rather, it's protecting an investment. Castro was taken out by some marginal doofus in spring training, as I recall.

I thought Castro's issues began on a base-running misstep.He hit the first base bag akwardly or something.

[Reuben]

Ray Fosse was the AL equivalent to Johnny Bench; the most promising young catcher in the league. His career ended on the All Star play for which Pete Rose is lauded. The catcher is analogous to a quarterback, and losing a prime catcher as has happened to Posey and Castro recently makes your team worse. It's not an issue of wussification; rather, it's protecting an investment. Castro was taken out by some marginal doofus in spring training, as I recall.

If you consider Miguel Cabrera a marginal doofus, then yes, yes he was.

Castro was actually the runner, Cabrera the 1B and he fucked up fielding the infielder's throw somehow, if I recall, causing Castro to step on the bag awkwardly while avoiding a last-second swipe tag.

[Kit]

If you don't want to get hit don't block the plate...

[SoonerJim]

If you consider Miguel Cabrera a marginal doofus, then yes, yes he was.

Castro was actually the runner, Cabrera the 1B and he fucked up fielding the infielder's throw somehow, if I recall, causing Castro to step on the bag awkwardly while avoiding a last-second swipe tag.

Point taken, some research before heading out the door would help. These clubs want their investments (players) protected, so behavior condoned previously doesn't work now. Posey went out on a block, so the threat exists. It ruined their title defense all year.

[chuck]

Castro was actually the runner, Cabrera the 1B and he fucked up fielding the infielder's throw somehow, if I recall, causing Castro to step on the bag awkwardly while avoiding a last-second swipe tag.

I don't remember whether Castro hit a ball up the first base line or whether there was an errant throw to first or what but Cabrera was several steps towards home from first as he tagged Castro and Castro leapt out of the way to try to avoid the tag thus injuring himself.

[HudsonHawk]

If you don't want to get hit don't block the plate...

Bullshit. The problem is guys running over the catcher when he's *not* blocking the plate.

[Bench]

Castro leapt out of the way to try to avoid the tag thus injuring himself.

he shulda nutted up and takin the hit thisis a mans game

[chuck]

he shulda nutted up and takin the hit thisis a mans game

i would of run his commy ass rite over

[Mr. Happy]

Bullshit. The problem is guys running over the catcher when he's *not* blocking the plate.

This is right. The catcher is out of the way and defenseless, and he still gets plowed, which is a very cheap shot anyway.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

It figures Joe "chicken catcher" Torre would be a part of this.

[Kit]

This is right. The catcher is out of the way and defenseless, and he still gets plowed, which is a very cheap shot anyway.

Sure sure if the catcher is out of the way..(ie there is ample plate space to slide into} and he gets plowed I agree toss the runner..have we really seen that? I mean what?  ..I think 95% of these collisions the last few years have been brought on by the catcher's aggressiveness not the runners.. Blocking the plate used to be an art form, and one that most catchers didn't embrace...I remember how unique it was when Scioscia came up and how great he was at giving the runner a corner of the plate to slide to and then using his shin guards and knees to block the plate at the last second right as he had caught the ball. but even he stood out in front of the plate and then kind of sat on the runner, you've got guys now just straddling the plate and often up the line....perhaps since the developing leagues have changed the rule ..catchers are taught now to block the plate more or it's become a macho deal...but I tell you when those runners are coming around 3rd trying to score ...they aren't thinking oh boy I got a free hit on the catcher how can I take him out....it's how do I score this run..if you ban collisions ie call the runner out... then what recourse does the runner have when a catcher blocks the plate illegally (ie without the ball)..I don't watch much of non major league baseball but it seems to me you are opening up a big ol can of worms and subjectiveness if you "ban" collisions....not sure how you would enforce it.. 

[HudsonHawk]

Sure sure if the catcher is out of the way..(ie there is ample plate space to slide into} and he gets plowed I agree toss the runner..have we really seen that?

You see it all the time.  It came to a head with Buster Posey on just such a play.

[Bench]

..if you ban collisions ie call the runner out... then what recourse does the runner have when a catcher blocks the plate illegally (ie without the ball)..I don't watch much of non major league baseball but it seems to me you are opening up a big ol can of worms and subjectiveness if you "ban" collisions....not sure how you would enforce it.. 

This rule will surely lead to a rash of catcher flopping.

[NeilT]

This rule will surely lead to a rash of catcher flopping.

Mitch Meluskey was my most memorable catcher flop. 

[Reuben]

Mitch Meluskey was my most memorable catcher flop. 

Former #1 prospect JR Towles doesn't count as a flop?

[GreatBagwellsBeard]

Former #1 prospect JR Towles doesn't count as a flop?

I hear he's excelling in rodeo clown school.

[NeilT]

Former #1 prospect JR Towles doesn't count as a flop?

He never punched Matt Mieske, and he had at least one month of great hitting.  I don't remember Meluskey ever doing anything good, except leaving.  He's right up there though.

[Limey]

He never punched Matt Mieske, and he had at least one month of great hitting.  I don't remember Meluskey ever doing anything good, except leaving.  He's right up there though.

Didn't he hit a dinger to beat the Rangers once?

[mrpink]

Meluskey had the 5th best offensive season for an Astros catcher in 2000 (sorted by wRC).  Of course, that was overshadowed by him being an enormous prick.