Buster Posey injured

[Johnny Footstool]

One of the most unforgettable plays from the 1990 Reds:

http://youtu.be/fLTmd4Ni974

It still makes me smile.

Edit: I'm an oaf! Can someone please tell me how to embed a video? Thanks

Oh, the horror!

[Homer Bailey]

One of the most unforgettable plays from the 1990 Reds:

http://youtu.be/fLTmd4Ni974

It still makes me smile.

Edit: I'm an oaf! Can someone please tell me how to embed a video? Thanks

Man that place was goin nuts. That's awesome.

[LvJ]

One of the most unforgettable plays from the 1990 Reds:

http://youtu.be/fLTmd4Ni974

It still makes me smile.

Edit: I'm an oaf! Can someone please tell me how to embed a video? Thanks

That's baseball

at the epic high five fail

[jojo]

Going after the catcher rather than going after the plate should be illegal.

[lollipopcurve]

Going after the catcher rather than going after the plate should be illegal.

I agree, in theory. But one cannot assume that the play is always an either-or. In fact, it would generally be very difficult to know that by going through the catcher the player is not going for the plate.

[jojo]

I agree, in theory. But one cannot assume that the play is always an either-or. In fact, it would generally be very difficult to know that by going through the catcher the player is not going for the plate.

It could be very simple for the ump though. The catcher is not allowed to block the plate and the runner has to slide/go for the plate.

Collisions are still going to happen because of the bang, bang nature of close plays and ultimately it would be up to the judgement of an ump but the scenario at home would no longer be one in which a collision was inevitable.

[traderumor]

Why stop at home plate collisions. MLB should use the double width bag at 1b like they use in youth baseball, also. Heart guards and facemasks on the helmets. Pink bats all year, no diving for balls because of possible collisions with the ground. Who's got treats this game?

[RedsManRick]

Why stop at home plate collisions. MLB should use the double width bag at 1b like they use in youth baseball, also. Heart guards and facemasks on the helmets. Pink bats all year, no diving for balls because of possible collisions with the ground. Who's got treats this game?

If violence is exciting, maybe we should have more of it. Let's go back to the rule where a player who touched a ball while off a bag was out -- dodge ball style. That would be fun!

Oh, and let's take away those silly looking helmets batters wear. Be a man, wear a regular cap.

[traderumor]

If violence is exciting, maybe we should have more of it. Let's go back to the rule where a player who touched a ball while off a bag was out -- dodge ball style. That would be fun!

Oh, and let's take away those silly looking helmets batters wear. Be a man, wear a regular cap.

I'm guessing you do not watch or enjoy football? Hockey? Basketball and hard fouls that happen within the flow of the game? Honestly, I think the idea of making a rule about no collisions in MLB is at the level of suggesting that t-ball soft bouncy balls should be used so that pitchers don't hurt batters in case one gets away. And thinking that these types of things are a natural result of the game is not akin to suggesting that NO safety measures are needed or is not "macho," as you are trying to turn the argument toward.

Further, I am not understanding where you have arrived at an argument that those who see this as a part of the way the game is played and should be continued is because they are excited by "violence." Strawman, extra straw.

[MikeThierry]

Isn't part of the problem that a lot of young catchers don't know how to block the plate correctly? I know they eliminate this issue from certain ranks in baseball and some players first experience with truely blocking the plate starts in the minor league.

[jojo]

I'm guessing you do not watch or enjoy football? Hockey? Basketball and hard fouls that happen within the flow of the game? Honestly, I think the idea of making a rule about no collisions in MLB is at the level of suggesting that t-ball soft bouncy balls should be used so that pitchers don't hurt batters in case one gets away. And thinking that these types of things are a natural result of the game is not akin to suggesting that NO safety measures are needed or is not "macho," as you are trying to turn the argument toward.

Further, I am not understanding where you have arrived at an argument that those who see this as a part of the way the game is played and should be continued is because they are excited by "violence." Strawman, extra straw.

It's much more a logical extension of your argument than a straw man. There is reasonable risk associated with maintaining the integrity of high calibre competition and then there is gratuitous risk that is unnecessary. Collisions at home are unnecessary. If the argument is that they add essential excitement to the game, then MLB damaging the game by no increasing unnecessary risk.

Eliminating collisions at home would require a simple sentence in the rule book.

[GAC]

Did he have the ball?

If he did and he was blocking the plate then he's making the legal decision (as a player) to block it.

If he didn't have the ball and he gets smacked down then he's getting what he deserves because he's obstructing the plate.

The real point is the catchers massive amount of gear and the need to score/defend the potential run, the more gear a catcher has donned through the years has increased the amount of incidents of collision.

Comes with the territory, HBP are at an all time high, because of body armor. baseball is already a low impact contact sport 75% of the time, I can't see them regulating this out of the game, it pales in comparison to the roughshod of the late 19th century and a vestige of that still is (and always will be) in the game.

Yep. All part of the game. Ask Ray Fosse.

[757690]

If violence is exciting, maybe we should have more of it. Let's go back to the rule where a player who touched a ball while off a bag was out -- dodge ball style. That would be fun!

Oh, and let's take away those silly looking helmets batters wear. Be a man, wear a regular cap.

I don't think violence is exciting. I don't like to watch home plate collisions. But I don't want to take away a runners option of scoring, which is the most essential element of the game. I want players to be able do the most they can to win.

[757690]

It could be very simple for the ump though. The catcher is not allowed to block the plate and the runner has to slide/go for the plate.

Collisions are still going to happen because of the bang, bang nature of close plays and ultimately it would be up to the judgement of an ump but the scenario at home would no longer be one in which a collision was inevitable.

Right now the rule is that the runner cannot run over the catcher unless the catcher is blocking the plate. This gives the catcher the option to block the plate and expect a collision, ala Mick Scoscia, or stand in front of the plate and do a sweep tag ala Johnny Bench.

I see no problem in giving the catcher the option of being run over or doing a sweep tag. If he gets hurt, that was his choice. What's wrong with that?

[RollyInRaleigh]

Right now the rule is that the runner cannot run over the catcher unless the catcher is blocking the plate. This gives the catcher the option to block the plate and expect a collision, ala Mick Scoscia, or stand in front of the plate and do a sweep tag ala Johnny Bench.

I see no problem in giving the catcher the option of being run over or doing a sweep tag. If he gets hurt, that was his choice. What's wrong with that?

Nahhh, that would make too much sense.