Baseball to eliminate home plate collisions by 2015 - Los Angeles Times
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Baseball to eliminate home plate collisions by 2015

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Remember all those time Mike Scioscia blocked the plate when he was with the Dodgers? The time Jack Clark almost knocked him unconscious when barreling over him during a Dodgers-Cardinals game? The time Dave Parker blasted into Steve Yeager (who held onto the ball, by the way)? Remember when Pete Rose ruined the career of Ray Fosse during the 1970 All-Star game?

Hold on to those memories, because you won’t be seeing many more collisions.

Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday that it intends to eliminate home plate collisions by 2015.

“I think everyone is in agreement that the mindless collisions at home plate where a catcher is being targeted by a runner, that needs to be addressed,†Scioscia told the Associated Press.

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“When I was growing up as a kid in Philadelphia, it was a badge of honor. You were expected to hang in at the plate, and the runner was expected to do everything he could to tag the plate. We’re going back 40 years ago, but the mindset has changed a bit.â€

Rose thinks it’s a bad idea.

“What are they going to do next, you can’t break up a double play?†Rose said.

“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. What’s the game coming to? Evidently the guys making all these rules never played the game of baseball.â€

The change could go into effect for next season if the players’ association approves. If the players balk, the change could be implemented without their approval in 2015.

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“Ultimately what we want to do is change the culture of acceptance that these plays are ordinary and routine and an accepted part of the game,†New York Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson, chairman of the rules committee, said. “The costs associated in terms of health and injury just no longer warrant the status quo.â€

Details, including the punishment for a violation, need to be worked out.

“The exact language and how exactly the rule will be enforced is subject to final determination,†Alderson said. “We’re going to do fairly extensive review of the types of plays that occur at home plate to determine which we’re going to find acceptable and which are going to be prohibited.

“I think there will be two levels of enforcement. One will be with respect to whether the runner is declared safe or out based on conduct. So, for example, intentionally running over the catcher might result in an out call. So I think that the enforcement will be on the field as well as subsequent consequences in the form of fines and suspensions and the like.â€

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Alderson said the language of the rule was still to be determined. When the wording is completed, the rule will be submitted to ownership for approval in January, and then to the players union.

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