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Originally Posted by jkumpire
As it was explained to us in the pre-season rule interpeters meeting in Ohio, the problem that caused the change was that in a lot of areas you had players, usually F3, putting their leg totally in front of the base before a play.
I know I saw it a lot where I would work. F3 for example, would put his his foot across half the base, then as soon as the pick comes toward him from F1 he drops his leg in front of the bag, and the runner has nowhere to go to get to the bag. He either tries to reach over F3, or spikes him, or tries to run him over. There is no reason for F3 to cover the bag, he doesn't have the ball, and no play is immanent.
The rule change makes sense to me: 1, No ball, no block the plate. 2. Ball is coming, runner must have access to the plate. 3. Ball in hand, you can block the plate. 4. Have and lose the ball, there has to be runner access to the plate.
Now I have had at least one manager this year who doesn't understand it, but everyone else seems to grasp it.
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I don't think anyone has a serious issue with that part of the play.
The issues seem to be on the "train wreck" (thrown ball takes the fielder into the path of the runner) and the "provide some access" interps.
If the FED would adopt the NCAA rule on this (which includes the play you describe above), then they'd get it right, imo