Quote:
Originally Posted by Manny A
You answered your question yourself. It's a rule to reduce contact.
This really is simple. MLB doesn't want catchers setting up in the runner's path while they're waiting to receive the throw. The rule goes beyond just obstruction. They want a catcher to position himself such that the runner isn't enticed to bowl him over, such as in front of the plate. If the throw takes the catcher into the runner's path, that's a different situation and the catcher won't be penalized. But if he sets up there, as was the case in the Howard play, he's liable.
The problem is that they've swung the pendulum too far the other way. When is it okay for the catcher to block access to the plate while waiting for the throw? When the runner is 20 feet from home? 30? Halfway? It seems to be getting farther and farther away with some of the replays I've seen.
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I'm waiting to the runner to be ruled safe because the catcher came out and stood on the 3rd base side of the plate while the runner was getting to 3rd base.
I have watched this replay several times, and this is a close call to me. I'm inclined to say the umpires got it right in this case, but I think that was absolutely the limit of how far it should go. The play looks worse because of Howard appearing to give up. I think there were ways for the runner to attempt to score on this play without nearly stopping on the way in to draw the call. He could have tried actually running around the catcher or he could have tried to slide behind the plate. At that point there is a bigger argument on the Philly's side about blocking the plate, and it would look so much better than the way this play looked.
I'm not for running over the catcher or anything like it. I felt the rules on running over the catcher were long long overdue, but MLB is taking this a bit too far with the way they have let this go.