Malicuous contact in MLB???

[MikeStrybel]

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Almost 30% of current active players were not exposed to Fed type safety rules while developing. Almost a third of the Majors...'many' seems like an appropriate term. Hard nosed baseball involves collisions at the plate. We may prefer it doesn't but the majority of players think it does or the union would allow the change.

Many Catholic and private schools around here didn't adopt NFHS standards for some time. They utilized pro type rules and shunned the IHSA until they found that competition was better and liability less by being part of the association.

[DG]

Owners have a vested interest in a change. "Players" are not all catchers. They should establish a sub-committee with equal mix of position players and catchers to provide feedback on union position.

[MikeStrybel]

A subcommittee? They have those already and they have long recommended that this part of the game not change. EVERY player's union member has a vote already. EVERY means that they include all position players - even the ones on IR and DL. Nearly 100 players who aren't even active can still voice their concerns - yes, those are the injured ones who are probably predisposed towards protecting their own! Plenty of managers and coaches, including former catchers, stand by the desire to not change the rules. Mike Scioscia is one who is adamant about it and instructs catchers on how to block the plate properly. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...k_ana&c_id=ana

One of the most famous collisions in baseball involved Pete Rose bowling over Ray Fosse in an All Star game. Ray Fosse separated his shoulder in a fairly meaningless contest. He was never the same after that injury. He is on record as saying that collisions at the plate are and should remain part of baseball. His position has not changed and he was sought out after Posey went down. He maintains that changing the game is wrong.

Posey was hurt on a clean play. His spikes caused his ankle to be held in place while his body rolled back. Outlaw metal spikes?

They are paid to play and risk injury. They are entertainers.

[greymule]

They are paid to play and risk injury. They are entertainers.

Entertainers to the fans, I guess. But to the owners, the players are, as Jim Bouton said, farm animals.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by DG

Owners have a vested interest in a change. "Players" are not all catchers. They should establish a sub-committee with equal mix of position players and catchers to provide feedback on union position.

A change is coming. Owners will realize their investments are in unnecessary jeopardy and players will will choose to protect their future earnings. It will take time and a seminal moment, but just as sure as all batters will wear helmets in today's games, a change is coming.

[MikeStrybel]

A little history lesson is in order. The first helmet used for protecting a batter was introduced in 1907. Ray Champman was beaned in 1920 and died as a result of the injury. Owners did not rally to 'protect their investments'. Several players chose to wear plastic inserts under their caps for protection. In 1952, the Pittsburgh Pirates mandated that their players wear a helmet, sans ear protection. It was not until 1971, after several years of brutal beanings at the plate and while sliding, that MLB instituted a helmet policy. Helmets with earflaps were shunned by the Players Union until 1983 when they aqcuiesced to mandatory single earflaps. Several players who were grandfathered in elected to wear the flapless helmets until retirement.

It seems that the death of a player is not considered a seminal moment. Several decades of horrific beanings didn't change player mentality. It took almost a century to provide for player safety gear to be mandatory. One catcher breaking an ankle won't be the impetus for adopting a MC rule in MLB. Given the bantering here about what constitutes MC, it will be a disaster upon implimentation in the bigs.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by MikeStrybel

A little history lesson is in order. The first helmet used for protecting a batter was introduced in 1907. Ray Champman was beaned in 1920 and died as a result of the injury. Owners did not rally to 'protect their investments'. Several players chose to wear plastic inserts under their caps for protection. In 1952, the Pittsburgh Pirates mandated that their players wear a helmet, sans ear protection. It was not until 1971, after several years of brutal beanings at the plate and while sliding, that MLB instituted a helmet policy. Helmets with earflaps were shunned by the Players Union until 1983 when they aqcuiesced to mandatory single earflaps. Several players who were grandfathered in elected to wear the flapless helmets until retirement.

It seems that the death of a player is not considered a seminal moment. Several decades of horrific beanings didn't change player mentality. It took almost a century to provide for player safety gear to be mandatory. One catcher breaking an ankle won't be the impetus for adopting a MC rule in MLB. Given the bantering here about what constitutes MC, it will be a disaster upon implimentation in the bigs.

This isn't 1907 or even 1957. I'm not saying it'll happen now, but just because it didn't in 1907 or 1961 doesn't mean anything with regards to today.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

This isn't 1907 or even 1957. I'm not saying it'll happen now, but just because it didn't in 1907 or 1961 doesn't mean anything with regards to today.

You are correct. Changes progress at different tempi at different times regarding different issues and different rationale.

A change is coming. If you take the time to listen, and tune out the broadcasters and old school toughies, you can hear it from owners, players and even ML umpires.

[bob jenkins]

The NCAA rule makes sense to me. If theplate is blocked, you can got for the plate, even if that means going "through" the catcher. If the plate isn't b;locked, you can't go after the catcher.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

The NCAA rule makes sense to me. If theplate is blocked, you can got for the plate, even if that means going "through" the catcher. If the plate isn't b;locked, you can't go after the catcher.

Yep. Some ML umpires have opined similarly. Others have suggested simply callinging plays at home as they would at first using current ML interpretations would be an improvement over the current situations. I doubt owners will trust umpires to change their calls without a change in the rules.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

The NCAA rule makes sense to me. If theplate is blocked, you can got for the plate, even if that means going "through" the catcher. If the plate isn't b;locked, you can't go after the catcher.

Unless the contact is judged to be above the waist. Then it violates the collision rule. Then it is judged as an attempt to dislodge the baseball, not an attempt to reach the plate.

[MikeStrybel]

Anyone hear Posey's comments about the incident? An ESPN interview has him stating that he doesn't want the rule changed and how collisions are part of professional baseball.

Someone rekindled a thread from 4 years ago regarding INT at 2B. It is interesting to see some say how rule changes will be forthcoming because the players will demand it. Four years later...

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

Unless the contact is judged to be above the waist. Then it violates the collision rule. Then it is judged as an attempt to dislodge the baseball, not an attempt to reach the plate.

that's a guideline, not an absolute. I wasn't trying to recreate the entire rule and interp in my post.

[piaa_ump]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

The NCAA rule makes sense to me. If theplate is blocked, you can got for the plate, even if that means going "through" the catcher. If the plate isn't b;locked, you can't go after the catcher.

this sounds sensible to me.......

[Adam]

Originally Posted by MikeStrybel

Anyone hear Posey's comments about the incident? An ESPN interview has him stating that he doesn't want the rule changed and how collisions are part of professional baseball.

Someone rekindled a thread from 4 years ago regarding INT at 2B. It is interesting to see some say how rule changes will be forthcoming because the players will demand it. Four years later...

1. It's not up to Posey.
2. He would like like a big baby if he were to come out now and push for a rule change. No way he does that.
3. I anticipate the owners will push for it harder than the players.
4. One incident won't be a catalyst.
5. It'll probably have to happen to a more high profile player before a rule change is made.