"Ban on plate collisions seen as likely"

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by bwburke94

I believe the rulebook as it is written right now bans the catcher blocking the plate without the ball. Without knowing the proposed wording of the change, we can still infer that the change will also ban the catcher blocking the plate with the ball.

Then it would become the only organization in baseball that does this, and I don't think that's what they want. Besides, what would you rule if the catcher blocks the plate with the ball, and the runner simply slides or outright gives himself up? Obstruction? No way.

If they want to eliminate collisions at home, then they need to simply say that. The NCAA has a clear collision rule. FED has similar rules on failing to legally slide and on initiating malicious contact. That's what the MLB rule should look like.