New "Catcher Blocking the Plate" rule this year - scrap it.

[DW711]

If Posey's cleat doesn't catch and stick, there is no rule.

Stupid cleat!

 

If he set up the way you should set up to it, he doesn't get hurt.

 

Posey hurt himself because he didn't plant his right foot under him and he didn't even have the BALL YET and still was BLOCKING HOME PLATE.

 

Stupid Posey and stupid whiners, not stupid cleat.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

The new 'catcher's can't block the plate rule' is a disaster IMO.

 

It is open to various interpretations, can't be enforced/ called uniformly and leads to absurd results.

 

we already saw one aspect of this in the Dodgers-Angels game where Freese throw as off line and Iannetta felt (rightly or wrongly) that he couldn't cross over (which would have been blocking the plate potentially) to get the ball.........it cost us the game....

 

Yesterday's call in the ChiSox/ SF game is an example........the guy at the plate is out by a mile and the call gets over-turned because ChiSox catcher (Flowers) may have been blocking the plate.......(when you see this call, one understands better why Iannetta felt paralyzed on the Dodger game play).

 

ChiSox Manager Robin Venutra rightfully argued the call and got kicked out the game......that run scoring led to a seven run inning that lost the game for the White Sox.

 

Let's get back to baseball - scrap this new rule.

 

We'll have  a new commissioner (the vote is today although there might not be a final outcome today) for next year........first thing he should do is scrap this rule.

 

It's unworkable.

 

I completely agree. Catchers don't know what to do or where to stand. Yesterday alone I saw two runners thrown out at the plate, one call overturned and the other one standing, on what appeared to be essentially identical plays. If a catcher stands with one leg in the baseline he can be called for obstruction. It's ridiculous. Teams might as well not even throw to the plate anymore.

 

As for Buster Posey, he went to Florida State. Enough said.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Vegas Halo Fan

[sneaky_flute]

I support the rule not because it prevents injury but because I've always believed that plays at the plate should be no different from plays at other bases.

[disarcina]

Ah, don't blame Posey -- his collision at the plate was awful and I have to hand it to Buster Posey -- honestly, I didn't think he would ever catch again after that collision and would be a 1B/ PH and possible DH against AL teams and then on an AL team. He came back and caught the next season and caught well.

 

So no grudges or blame vs. Posey here  -- at all -- but it was his play that caused the powers that be to institute this unworkable rule.

 

I say go back to the old rule -- the old rule worked for the Posey play itself -- the umpire always has the discretion to call the runner out on an interference play (BEFORE THE NEW RULE) if the runner went out of his way to bowl over the catcher without any rhyme or reason.

 

Catchers are pretty good at deciding whether to stand their ground and block the plate (running the risk they will get run over by the base runner) or moving aside to take the throw that is a little late in coming to the plate........let 'em play -- get rid of this rule..........

 

maybe we can give the runners flags like flag football and if the catcher rips the flag off with his foot on the base, it 's like a force play or something.....that's where we're headed -- it's NOT baseball.

 

and the rule is being called inconsistently and catchers have ZERO guidance so they move aside from the plate and stand there like statutes.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I support the rule not because it prevents injury but because I've always believed that plays at the plate should be no different from plays at other bases.

 

But they are different, because plays at other bases aren't scoring plays.

[Season Over]

It's not Posey's fault, it's the nonstop bitching the fairweather Giants fans did for over a year.  

[sneaky_flute]

The new rule is actually the de jure rule but only recently implemented. It's never made sense to me that a catcher could just stick his leg in front of the plate and prevent the runner from scoring. 

[disarcina]

New commissioner named today - announces new rules along lines behind the "NO blocking the plate by catchers rule"

 

Playoff format will continue but we won't crown winners because there won't be any keeping score..........All teams will be given a PARTICIPATION trophy at the end of the World Series .

 

Teams will play a full season but playoffs will be decided not by Won Loss record but by a lottery pick out of the hat at the end of the regular season.......teams who played in the playoffs within the past two years are not eligible for the lottery........

 

No one loses.........everyone happy........what fun.......sorry, Vegas.

[mancini79]

I just hope this stupid rule doesn't affect the outcome of playoff games. Baseball is playing with fire letting these horrendous calls stand. There needs to be common sense of when a catcher can block the plate. A few weeks back a runner was out by 20 feet. The catcher was standing in front of the plate to tag him. Instead he was called safe due to catcher "blocking the plate". Don't even get me started on the player that was called safe on a FORCE OUT.

[Make Angels Great Again]

Maybe umps just want to do their best to stay controversial even with replay.

[stormngt]

He was out by 15 feet.

 

Blocking the plate is irrelevant at that point.

I thought he could block the plate once he caught the ball.  If he was out by 15 feet, blocking the plate should have been irrelevant.

[stormngt]

In theory I like the new rule.  I do not think it is fair for a catcher to block the plate without the ball.  The catcher is wearing protective gear.  If he is going to block the plate then he should be run over.  I do think there needs to be a consistent interpretation.