2014 MLB Offseason

[OnWis97]

On 12/12/2013 at 0:05 AM, CS85 said:

Home plate collisions are now a thing of the past.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24372580/mlb-set-to-ban-homeplate-collisions-needs-mlbpa-approval

I have two problems with this. First, it came about because an important player on an important team was hurt (and said player and team did a lot of crying about it). If they are going to ban collisions at the plate, then maybe they should ban leg-whips (i.e., "take out slides" that have nothing to do with getting on base). here is one of a non-important player on a non-important team, so nobody cares.

 

Second, and more importantly, it does impact how the game is played. I am not a "Mr. tough guy" fan; I don't like hockey fights and I sympathize with what the NFL is trying to do for player safety. Unlike the above legwhip, the home plate collision does come as a result of a goal (trying to score). If the rule ends up being that the catcher can block the plate once he has the ball and the runner has to slide, then yeah, that's changing the game.

The game was fine as it was. If Buster Posey does not want to get run over then Buster Posey should not block the plate. And I have no problem with that. I am not going to say that a catcher is "soft" if he won't get in front of someone barreling down on him to slightly reduce the chance that a run is going to score in the 3rd inning of a May 17th game. I think it's smart for a catcher not to block the plate. But depending on how this rule shakes out, it sounds like they may be saying that once the catcher has the ball, the plate is his.

[TheGiantsFan]

Mike Morse has signed a 1-year contract with the Giants. I hope he's a big help to our weak LF in San Francisco...

[bosrs1]

Home plate collisions are now a thing of the past.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24372580/mlb-set-to-ban-homeplate-collisions-needs-mlbpa-approval

I'm really torn about this rule change. I feel like plate collisions are a small part of the game, but they always have been. They've also been slowly outlawed at many of the lower levels of the sport without much ill effect to the overall game. And several players I root(ed) for or like have been taken out for extended periods due to plate collision (Ray Fosse, Yasmani Grandal, etc...) with their absence also impacting the game in a negative way. And there's also the fact removing plate collisions removes just one more way to suffer a traumatic brain injury from the game (lets face it, some runners hit better than a blind side linebacker).

In the end it's not a move I'd have recommended they make, but if they make it I totally understand and will learn to live with it. It's not like they're implementing the DH league wide or anything.

[bosrs1]

Home plate collisions are now a thing of the past.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24372580/mlb-set-to-ban-homeplate-collisions-needs-mlbpa-approval

I have two problems with this. First, it came about because an important player on an important team was hurt (and said player and team did a lot of crying about it). If they are going to ban collisions at the plate, then maybe they should ban leg-whips (i.e., "take out slides" that have nothing to do with getting on base). here is one of a non-important player on a non-important team, so nobody cares.

Second, and more importantly, it does impact how the game is played. I am not a "Mr. tough guy" fan; I don't like hockey fights and I sympathize with what the NFL is trying to do for player safety. Unlike the above legwhip, the home plate collision does come as a result of a goal (trying to score). If the rule ends up being that the catcher can block the plate once he has the ball and the runner has to slide, then yeah, that's changing the game.

The game was fine as it was. If Buster Posey does not want to get run over then Buster Posey should not block the plate. And I have no problem with that. I am not going to say that a catcher is "soft" if he won't get in front of someone barreling down on him to slightly reduce the chance that a run is going to score in the 3rd inning of a May 17th game. I think it's smart for a catcher not to block the plate. But depending on how this rule shakes out, it sounds like they may be saying that once the catcher has the ball, the plate is his.

Actually it sounds like they're saying the opposite. The catcher can't block the plate at all anymore even with the ball. He has to apply the tag like any other player would at the other bases but leave the baseline itself clear.

[rmackman]

The Mariners are stocking up on first basemen, signing Corey Hart and trading for Logan Morrison. Standing by for the inevitable Ike Davis trade.

The Mariners better have all their games at night.

After getting Hart, Logan Morrison, Cano (who may end up being a first baseman eventually), and they already have Smoak... I just picture a meme with a cat wearing a Mariners hat saying "All of your first baseman.... we has them."

In all seriousness though, Milwaukee better pony up and sign James Loney. There's no way they can go with a platoon of shortstops at 1B anymore. It's getting ridiculous.

[FiddySicks]

The Texas Rangers picked up one of the best players in the league today in the Rule 5 draft by drafting Russell Wilson. Well, one of the best players in the National Football... League, that is.

http://m.espn.go.com/general/story?storyId=10124529&city=dallas&src=desktop

[OnWis97]

Home plate collisions are now a thing of the past.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24372580/mlb-set-to-ban-homeplate-collisions-needs-mlbpa-approval

Second, and more importantly, it does impact how the game is played. I am not a "Mr. tough guy" fan; I don't like hockey fights and I sympathize with what the NFL is trying to do for player safety. Unlike the above legwhip, the home plate collision does come as a result of a goal (trying to score). If the rule ends up being that the catcher can block the plate once he has the ball and the runner has to slide, then yeah, that's changing the game.

The game was fine as it was. If Buster Posey does not want to get run over then Buster Posey should not block the plate. And I have no problem with that. I am not going to say that a catcher is "soft" if he won't get in front of someone barreling down on him to slightly reduce the chance that a run is going to score in the 3rd inning of a May 17th game. I think it's smart for a catcher not to block the plate. But depending on how this rule shakes out, it sounds like they may be saying that once the catcher has the ball, the plate is his.

Actually it sounds like they're saying the opposite. The catcher can't block the plate at all anymore even with the ball. He has to apply the tag like any other player would at the other bases but leave the baseline itself clear.

If that's the case, I can live with it a little better.

To me the above link seems to imply that the catcher could block the plate with the ball (because it says he can be called for obstruction for blocking it without the ball). But I know they have not ironed this out yet.

[cmm]

I'd laugh if the Tigers really signed Jobber. Hahaha.

It has happened.

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/411201720300367872

[Kramerica Industries]

And the Tigers get their requisite "generous proportions" roster slot filled again.

Woo-hoo! Good luck with that, guys.

[NJTank]

The Wussification of America continues, as a former Catcher I loved when people tried to run me over. This is sad news.

[pcgd]

The intelligence of sports in America continues to improve. As a former catcher who played beyond little league, it's an unnecessary non baseball play that should have been taken out the game years ago.

I agree on the whip slides and takeout slides at second as well, get rid of them. A hard slide is one thing but these slides where a runner never hits the dirt before ramming into a players planted shin need to go away yesterday.

[BBTV]

The Wussification of America continues, as a former Catcher I loved when people tried to run me over. This is sad news.

It's too easy to take a shot here. I'll just say that it's funny how the people who crave the most violence in sports and bitch about players being weak are those who are completely incapable of doing anything other than sitting their asses on a couch and watching.

Seriously, why is home plate different than any other base? You can run through first base too, but there's rarely any collisions there.

Darren Daulton had 6 or 7 knee surgeries due to injuries sustained when he was barreled in to or slid in to while trying to catch a ball while his leg was in a prone position. I don't understand how full blown contact is allowed in one very specific case, but outlawed everywhere else.

People were up in arms when A-Rod slapped the ball out of the first basemen's glove a few years ago. They called him a baby, or a jerk, or whatever. How is that any different than when a catcher is standing there with the ball, and a player (who has a 90 foot head start) barrels in to him trying to make him drop it?

As long as catchers aren't allowed to stand there blocking the plate, then I don't see the issue with a runner being forced to slide or run through, just like at any other base. Just because a catcher has shin guards and a chest protector it doesn't mean he's in position to take hits.

[Brass]

So the Cubs are taking yet another offseason "off" due to what Hoyer is calling "economical reasons."

The small-market Chicago Cubs. Good to see how useless Theo Epstein is when he can't just outspend everyone.

Eh. Not sure if that's entirely true. He sure did a good job building that 2004 World Series team and really didn't need to "outspend" anyone for the likes of David Ortiz, Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller or Mark Bellhorn.

[The Six]

The Wussification of America continues, as a former Catcher I loved when people tried to run me over. This is sad news.

Baseball is not a contact sport.

[The_Admiral]

Seriously, why is home plate different than any other base?

Because crossing it scores runs? First base has special rules, like you said, and second base has the idiotic "neighborhood play," so really, each base has special properties beyond "you're safe there."

I'm undecided in my heart on this, but in my head I know it's the right thing, if that makes any sense.

He sure did a good job building that 2004 World Series team

steroids

[pcgd]

So the Cubs are taking yet another offseason "off" due to what Hoyer is calling "economical reasons."

The small-market Chicago Cubs. Good to see how useless Theo Epstein is when he can't just outspend everyone.

Eh. Not sure if that's entirely true. He sure did a good job building that 2004 World Series team and really didn't need to "outspend" anyone for the likes of David Ortiz, Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller or Mark Bellhorn.

They outspent everyone except the Yankees that year. In fact they're $125 million from '04 would still rank 8th this past year.

[BBTV]

Seriously, why is home plate different than any other base?

Because crossing it scores runs? First base has special rules, like you said, and second base has the idiotic "neighborhood play," so really, each base has special properties beyond "you're safe there."

I'm undecided in my heart on this, but in my head I know it's the right thing, if that makes any sense.

But none of those "special rules" involve allowing the type of physical contact that is completely banned in all other aspects of the game.

People cheer for the runner (assuming he's on the home team) when he comes charging home from third base and annihilates a catcher who may or may not even be looking at him because he's trying to catch a ball or has just caught the ball.

Maybe I'm a pvssy liberal or something, but I fail to see how that runner is a "tough guy" - in reality he's just a pvssy doing the baseball equivilent of a sucker punch.

I don't want to exaggerate here - if this rule was never made, it's not like this was something I constantly thought about or was starting campaigns against or anything. But now that the rule is passed, I find arguments against it to be rather silly and reflective of the meathead fake tough guy mentaility that makes SPORTS! difficult (at times) to enjoy.

[rmackman]

The Wussification of America continues, as a former Catcher I loved when people tried to run me over. This is sad news.

It's too easy to take a shot here. I'll just say that it's funny how the people who crave the most violence in sports and bitch about players being weak are those who are completely incapable of doing anything other than sitting their asses on a couch and watching.

Seriously, why is home plate different than any other base? You can run through first base too, but there's rarely any collisions there.

Darren Daulton had 6 or 7 knee surgeries due to injuries sustained when he was barreled in to or slid in to while trying to catch a ball while his leg was in a prone position. I don't understand how full blown contact is allowed in one very specific case, but outlawed everywhere else.

People were up in arms when A-Rod slapped the ball out of the first basemen's glove a few years ago. They called him a baby, or a jerk, or whatever. How is that any different than when a catcher is standing there with the ball, and a player (who has a 90 foot head start) barrels in to him trying to make him drop it?

As long as catchers aren't allowed to stand there blocking the plate, then I don't see the issue with a runner being forced to slide or run through, just like at any other base. Just because a catcher has shin guards and a chest protector it doesn't mean he's in position to take hits.

Those same people probably also love this show:

[Billy B]

The Wussification of America continues, as a former Catcher I loved when people tried to run me over. This is sad news.

I've never seen a baseball league high school or below where running over the catcher doesn't result in an ejection.

[bosrs1]

Looks like Oakland has released yet more renderings of yet another ballpark that they probably will never build for the A's.

This time it's a $500 million dollar ballpark at Howard Terminal near Jack London Square in downtown Oakland (on a site that would cost another $300 million to make ready with infrastructure and toxic waste cleanup...). But it's pretty! And on the waterfront! And it has big cranes on the site to make sure you don't confuse it with AT&T Park across the bay!