MLB to ban home-plate collisions....

Yes. Thinkers. Because you have hours between plays. Easy to drift off and think about something completely unrelated.

 

I don't doubt that any individual paid to play a sport isn't an athlete but I prefer my sport:

210 pound athletes travelling at speeds up to 30 miles an hour on two blades 1/8" thick chasing after a piece of 3" vulcanized rubber which can be propelled at speeds up to 110mph at their unprotected face all while another 210 pound individual travelling at that same 30 mph is trying to paste them to the side of a solid board.


Now that is a sport

 

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

Either do away with the collisions at the plate, or make every infielder at a base fair game.

Who makes more, on the average, catchers or the other infielders?

 

Boxing on Ice.

-jim

 

I wouldn't call myself a "die-hard" fan of any of the major American sports leagues (I have GP racing for that ), but I am in full agreement that of all of them, hockey has the most diverse blend of athleticism required (speed, strength, accuracy, agility etc.).

That game just moves so damn fast......

 

I agree. Although I think it's going to result in a more safe runs to home if the catcher can't block the plate. I imagine we're gonna see some pretty unique tagging techniques from the catchers and some crazy gymnastics from baserunners approaching home. This may result in some more attempts at the very rare spectacle of stealing home.


There's a bunch of baseball hate on here. You know you CAN race and still be a fan.

 

The Nationals and Bryce Harper are the best show in baseball.

I like the new rule but don't like the implementation. Instant replay belongs somewhere other than the game of baseball.

 

Or any other game.


Hell I gave up on baseball after the 94 strike and dont miss it one bit. Dont even get me started on these teams "needing" new stadiums. Hey if a team cam pay a player $100M+ for 4 yrs, then they can pay for their own damn stadiums.

 

You will get no argument from me about the athleticism required to play even pick-up hockey :up:

The point i was trying to make is that baseball, for whatever reason, brings out comments from people that a) don't like the game; b) typically have no clue about the true nature of the game; and c) are compelled to share their wisdom. Its a bit like road-rage in the degree of dislocated angst it generates.

 

You could say the same thing about the GOAT argument.

-jim

 

You can block bags in the infield as long as you are playing the ball. The difference (and it is marginal given how a lot of plays at second occur) has been that home plate is all there is -- you can smash and overrun the bag and it doesn't matter, as well as the ability to simply play the defender. Watch the Posey play and he isn't even fully blocking the plate -- the runner goes inside the line to get full impact.

I believe the history of the rule had it based on the catcher having protection, and they often played to block the plate thus allowing, nay, requiring contact between runner and catcher. Playing to the plate involves playing to the defender. In contrast, on the bases, the runner must (by rule, anyway) play to the bag.

I have no idea if average catcher salary compares to average infielder pay. I do think that catchers have the most physically demanding position, and make the best managers. There are a lot of great catchers in the game right now, some of whom may very well manage World Champions in the next 20 years. Where did Brian McCann get traded?

 

I like the new rule. The problem I see is what happens when a catcher has to move in front of the plate (3rd base side) to field the ball just as the runner is arriving? There will still be a collision, right... but, both players have a right to occupy the same spot in order to do their job.

 

Totally agree.

 

F baseball...

 

I know...could he grab his helmet more times...LOL

 

It won't be any different than any other base. You've always been able to block the base with your glove. The catcher will just squat about where a right handed hitter stands (assuming the catcher is right handed) and lay the love down in front the plate. The runner won't be able to avoid it. It'll actually make things much easier for the catcher because there will be no risk of losing the ball on impact.

 

McCann went to the Yankee's... $85M over 5 years....

 

Not a hater per se, but I have always shared the sentiment expressed here...

"There are only three true sports; Auto Racing, Bullfighting and Mountain Climbing. All the rest are children's games at which men play." Usually attributed to Hemingway.

 

1. all baseball players have coordination. not that many are athletes.

2. pace of the game is dictated most by the home plate umpire's personal, arbitrary idea of the strike zone.

call the high strike, kill the DH...