Blocking The Plate

[Edgy MD]

As far as I'm concerned, if the catcher has ceded the "lane" at any point prior to collision, he's in compliance with the rule.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I would think so too.

What should matter is where the catcher is when the runner arrives, not when the runner is 40 feet away.

[Zvon]

Say a catcher is in the "legal" position, both feet inside the 3rd base foul line leaving an open lane, waiting for the throw. The runner has rounded third and is 2/3 down the line as the throw comes in. The throw is right on the money, looking to land right where the corner of the plate meets the third base line. The ball arrives an instant before the runner.

The way I understand the rule, now the catcher can't catch that throw properly. He can't have his body in front of it to make sure the ball doesn't get though to the backstop. He must stand to the side like a bullfighter, try and catch the ball and tag the runner as he slides (or runs) by. This is ridiculous. This is a country club softball rule the way it stands now.

After the play the other night with denDekker, after the game he made a comment that was loosely: " I know you're not allowed to run down a catcher anymore..."

He's a player and he doesn't even know what's going on. I blame the team in this instance- denDekker was going by what he heard in spring training ( IIRC he eluded to that)- as the season has progressed the interpretation has been evolving and a team should really hold meetings and discuss the rule to keep players more informed.

[Edgy MD]

The best way to protect both and still play baseball as far I'm concerned, if he can make the catch before the runner arrives, caveat auceps. If he can't, he better get out of the way before the runner makes contact. And if he doesn't, the runner is safe and he's tossed.

If he's out of the way, but the runner still sees fit to initiate contact, then toss the runner and call him out.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: As far as I'm concerned, if the catcher has ceded the "lane" at any point prior to collision, he's in compliance with the rule.

Or if he, y'know, has the ball prior to collision.
I heard an explanation which dealt with the catcher's placement "altering the runner's thinking" as he's halfway down the line as a reason why said runner should be called safe even though the ball beat him by multiple yards.

[Frayed Knot]

Not changing the rule just clearing it up a bit - or something along those lines.

Major League Baseball issued an illustrated memorandum to all teams Tuesday in an attempt to clear up any potential confusion about the rules governing collisions at home plate.
The key point, according to managers who saw the letter, is that common sense must prevail. Specifically, even though catchers are required by the letter of Rule 7.13 to allow a part of the plate to slide to, a runner who is clearly beaten by the throw should not be called safe on a technicality.
ESPN.com reported that the letter instructs umpires not to call a runner safe if there is no evidence that the catcher has "hindered or impeded" the runner's path to the plate.



http://m.mlb.com/news/article/93914144/mlb-clarifies-home-plate-collision-rule



Supposedly this "new" version of the rule dicked the Yanquis last night, although I didn't see what happened there specifically.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I saw the play and it's true -- last week, Drew would have been called safe.

In fact the Rays' catcher was so "blocking" the plate -- really just awaiting the throw where it ought to have been made -- that Drew tried the unusual tack of sliding to the first base side of the plate. He was out.

LOLDrew