7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

[daflyboys]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

Well, clearly the catcher is already blocking the path to home before the ball is in his glove (left foot on 3B side of the line), but the ball was clearly there before the runner and I think that it is true that once the catcher has the ball he can do what he wants. They need to clean up this thing of where the catcher can be before the ball is in his mitt.

As far as the announcers talking about the runner needing to attempt a slide, that's just foolish, homey talk. A runner can do whatever he wants, including hurdling the catcher at the MLB level if he wants to. You funny homey announcers, you.

[SPTO]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

No, if it wasn't for people thinking they could just create rules and everything'll be better, then none of this crap would be happening. Stupid, stupid situation.

Yes, that's the reason I brought up Posey. It was after he got injured blocking the plate that everyone got all up in arms and decided that something needed to be changed. This rule is essentially the "Buster Posey Rule". I do remember in the period after Posey got injured but before this rule came to be that managers throughout the majors had taught their catchers way to better protect themselves without the need for some magic bullet cure all rule.

[Jr.]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

Yes, that's the reason I brought up Posey. It was after he got injured blocking the plate that everyone got all up in arms and decided that something needed to be changed. This rule is essentially the "Buster Posey Rule". I do remember in the period after Posey got injured but before this rule came to be that managers throughout the majors had taught their catchers way to better protect themselves without the need for some magic bullet cure all rule.

Buster dropped the wrong leg, which is why he got hurt. He dropped his left leg, with his knee pointed toward the runner. That's asking for an injury since you'll get pushed back and your leg has nowhere to go. If you're going to drop your knee, you drop your knee and angle your leg perpendicular to the baseline. That way, if you get run over, you fall back and your foot/leg isn't caught underneath you.

The rule was a reaction to poor fundamentals by Posey, and public reaction to the concussion stuff in the NFL. I do think catchers will get better at this by next season. They're starting to understand where they can't be and will have to adjust.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

Buster dropped the wrong leg, which is why he got hurt. He dropped his left leg, with his knee pointed toward the runner. That's asking for an injury since you'll get pushed back and your leg has nowhere to go. If you're going to drop your knee, you drop your knee and angle your leg perpendicular to the baseline. That way, if you get run over, you fall back and your foot/leg isn't caught underneath you.

The rule was a reaction to poor fundamentals by Posey, and public reaction to the concussion stuff in the NFL. I do think catchers will get better at this by next season. They're starting to understand where they can't be and will have to adjust.

I think something needed to be done…you can't just have guys teeing off on the catcher, especially with what we know about concussions. That said, I think they went the wrong way…I would prefer the catcher plays as normal and the onus is on the runner to avoid the catcher.

[Jr.]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

I think something needed to be done…you can't just have guys teeing off on the catcher, especially with what we know about concussions. That said, I think they went the wrong way…I would prefer the catcher plays as normal and the onus is on the runner to avoid the catcher.

You can't do that though, because the catcher would just camp out in front of the plate and the runner wouldn't have any way to get to it.

This rule is the same one they have in amateur levels of baseball. Guys in the Majors just haven't had to worry about it for so long, so they've probably forgotten how they used to play around the plate on close plays.

Going back to this Marlins play, the catcher was in horrible position to begin with. I don't know why he was set up behind the plate before the throw came in. He was going to have to move no matter where the throw was because he couldn't make a tag from back there even on a perfect throw.

[Chrisksaint]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

That said, I think they went the wrong way…I would prefer the catcher plays as normal and the onus is on the runner to avoid the catcher.

This is my problem with it. The logistics of having to charge the ball, then pretty much diving back towards the runner just seem like a little too much for a catcher.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

You can't do that though, because the catcher would just camp out in front of the plate and the runner wouldn't have any way to get to it.

This rule is the same one they have in amateur levels of baseball. Guys in the Majors just haven't had to worry about it for so long, so they've probably forgotten how they used to play around the plate on close plays.

Going back to this Marlins play, the catcher was in horrible position to begin with. I don't know why he was set up behind the plate before the throw came in. He was going to have to move no matter where the throw was because he couldn't make a tag from back there even on a perfect throw.

It's funny…I played through college and I can't remember the specific rule. I wasn't a catcher, but I remember as a runner I felt the onus was on ME. Runners had to avoid the catcher and slide or it was ejection…that's all I can remember about the rule (I was actually ejected once because in the umps eyes I didn't do enough to avoid the catcher and make a better effort to go around).

[Jr.]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

It's funny…I played through college and I can't remember the specific rule. I wasn't a catcher, but I remember as a runner I felt the onus was on ME. Runners had to avoid the catcher and slide or it was ejection…that's all I can remember about the rule (I was actually ejected once because in the umps eyes I didn't do enough to avoid the catcher and make a better effort to go around).

The onus is on both. Collisions aren't allowed at all in college/high school unless the catcher moves into the runner as he's trying to avoid. So the runner has to try to avoid the catcher, but the catcher still cannot plant in front of the plate without the ball. It's the same rule in that sense.

And if you've noticed, there hasn't been a home plate collision all year. The runners are trying to avoid catchers.

[Watson]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

Another LSU pitcher getting his first start in the majors tonight. Makes me warm and fuzzy inside. Hopefully Ranaudo can grab a full time slot in the near future.

[Watson]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

Another LSU pitcher getting his first start in the majors tonight. Makes me warm and fuzzy inside. Hopefully Ranaudo can grab a full time slot in the near future.

And his first out was Derek Jeter. Doesn't get much better than that.

[daflyboys]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

The Nats color guy JUST said that Danny Espinosa is the BEST 2B (defensively) he's ever seen.

Danny. Espinosa.

[19]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

The Nats color guy JUST said that Danny Espinosa is the BEST 2B (defensively) he's ever seen.

Danny. Espinosa.

F.P. gonna F.P. That must be why they brought in a lifetime SS to play 2B because Espinosa is so damn good.

Guy is beyond terrible.

[daflyboys]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

....and the mound just assisted Jimmy Rollins to get Span out on a ground ball.


The. Mound.

[kehlis]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

You can't do that though, because the catcher would just camp out in front of the plate and the runner wouldn't have any way to get to it.

This rule is the same one they have in amateur levels of baseball. Guys in the Majors just haven't had to worry about it for so long, so they've probably forgotten how they used to play around the plate on close plays.

Going back to this Marlins play, the catcher was in horrible position to begin with. I don't know why he was set up behind the plate before the throw came in. He was going to have to move no matter where the throw was because he couldn't make a tag from back there even on a perfect throw.

Agreed, and the catcher is the one with the gear. In theory, even without the ball he can drop his shin pad removing and path to the plate short of a brilliant hook slide and be protected.

If they aren't going to bring back collisions they really need to hone the definitions of the rule to make it more clear.

[cavsfan2]

Re: 7/28 - 8/10 Game Discussion Thread

I've been pretty impressed with this rookie pitcher on Boston. Its his first start in the big leagues and he's looked pretty darn good. He's given up one run through 5 innings with 69 pitches so far.