According to reports coming from around the league, the MLB is banning home plate collisions.
MLB has now decided to eliminate home-plate collisions at home plate, meaning, players must slide going into home.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 11, 2013
The decision to ban collisions at home plate comes to no surprise as it has been in discussion for as long as base has existed in all reality but became a much more controversial topic in 2011 when San Francisco Giants‘ catcher Buster Posey was seriously injured in a home plate collision when Scott Cousins of the Florida Marlins tug up from third on a fly ball and ran over Posey at the plate.Posey, would not return until the next season in which he would eventually claim the NL MVP award in only his second full MLB season.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today pointed out that the rule may forever be known as the “Buster Posey Rule” If the home-plate rule is approved by #MLB clubs and the players union, it should forever be known as the Buster Posey rule. — Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 11, 2013
Nightengale also stated that fines and suspensions may be handed out to those who refuse to slide.
There could be fines and suspensions as penalties for home-plate collisions.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 11, 2013
While many may not see eye-to-eye with the MLB on this decision, they are looking out for player safety so potential injuries that may occur will not occur in some hard collisions that are seen in the GIFs below.
(Posey seriously injured; fractured fibula and torn ligaments in his ankle ;season-ending surgery)
(No serious injury; head to head contact)
(no serious injury but could have been serious)
(Navarro left on cart ; deep bone bruise could have been more serious)
(Pena was down for a while after the collision; head to head contact)
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
