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| Buster Posey, the Giants' star catcher, may miss the rest of the season after breaking his leg and suffering ligament damage in this collision. |
It's a rather gruesome photo, and Buster Posey is a significant player with significant injuries as a result of this play.
Still, I was surprised at the sudden call for a ban on blocking the plate as a means of protecting catchers.
Protecting catchers? Really? Most home plate collisions, of course, result in no injuries. Those that do, I suspect, lean heavily on the side of injuring the runner.
The catcher, after all, is armored. And if he's following the rules — which prohibit a fielder without the ball from obstructing the runner — he has possession of the ball and probably has had time to get set and braced.
Posey's injury is unfortunate. But I heard no such outcry when Robin Ventura broke his ankle in a home plate collision.
give me a break the guy came in sholders down like a friggin football player, not hands first like a slide into home..
ReplyDeleteAs did Torii Hunter in 2004 (the Jamie Burke play). As did Kirby Puckett in 1988 (Terry Steinbach). As did Pete Rose (Ray Fosse, 1970 All-Star Game). As did Dan Gladden in the 1991 World Series (Greg Olson). As, most likely (no photos of the actual collision), did Joe DiMaggio in the 1939 World Series ("Lombardi's snooze"). As have myriad other runners over the years. This is hardly an unprecedented play, no matter how much ESPN may want to pretend otherwise.
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