Say Bye to Home Plate Collisions

11 Dec, 2013

Major League Baseball said it plans to ban home plate collisions by 2015 at the latest.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, chairman of the rules committee, said the change would go into effect for next season if the players’ association approved and in 2015 if it didn’t. Safety and concern over concussions were major factors – fans still cringe at the thought of the season-ending hit Giants catcher Buster Posey absorbed in 2011.

“Ultimately what we want to do is change the culture of acceptance that these plays are ordinary and routine and an accepted part of the game,” Alderson said. “The costs associated in terms of health and injury just no longer warrant the status quo.”

Alderson said wording of the rules change will be presented to owners for approval at their Jan. 16 meeting in Paradise Valley, Ariz.

“We’re going to do fairly extensive review of the types of plays that occur at home plate to determine which we’re going to find acceptable and which are going to be prohibited,” he said.

AP

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