1. Buster Posey and the Collision Heard ‘Round the World

    acordova:


    Last night, after the Giants came back from a 4-run deficit to tie the game in the bottom of the 9th inning, the second-worst possible incident occurred: Buster Posey left the extra-innings game after sustaining a horrific leg injury from being run over by Florida Marlins’ utility infielder Scott Cousins at a play at the plate. You can view the play here, but honestly, I suggest you don’t. When I saw Posey clawing at the dirt in total agony, I wanted to jump through the television and help him. But I couldn’t.

    Let me say right off the bat, I believe it was a clean play. Unnecessary, maybe, but it was a clean baseball play. When Nate Schierholtz collided with a Chinese catcher in the Olympics a few years ago, he was lauded as a hero. If the situation were reversed, I would’ve been upset if we had not collided with the catcher. That’s how baseball is played.

    That being said, I’m coming around to the idea of a rule change.

    In every other sport, there are penalties for making contact with a defenseless player. It’s time for baseball to do the same. I personally would be okay with making the rule as simple as “if a baserunner changes their angle to go directly at the catcher instead of going for the plate, the baserunner is immediately called out and ejected from the game.” It may be a little knee jerk, but it would protect defenseless catchers. I do not want to see it left to the interpretation of the umpire; I can see Major League Baseball prefacing the above rule with “if in the opinion of the umpire a player is blocking home plate, the baserunner has every right to make contact with said player,” but either way, the rule should be designed to protect the health and safety of all players.

    The Giants have lost their cleanup hitter, and arguably their best position player. Amy Gutierrez is reporting that Buster has a broken leg and torn ligaments (Mychael Urban said a broken ankle, not leg, is more likely), but it’s all speculation at this point. Moves will be made, and the champions will carry on. But the only thing that could’ve been worse is if Buster Posey somehow ran into Tim Lincecum.

    Should the Giants retaliate for this collision at home plate? Personally, I don’t think so. If anything, Mike Stanton should get a pitch closer than he’d like for the Marlins throwing at Cody Ross’ head. Either way, as Duane Kuiper said earlier today, you still gotta get back on the field and kick some ass.







Notes

  1. theshortstraw reblogged this from sbnation and added:
    Totally disagree. Well, not totally. I would just hate it if there was a rule change that made baseball somehow even...
  2. theworldaccordingtostan reblogged this from sbnation and added:
    Well written post by SB nation about Buster Posey’s likely season ending injury. The MLB needs a rule change to protect...
  3. sashagreystoilet reblogged this from sbnation and added:
    this is getting old. scott cousins didn’t do anything wrong. end.
  4. sbnation reblogged this from acordova
  5. mightyflynn said: No way. I’m sorry you lost Buster, but the injury happened because of the way he played it, just like Twins 2B Nishioka. A rule change is uncalled for & a total overreaction. IMHO. 
  6. acordova posted this