The Major League Baseball Rules Committee has voted to ban collisions at home plate, the goal is to have it in effect by next season, and if not, 2015 at the absolute latest.
New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, who is the chairman of the MLB rules committee, made the announcement Wednesday at the winter meetings. The change in rules stems from the concern over concussions and player safety.
“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.
As far as violence goes in sports, I think most people would agree that home plate collisions rank pretty low on the totem pole. Baseball has long been a sport of traditions, so when Pete Rose, one of the sport’s greats heard about the change in rules, let’s just say he wasn’t pleased.
“What are they going to do next, you can’t break up a double play?” Rose said. “You’re not allowed to pitch inside. The hitters wear more armour than the Humvees in Afghanistan. Now you’re not allowed to be safe at home plate? What’s the game coming to? Evidently the guys making all these rules never played the game of baseball.”
“Since 1869, baseball has been doing pretty well,” Rose continued. “The only rules they ever changed was the mound (height) and the DH. I thought baseball was doing pretty good. Maybe I’m wrong about the attendance figures and the number of people going to ballgames.”
Sports By Rob 