Buster Posey gets leveled in home-plate collision...

[BaltimoreTerp]

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/26/buster-posey-has-fractured-fibula-strained-ankle-ligaments/

Better news. Broken fibula and strained ankle ligaments. The bone will heal in a cast while the ankle gets surgery. Could be back by September.

[fansince71]

Just seen the replay and that was far from a clean play IMO. The dude didn't even try to touch the plate. That was more of a Football play, just lowered his shoulder and took him out. Chances are there will be some rules put in place after this.

[Can_of_corn]

Just seen the replay and that was far from a clean play IMO. The dude didn't even try to touch the plate. That was more of a Football play, just lowered his shoulder and took him out. Chances are there will be some rules put in place after this.

You are right! It was clearly an illegal play!

What was Posey doing blocking the plate when he did not have possession of the ball?

Both sides were at fault and it is a play that is rarely called when either side is guilty of the infraction. The rules currently in place would be sufficient if they were enforced.

My guess is its business as usual and the occasion hard collision will still occur.

I do find it odd and slightly disturbing that there is so much bigger an uproar over Buster Posey getting hurt in a collision then last season when it was Carlos Santana of the Indians being injured.

[Crazy O]

Rules should be put in place against that.

However, this coming from someone who is a catcher, that was a completely clean hit because there is no rule against it. He was completely within his rights to do that, and it was probably his only choice as to the way Posey was blocking the plate so well. MLB catchers know the risks of blocking the plate like that; hitters shouldn't have to hit catchers "just hard enough" to get to the plate.

I hope Posey is ok and I hope this doesn't have to happen again.

[scOtt]

I think it's a perfectly clean play. That's exactly when you want to level the catcher, is when the ball and you arrive at the same time. You knock the ball loose and THEN find the plate and touch it.

99 times out of 100 he didn't hit him hard enough to hurt him. His foot just got caught.

[Nite]

Looked 100% clean to me. Runner was going straight for the plate and Buster stepped in his way. The runner decided that rather than sliding and eating shin guard in route to the plate, he was going to step over and through. Sliding on that play, the runner might never have touched home with Busters legs in the way. But stepping over the legs will guarantee that he touches the plate. Lowering the boom will help keep you from being tagged. Buster IMO is the one who messed up a little by being to low. If he was standing a little more he would have had space under his body for his ankle to fold up and safely get moved. However due to his really low crouch the ankle was pinned between his leg and the ground with no room for give, boom out for year. Oh well it's baseball.

[Dr. FLK]

Buster, there's a Mr. Kendell on line one.

Also for the record, the next time one of our guys slides into home and is out and a hundred people start screaming about plowing through the catcher, I'm posting this video.

Wouldn't this video help their argument? The runner was safe...

[Dr. FLK]

Just seen the replay and that was far from a clean play IMO. The dude didn't even try to touch the plate. That was more of a Football play, just lowered his shoulder and took him out. Chances are there will be some rules put in place after this.

Looks to me like - in order to touch the plate - he had to move the guy who was blocking the plate without possessing the ball. Looked clean to me.

And I certainly hope this doesn't lead to some reactionary rule change that will be the MLB equivalent of the Brady Rules. If this happens to Brayan Pena, no one is suggesting rule changes. Sometimes catchers get hurt in collisions...it happens.

[Satyr3206]

A catcher should never catch a throw at the plate with either or both knees on the ground. It's a very poor position and begs for an injury. As for a new rule I'm dead set against it. I mean look at the NFL's attempt to regulate hits. It's becoming a joke. Sometimes sports involve collisions. The players know this and understand the risks. Leave well enough alone.

[TGO]

I agree it was really terrible form on Posey's part but it also doesn't look to me like he was blocking enough of the plate that running over him was necessary. In any event, they don't need to change any rules, they just need to call the one that's already on the books, which is that the catcher cannot block the plate without the ball in his possession.

[russ snyder]

A catcher should never catch a throw at the plate with either or both knees on the ground. It's a very poor position and begs for an injury. As for a new rule I'm dead set against it. I mean look at the NFL's attempt to regulate hits. It's becoming a joke. Sometimes sports involve collisions. The players know this and understand the risks. Leave well enough alone.

Agree 100 %. With having both knees on the ground, Posey did not have any anchor against the collision. The runner hit him clean IMO.

Shoulder to shoulder on the catcher is clean. I do not want a radical change in the rules because of this. It's a shame that Posey was hurt. But catchers are taught to block the plate and things like this will happen from time to time.

[tennOsfan]

You know, the great thing about Matt Wieters is, is that if a runner tried that on him, THE RUNNER would be the one out for the season.

[scOtt]

And I certainly hope this doesn't lead to some reactionary rule change that will be the MLB equivalent of the Brady Rules. If this happens to Brayan Pena, no one is suggesting rule changes. Sometimes catchers get hurt in collisions...it happens.

I hope so too! I saw an article today, comparing it to the Fosse play. :rolleyestf: Hell, the only problem I have with that play was that it was a meaningless All Star game.

[BaltimoreTerp]

http://withleather.uproxx.com/2011/05/the-dugout-buster-posey-1998-2011

The Eli Whiteside stuff is priceless.

[fansince71]

Good take by Bobby Valentine about the Posey play, saying there will not be a rule change but there should be change in organizational teaching about how to use one hand instead of 2 to catch the ball and swipe tag (like Wieters) thus avoid blocking the plate.

The more i watch that play the more i am convinced that the runner should of been suspended like they do in football. The runner went out of his way to take out Posey and even went in high and made contact with his head. In Football you get fined and or suspended for just such plays where the player is defenseless and you hit him in the helmet (head).

Those of you that think the runner had no choice because the catcher was blocking the plate, well i ask you this, isn't the runner still obligated to try and touch the plate? Just when did Cousins try and touch the plate? Yes, after he tried taking Posey's head off! That was not a clean play!

Cousins had one thing on his mind and that was to take out the catcher not to touch the plate.