Joe Torre: Home plate collision rule will stay after experimental season
The collision rule (Rule 7.13) will stay in the MLB rule books after its experimental season, David Lennon of Newsday reports.
The rule was originally put into place in the offseason to ban "egregious collisions" at home plate for the 2014 season. Rule 7.13 states that "catchers can block the plate if they catch the ball before a runner arrives, but the catcher cannot block the path of runner trying to score. If catcher does block in such fashion, the runner will be called safe."
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In June of this year, Torre released a statement clarifying the rule due to a call in the Reds' 11-4 win over the Pirates on June 18, when catcher Devin Mesoraco was forced at home. The call was overturned on replay because the umpires rules that Pittsburgh catcher Russell Martin had been blocking the plate, even though the ball had beaten Mesoraco to the plate.
From Major League Baseball:
The Rule as intended has no function or purpose in the context of a force play (i.e., a runner attempting to score from third with the bases loaded). As a result, effective immediately, Umpires will be instructed not to apply Rule 7.13 to force plays at home plate.
Torre's comments came in Minnesota during the MLB All-Star break.
- Sarah Barshop
