It Hurts To Watch: version 5

Not long ago the baseball rules committee started looking into changing the rules for plays at home plate. As the blogger who posts the cards related to these very plays I thought it about time to give my opinion on the whole idea.

While it has been a great play to see when it happens. I personally am a fan of making a change to the play. We go to many a minor league game during the season. More often than not the games we watch are for the West Coast League. For those that don't know about the WCL it's a college wood bat league. These leagues feature players who are still in college, but want to show the MLB scouts what they can do if handed a wood bat. Our closest team has been one of the top two teams if not the top team in the WCL since its formation.

The WCL has a sliding rule for plays at home plate. A rule that I would like to see adopted in this situation. I fall under the group that doesn't need to see catchers or the player barreling down the line injured. Every year in the minors we see a minimum three close plays at the plate. Whether the runner is safe or out it is still the best play in the game if you ask me. Just with this rule in place more often than in the MLB both players walk away none worse for the wear. To me anything that keeps both guys playing is a win-win situation.

Adding to this not hurting the game is some of the best plays at the plate didn't contain the runner barreling down a catcher. A great example is the card above. Watching a rerun of the all-time best plays at home plate on MLB Network. This play rated third on their list. Not bad for a play where neither guy risked an injury. If this play doesn't prove we don't need guys colliding then plays number four through one proves it more. All four of the top plays didn't contain a collision, but had either a slide or just running through the base without collision.

Another reason for wanting to see the play ended is a personal one. Looking at the Devon White card above shows this reason. Cards where the player slid instead or ran through the catcher has that sweet looking dust cloud. As a photography nut I love the look of pictures or in this case cards. That contain the dust cloud that rises from the slide. More sliding means more sweet dust cloud pictures on baseball cards. You can call me selfish if you want for this. I'm more than willing to take the heat.