WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO CATCHERS IN THE GOOD OL' DAYS?

Are we turning into a bunch of wimps? Seriously. I am a baseball fan, not a football fan, not a hockey fan, but a baseball fan.  While baseball is a lot of waiting around, you teach your players very early on to be moving on any and every play. You back up third base on a throw to 3^rd if you’re the left fielder. The second baseman should back up the pitcher in case there’s an over throw from the catcher to the pitcher, and if you have an opportunity to steal, even home plate, you go in hard, and if someone gets in your way, you barrel through them to get to the base.  That’s baseball. It's always has been that way.

Now, Major League Baseball is considering changing that, and yes, I get the safety reasons for why, but it will literally change everything about the catcher's role of protecting his territory…home plate.

Erica Morales, one of our top writers here at Bleeding Yankee Blue wrote a great piece Tuesday in reference to the “no more collision” idea in Major League Baseball.  If you haven’t seen it yet, I suggest you do. Read I GUESS CATCHERS CAN'T PROTECT THE PLATE ANYMORE? It’s spot on and we had a ton of feedback because of it.  The bottom line here is, Players need to play.

What would happen if Thurman Munson was told about this ban when he was playing? He’d probably tell Major League Baseball to “shove it.”  You can’t take the warrior out of a ball player. He would probably never change his approach, still waiting for the runner, still happy to try and hammer him back as he was attempting to run through his “zone.”  It’s what a catcher does… it’s a 1 on 1 battle that could literally change the momentum of the game. That 1 run can be crucial and the catcher knows that.  That also goes for the runner.

I remember reading a few years ago that Jorge Posada considered home plate "his" territory.  Then I remember seeing the picture Laura Posada posted on her Instagram of Jorge behind home plate, preparing his territory for battle.  

A catcher's role is critical and that’s why catchers become successful managers. They know more than many on the field.  But they also know that, much like a goalie in hockey or soccer, that if someone gets through them, they could blow the game.

While baseball isn’t about the viciousness that football is, it’s still important to play hard.  If you are standing on third with an opportunity to score gracefully, like maybe Ichiro in the ALDS last year against Matt Wieters and the Orioles, then do it.  After all, Ichiro can maneuver smoothly.  He’s tiny and he’s not busting past Wieters who looks like a wall in comparison, so you do it your way… I respect that.  

But do you ever think that Jackie Robinson was worried about hurting Yogi Berra? Do you think that David Ross saw a person when he rammed through Alex Avila? No, he saw the goal… get there, get home... win.

I’m not a mean spirited person, I don’t like when players get hurt.  But ironically, Avila did the exact same thing to Russell Martin in the ALCS in 2012 and no one said a thing.

Pete Rose ripped through Ray Fosse… it’s the game, and while it may not always be pretty, and while players sometimes get hurt… that’s what the player signed up for.  Catchers aren’t wimps… that’s why they’re catchers. 

Major League Baseball needs to stop acting like the dictator and start acting like Major League Baseball.  You want to protect the player? Come up with protect gear for pitchers so they don’t get concussions if they get whacked in the head on a comebacker.  Maybe enforce a stricter steroids fine instead of the one that’s currently NOT working.  Don’t strip the balls from the greatest sport on earth.  Players come to play… not to be told that they “can’t play hard.” 

This isn’t tee ball… this is the pros… can we get back to it please?

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