2013-14 MLB Hot Stove thread

Brian Jordan played safety for the Falcons and a corner outfielder for the Cardinals in the mid to late '90s. Pretty good at both.

 

On a related note, Jameis Winston insists he's going to play baseball at FSU again this year.

 

White Sox traded closer Addison Reed to Arizona for third baseman Matt Davidson:

https://twitter.com/Dbacks/status/412658423214268416

Good move for the White Sox. Davidson can hit.

 

Rudolph's power is steadily growing. I'd say he's on the juice.

 

Awesome.

Is Ozzie Guillen in the No. 10 comp spot a Christmas pun I'm not getting or just a bit of randomness?

 

I think the new rule sucks unless they also ban catchers blocking the plate. If catchers are allowed to block the plate and runners have to slide, then you're looking at a lot of sprained ankles, broken legs, fucked-up knee injuries -- all to the runners.

 

They have this rule at every level of baseball below professional, and that stuff you're predicting never comes up. In fact there is more risk to the runner too in a collision, especially since those guys haven't grown up running into guys. It's an unnatural movement for anyone who wasn't also a high school linebacker.

 

I thought that was part of the new rule, that catchers would not be able to block the plate. At least not the way they could previously. Did I hear that wrong?

 

And what's the rule at those levels on blocking the plate?

They have different rules in college and high school than they do in the NFL. They have different rules in college and high school than in the NBA.

If the catcher is still allowed to block the plate while wearing shin guards, chest protectors and masks and all runners are allowed to do is to slide into them -- and catchers know this -- then runners will never score on close plays.

 

Catcher can block the plate with the ball at least in the lower rungs. It probably costs a few runs, yeah. Small price to pay to avoid major injuries -- and in MLB, concussions have become a serious issue for catchers. No amount of padding prevents that.

 

How many major injuries to catchers are we really expecting this rule change to prevent? The Posey incident sticks out and surely was the impetus for the rule change. Rose into Fosse sticks out as a big one. How many other major injuries have catchers suffered on collisions at the plate?

This is a PR move. It's going to have little tangible effect on preventing injuries.