RED SOX : News & Notes
March 1,2014.
First Hits : Watched the first game on the new Los Angeles Sportsnet this past Wednesday. I know it's early but I was left with two observations. One, Vin Scully is the best broadcaster in baseball. The game will suffer a great loss when he retires. Secondly, Carl Crawford appears seriously 'out of shape' for a guy earning so much money....stay tuned.
The 'Right' Attitude : The Red Sox returned to camp and all the players insisted that this was a 'new' season. The Red Sox preceded Thursday's first full-squad workout of Spring Training with a team meeting. John Farrell said, 'Let's think not about the last out of the World Series last year but how we approach the year. How we approach the first day of Spring Training.' I think as much as we can sort of appreciate what we did last year, we're all focused on today and tomorrow.""To get back to a mindset that was from the first day of Spring Training last year and not the most recent memory, which was a great one, but to recognize that there was a lot of work, a journey that went into getting that final out recorded in Fenway," said Farrell. "I think as you've been around the guys since they've reported, the conversation, the talk is about what we do today, and not what's happened previous. In a nutshell, that was probably the overall message."Of course, Farrell's message can go further with a group that includes seasoned players like Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, David Ross, Jonny Gomes, Shane Victorino, Jon Lester and John Lackey."I think we have a lot of guys with a lot of personal pride who are working every day and not looking too far ahead," said Lackey. "I think that makes it easy motivation. Just worry about trying to get better today and see where you end up at the end."
Home Plate Collisions : An experimental rule, 7.13, intended to increase player safety by eliminating "egregious" collisions at home plate was jointly announced by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association on Monday.
The timing allows for managers, coaches, players and umpires to use the entire Grapefruit and Cactus League schedules to acclimate themselves to the rule. The intention to enact regulations was adopted at the Winter Meetings last December; now the exact wording has been agreed upon.
OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULE 7.13
Collisions at home plate
A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate). If, in the judgment of the umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the umpire shall declare the runner out (even if the player covering home plate loses possession of the ball). In such circumstances, the umpire shall call the ball dead, and all other baserunners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.
Rule 7.13 comment: The failure by the runner to make an effort to touch the plate, the runner's lowering of the shoulder, or the runner's pushing through with his hands, elbows or arms, would support a determination that the runner deviated from the pathway in order to initiate contact with the catcher in violation of Rule 7.13. If the runner slides into the plate in an appropriate manner, he shall not be adjudged to have violated Rule 7.13. A slide shall be deemed appropriate, in the case of a feet first slide, if the runner's buttocks and legs should hit the ground before contact with the catcher. In the case of a head first slide, a runner shall be deemed to have slid appropriately if his body should hit the ground before contact with the catcher.
Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the catcher without possession of the ball blocks the pathway of the runner, the umpire shall call or signal the runner safe. Notwithstanding the above, it shall not be considered a violation of this Rule 7.13 if the catcher blocks the pathway of the runner in order to field a throw, and the umpire determines that the catcher could not have fielded the ball without blocking the pathway of the runner and that contact with the runner was unavoidable.
Collisions at home plate
A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate). If, in the judgment of the umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the umpire shall declare the runner out (even if the player covering home plate loses possession of the ball). In such circumstances, the umpire shall call the ball dead, and all other baserunners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.
Rule 7.13 comment: The failure by the runner to make an effort to touch the plate, the runner's lowering of the shoulder, or the runner's pushing through with his hands, elbows or arms, would support a determination that the runner deviated from the pathway in order to initiate contact with the catcher in violation of Rule 7.13. If the runner slides into the plate in an appropriate manner, he shall not be adjudged to have violated Rule 7.13. A slide shall be deemed appropriate, in the case of a feet first slide, if the runner's buttocks and legs should hit the ground before contact with the catcher. In the case of a head first slide, a runner shall be deemed to have slid appropriately if his body should hit the ground before contact with the catcher.
Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the catcher without possession of the ball blocks the pathway of the runner, the umpire shall call or signal the runner safe. Notwithstanding the above, it shall not be considered a violation of this Rule 7.13 if the catcher blocks the pathway of the runner in order to field a throw, and the umpire determines that the catcher could not have fielded the ball without blocking the pathway of the runner and that contact with the runner was unavoidable.
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