The injury Buster Posey sustained this past season with the San Francisco Giants was one of the more horrid injuries of recent years. As more and more catchers do their part to block the plate and in-turn stop a run from scoring, teams around the league are seeing their backstops get hurt more than they ever have.
Many fans around the game have suggested a rule change that would protect catchers from oncoming base runners. The hope would be to keep them on the field longer and off the disabled list, which is appealing for every club in the league. Despite the interest in an amendment to the rule book, Joe Torre, who oversees the umpires around the league, does not see it happening:
Torre heard out Giants manager Bruce Bochy in several phone calls last season but declined to recommend that the rules committee take up the matter.
"Well, listen, I knew it was more emotional than anything else," Torre said last week. "None of us like to see that. But I really haven't heard anything that would encourage me to change anything or recommend a change. Being a catcher for a lot of years, I knew what the consequences were."
While there may be no immediate resolution to change up the rules, Torre did mention he would keep an open mind on the situation:
"We'll continue to listen," Torre said. "I'll listen to anything that makes sense, and you know if it comes from people like them (Bochy and GM Brian Sabean), they always make a lot of sense. So I'll listen."
What do you think should happen? There is no denying that there is a legitimate concern with catchers getting injured in collisions, but a lot would have to happen in order for a rule change to be made.
For more on the Giants, head on over to McCovey Chronicles.