CollISIon CoUrSe
mets catchers learn new techniques to conform to coming rule that bans blocking plate
Kristie ackert,
PORT ST. LUCIE — It goes against every instinct Travis d’Arnaud has. Last spring, given his importance to the franchise’s future and history of injuries, the Mets asked d’Arnaud to take himself out of positions that would cause collisions at the plate.
He had to fight years of learning and instincts.
“Say, for example, it’s Game 6 of the World Series, and I’m told I can’t block the plate. Well, my instincts are going to tell me to save that run being scored,” d’Arnaud said. “That’s part of the game that every catcher enjoys. It’s like our thrill, like the infielder making a diving play in the hole and throwing someone out from his knees.”
Friday afternoon, however, it became an official team policy for all the Mets catchers.
Sandy Alderson addressed the catchers about the spirit of what may be the new home-plate collision rule Friday morning. While the league and players union are working on the language of the rule — which may cause it to be shelved for 2014 — the Mets’ general manager has told his catchers to practice avoiding blocking the plate.
Alderson said the spirit of the rule is pretty universally understood right now.
“The basic idea is if you’re going to require the runners to slide, you have to give them a lane to the plate,” Alderson explained. “That’s the basic premise. Now, if a ball takes you into the lane, or causes a situation that’s unavoidable, then you’ve got a situation that’s unavoidable. But the point of the rule is in all circumstances, the runner would have to slide. That’s the college rule. That’s the high school rule. Probably if you play tee ball today, that’s the rule.”
The wording of the rule, however, is causing a holdup in its implementation, and that has d’Arnaud concerned. Referring back to his Game 6 of the World Se- ries scenario, d’Arnaud needs to know how far he can go without being penalized a run, on a challenge or umpire’s call, based on the rule.
“I could be penalized for that,” d’Arnaud said.”I don’t know right now, it’s depending on what the rule is.”
And that will go hand-in-hand with the new replay rules, Alderson said.
“Again, it’s going to depend on the final rule, but it could be challenged on the basis of safe or out,” Alderson said. “It could be challenged on the basis of whether the runner acted appropriately. And it could be challenged on the basis of whether the catcher acted appropriately. All go to safe or out.
“And the second level of review would be: Was this egregious enough for the player to be ejected? And then, I guess, subsequent to that, postgame, as in say the NFL, it would be reviewable to determine whether there would be additional fines or suspensions.”
While baseball and the union hammer it out — though with spring training games beginning next week time is short — the Mets catchers will practice against instinct and position themselves to show the runner the plate and give them a lane to slide. D’Arnaud explained that he was told to position himself in fair territory with his left foot up against the left side of the plate.
“It is virtually the same,” d’Arnaud said of the instructions Alderson gave Friday compared to what he was asked to do in 2013. “Just trying to catch the ball and tag now, instead of catch and block the plate.
“Just be safe.”