When MLB Rule 7.13 — the home-plate collision rule — was adopted as an experiment for the 2014 season, many were curious as to how well it would actually work.
The rule, in theory, is a good one. It was created to avoid unnecessary injuries, specifically based on the season-ending injuries San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey sustained in 2011 when Florida Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins collided with him running in to home plate.
But the now-Miami Marlins saw firsthand just why some had doubts about the rule.
In their game against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday night, the Reds had the bases loaded in the top of the eighth with Todd Frazier at the plate. Frazier flied out to outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, and Stanton fired home to easily nab Zack Cozart as he was tagging up.
But Marlins catcher Jeff Mathis blocked the plate.
Rule 7.13 states: “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.”
And that’s just what happened. Cozart didn’t even touch the plate and was initially ruled out, but after review lasting 6 minutes and 10 seconds — the longest of the season — the umpires overturned the call.
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The Marlins had been up 1-0, but three Cincinnati runs after the call led to a 3-1 defeat. Miami manager Mike Redmond — a former catcher himself — was clearly furious over the call, and expressed his frustration after the game.
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Even Red manager Bryan Price admitted to problems with the rule.
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But if there’s any takeaway from this situation, it did cause the MLB to look further into the Rule 7.13.
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Photo via USA Today Sports
