OT: Baseball's One Forgotten Rule

FirstTimer

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Actually the forgotten rule is that catchers can't legally block the plate...if I'm remembering the Bill James' Historical Abstract correctly.
 

Rice Cube

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Official Rules | MLB.com: Official info

Rule 7.06:

NOTE: The catcher, without the ball in his possession, has no right to block the pathway of the runner attempting to score. The base line belongs to the runner and the catcher should be there only when he is fielding a ball or when he already has the ball in his hand.

It does allow for blocking the plate, but he can't just stand there and have the runner go around him if the ball's not coming to him. That's why you see catchers kind of wait on the baseline and then move at the last second when the throw is offline or whatever. So obstruction can still be called if the catcher conveniently "forgets" to move.

Is the Bill James thing available online? I'm curious to see that...otherwise I guess it's the one (or many :lol: ) rule umpires choose to ignore.
 

FirstTimer

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Official Rules | MLB.com: Official info

Rule 7.06:



It does allow for blocking the plate, but he can't just stand there and have the runner go around him if the ball's not coming to him. That's why you see catchers kind of wait on the baseline and then move at the last second when the throw is offline or whatever. So obstruction can still be called if the catcher conveniently "forgets" to move.

Is the Bill James thing available online? I'm curious to see that...otherwise I guess it's the one (or many :lol: ) rule umpires choose to ignore.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Bill-James-Historical-Baseball-Abstract/dp/0743227220/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336051136&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract (9780743227223): Bill James: Books[/ame]

Buy it.

Now.
 

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