“From a tagging standpoint, and from a stealing standpoint, I totally agree.”
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bae Ji-Hwan Bae agrees with the sentiments of team mentor Andrew McCutchen.
In an interview reported by The Athletic on Nov. 23, McCutchen argued that defenders should be banned from blocking bases during stolen base attempts.
He argued that the same rule should be applied to stolen base situations, similar to how catchers are prohibited from blocking a runner’s path as he slides into home plate.
When we met a day later on the 24th, Bae echoed McCutchin’s sentiments, saying, “I totally agree.
Bae, who is in a position to steal bases as a runner on offense and as an infielder on defense, said, “If a runner comes in with his legs, it’s hard to stop him, because he’s going to bleed (from the spikes). When stealing, a lot of times they come in headfirst, and if you block it, it’s the same as being blocked by the catcher at home and not scoring,” he said.
Major League Baseball is encouraging runners to steal more aggressively this season by increasing base sizes and limiting the number of pitcher’s strikes. Defenders have responded with defenses that completely block runners when they attempt to steal.
“After the basecar got bigger, there were more of them. I’ve been blocked one to three times,” Bae said, agreeing that the rule change has increased the number of such plays.
The biggest concern is injury. When a full-speed runner slides in headfirst and collides with a runner blocking the main path, injury is inevitable.
As McCutcheon said in an earlier interview, “It seems inevitable that someone will get hurt. All we can do is go in feet first and hope the fielder gets hurt or both,” he said in an earlier interview.안전놀이터
Major League Baseball previously instituted a home-run rule after Buster Posey’s injury and a second-base interference rule after the injuries to Jung Ho Kang and Ruben Tejada. It’s a bit like the barnstorming that happens when someone gets hurt. We can’t afford to make the same mistake again.
Bae, who currently has 14 stolen bases, emphasized the need for a rule to prevent injuries, saying, “If you get hurt, you’ll fight again, and it’s best to prevent it.”
Major League Baseball isn’t sitting on its hands. Citing sources, The Athletic reported that a joint labor-management competition committee discussed the issue during the offseason. The committee plans to monitor the impact of increasing base sizes to give runners extra room and then discuss whether further action is needed after the 2023 season.