The NY Daily News reports that MLB plans to outlaw home plate collisions by 2015 because of a growing concern of concussions.

The move will first be voted on by the owners and then will need to be approved by the Players Association.

The Daily News reports that Sandy Alderson, who is also the chairman of the rules committee, made the announcement yesterday at the Winter Meetings in Orlando:

“Ultimately what we want to do is change the culture of acceptance that these plays are ordinary and routine and an accepted part of the game,” Alderson said. “The costs associated in terms of health and injury just no longer warrant the status quo.”

Alderson continues to share about the new changes:

“The exact language and how exactly the rule will be enforced is subject to final determination,” he said. “We’re going to do fairly extensive review of the types of plays that occur at home plate to determine which we’re going to find acceptable and which are going to be prohibited.”

This is a very significant rule that will greatly impact major league baseball.  But with regards to the safety of the game this might be something that needs to be addressed.  All around it may benefit the players, especially to avoid extensive injury, but it will also change the dynamic of the game.  As exciting as it may seem to have a play at the plate; watching a player get knocked out due to a collision, and some have been extremely hard to watch, is not something that the teams or fans want to see. It can end a career.

Home plate collisions have been part of the game for many years, just good ole hard nosed baseball. Times are changing and maybe something does need to be done to protect the players. But it will also be interesting to see how the rule truly affects how the game is played, because in the heat of the moment with the winning run at third and the game on the line, I am sure the runner will now have to rethink that whole process of how he will be able to score without taking out the catcher. Safety does come first, but to what extent.

(Photo Credit – Pat Sullivan/Associated Press)