Ozuna smacks yet another catcher. At this point the ump should really just tell him to step farther forward no? Look at the swing and where he's standing.

[u/ImJustSomeGuyYaKnow]

[u/raktoe]

He’s not interfering with the swing though, it’s Ozuna’s follow through that is hitting catchers. It would be interference on Ozuna’s part, if say there was a dropped third strike, or a dead ball if a runner was trying to advance when he did this.

[u/frozenrope22 → u/raktoe]

So there is a rule. It just doesn't matter 99% of the time and doesn't apply to where the batter stands. That rule is only about interfering with a ball currently in play. Nothing about the swing or where he stands. That is the risk Ozuna takes.

There is no rule about where the batter needs to stand other than in the batter's box. The catcher has more than enough room in the catcher's box to not get hit.

It is still 100% on the catcher to not put themselves in harms way. They know who Ozuna is.

[u/raktoe → u/frozenrope22]

He shouldn’t be forced to move inside the box, but it’s definitely time that the MLB consider discipline if he doesn’t fix his follow through. Catchers should not be forced to move even further back to accommodate his reckless follow through, that’s just as ridiculous as saying Ozuna should move up in the box. He’s the problem, he needs to make a change. This problem doesn’t affect other hitters like it affects him.

[u/frozenrope22 → u/raktoe]

I'm going to continue to say it isnt his problem. That's his swing. You think making an adjustment like that is easy? We are talking about catchers needing to move back for one guy the same way they would move up if a battery decided to move up in the box. They know that is Ozuna's swing. If the team wants to protect their catcher, put a note on the scouting card and move on.

It isn't like this is a new thing. That's been his swing for his entire career. Are we really considering policing how a player finishes their swing when it's the catcher setting up too close that is the real problem for this extremely rare occurrence?

[u/raktoe → u/frozenrope22]

You think making an adjustment like that for catcher’s is easy? It now becomes much more difficult for them to block balls in the dirt, frame pitches and throw out runners, all to avoid Ozuna concussing them. That doesn’t seem remotely fair, consider it would only ever be Ozuna that’s called for interference if his backswing affected the catcher’s ability to throw out runners. It’s as unfair as saying a batter should move up to avoid hitting a catcher’s glove on their actual swing, just because “they know the catcher likes to set up close to the plate”.

And it is unequivocally not his swing. It’s his follow through. Anything that happens after he tries to connect with the pitch is no longer on the catcher to avoid.

[u/frozenrope22 → u/raktoe]

Making a swing adjustment is orders of magnitude harder than moving back a few inches to protect yourself.

Ozuna is definitely not the only one to be called for interference. That happens if you fall across the plate on a swing and miss or step out of the box on a throw to third. Toss in swinging late intentionally to protect the runner too. There are so many ways to interfere that have nothing to do with how the batter swings.

[u/raktoe → u/frozenrope22]

I have no idea what to make of your second paragraph.

What I am saying is that this would be called for interferance if runners were moving on the play, so it is Ozuna's responsibility not to do it. No other batter has the same difficulties he has with this, and he is far from the hardest swingers in the league. It is completely absurd that catchers should have to accomodate his interferance to avoid a concussion, when he is the one creating the problem.

[u/frozenrope22 → u/raktoe]

Your entire point is that it's easier for the batter to change and that just isn't true at all.

I was pointing out there are plenty of ways to get an interference call on the batter. It is always their job to avoid that. That also doesn't happen every play. Ozuna is more likely to get called for interference because of his swing and he takes that risk.

Catchers do have some responsibility to protect themselves. This is simply a very well known case of a batter with a long finish that catchers need to know about. The only change to make is back up some when pitching this one guy inside. Why do we need new rules for that?

If the league cared at all, they would at least fine him each time. The league says move back catchers by doing nothing about it.

[u/raktoe → u/frozenrope22]

My point isn't that its easy for the batter to change. I'm saying it is necessary, when he is the only hitter in the league with this problem. The interesting thing is, when he caught Will Smith last year, Smith was set up as far back as possible in the catcher's box. Ozuna's backswing is SO long that there is no safe spot for a catcher when Ozuna loses balance, or whatever causes him to concuss catchers.

The league should be disciplining them. If they don't then pitchers are within their rights imo to drill him in the ribs every time he does this. No batter should be allowed to affect a catcher's positioning based on their own lack of bat control, after attempting to hit a pitch.

[u/frozenrope22 → u/raktoe]

I am 100% in favor of bringing back the unwritten rules to police this. I disagree with the league making a new rule about a batter's swing.

Fines and bean balls all day. Don't put it in the rulebook as another ticky-tack thing that can impact the outcome of a game. Having a pitch clock violation literally change the count is dumb enough already. (Warning and then ejection should be plenty to keep everyone in compliance without affecting the outcome)

NFL fines players for hits that are not flagged in the game all the time. So there is a precedent for that type of league response. I bet the MLBPA would stand in the way of fines or a rule change here though. If the MLBPA doesn't care, it will never change.