WATCH: Steven Souza Jr. called out on rare collision at the plate
Rays outfielder Steven Souza Jr. was called out after colliding with A's catcher Stephen Vogt. Can't do that any more!
By
Mike Axisa
•
2 min read
The Athletics and Rays are wrapping up their four-game series at Tropicana Field on Sunday afternoon (GameTracker). Billy Burns gave the A's a quick 1-0 lead with a leadoff homer, the first dinger of his MLB career.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Rays almost got the run back when James Loney singled to left field with Steven Souza Jr. at second base. Souza advanced to third, then tried to score when Sam Fuld's throw went to second base. He was thrown out at the plate, but not before running over catcher Stephen Vogt.
Here's the play:
MLB changed the rules last year to eliminate the most egregious collisions at the plate, but not all of them. There are some very specific circumstances in which a runner is allowed to run the the catcher over. Here's a snippet of Rule 7.13:
1. A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate). If, in the judgment of the Umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the Umpire shall declare the runner out (even if the player covering home plate loses possession of the ball). In such circumstances, the Umpire shall call the ball dead, and all other base runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.
2. 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. Notwithstanding the above, it shall not be considered a violation of this Rule 7.13 if the catcher blocks the pathway of the runner in order to field a throw, and the Umpire determines that the catcher could not have fielded the ball without blocking the pathway of the runner and that contact with the runner was unavoidable.
So if the catcher has possession of the ball, is blocking the pathway of the plate, and the runner does not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate, he can try to run the catcher over. Is that what happens here? Here's the moment Vogt receives the throw:
The throw took Vogt into Souza's path, but at this point Souza appears to have already lined him up for the collision. Remember, this is all happening very fast. Too fast for Souza to see Vogt catch the ball and decide "I'm going to run him over instead of trying to slide." Either way, Souza was called out because Vogt held onto the ball.
Also, it appears Souza got the worst of the play. He left the game a few innings later with a left wrist issue, the same wrist he hit Vogt with in the collision.
