| Baseball rules clearly state that you can NOT | | | | seen. We're talking a fraction of a second. |
| block a base without the baseball. So much for | | | | A base runner can discourage this from happening. |
| the rules. Many players don't just bend this rule | | | | If the base runner is retreating to a base or |
| but completely break this rule. If you're not going | | | | advancing to the next base, he can slide in feet |
| to enforce a rule, why do we still have it in the | | | | first instead of head first. The last thing we want |
| rule book? | | | | is to see anyone hurt on the ball field so hopefully |
| Catchers do it on almost every close play at the | | | | the player in the field will follow the rules. And |
| plate and get away with it 100% of the time. | | | | even if the player in the field does not follow the |
| Infielders get away with it 99.9% of the time. | | | | rules, we still don't want to see anyone injured. |
| They say the hand is quicker than the eye but in | | | | I saw a high school coach in May of 2006 make a |
| this case, quite often the knee is quicker than the | | | | valid point. His team had a runner on first base |
| eye. What the infielders will do is block the base a | | | | and his runner had to dive back to first base on |
| fraction of a second before they receive the | | | | an attempted pick off by the pitcher to the first |
| throw. It happens so fast that they get away | | | | baseman. Before the first baseman had the ball, |
| with it. The runner often gets to the base | | | | he blocked the base with his knee and the runner |
| beforehand but has no access to the base. | | | | was safe but it was a very close play. Much |
| First basemen are very good at blocking the base | | | | closer than it should have been. But, the base |
| on a pick-off throw from either their pitcher or | | | | runner was blocked by the first baseman's knee |
| their catcher, before they actually receive the | | | | and had a difficult time getting to the base. The |
| throw. What the first basemen will do is to get | | | | coach simply yelled to his runner, "If he's going to |
| their knee down to block the base an instant | | | | block the base, go back feet first." The coach is |
| before they catch the ball and then bring their tag | | | | 100% right. I'm hopeful that the coach did not |
| down. They get away with it because the knee | | | | want his runner to injure the first baseman but |
| blocks the base at the very last split second | | | | simply wanted to forewarn the first baseman |
| before they receive the ball. Most are so good at | | | | that he should abide by the baseball rules of the |
| it that it has to be viewed in slow motion to be | | | | game. |