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