Don't block the plate..

[FUSE]

Bruce Bochy has come out and told Buster Posey not to block the plate.

Honestly I think its stupid, as a catcher your paid to block and stop guys from scoring. In essence, he is telling Posey, let them score because I think your took much of a pussy to take a hit. If you don't want him to get hit blocking the plate then have him change his position.

How do you guys feel about this?

 

[EmpireWF]

Since he's their best position player, I'd tell him to not risk his body also if they plan to keep him at catcher.

Without him, they're not a playoff team.

 

[Chrispy]

Yeah, when ur one of the teams better players and a key to their offense u don't take the chance.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I cant belive I just read the two responses above me, just as I cant believe a major league manager would tell a player to not give 100% to every play.

Look, if Bochy doesnt want Posey getting hurt, he should move him to LF. You play the game as hard as you can, and if you get hurt, so be it. You cant play and try to avoid injury, all at the same time. Either play hard or get off the field.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I like Bochy, I think he's a good manager, but I think he's off base here and sending a terrible messege to his team.

"Buster, stay out of harms way. But fuck you Whiteside, I dont give a single fuck about you!"

Stupid.

 

[FedEx227]

You guys know how I stand on old baseball-y, grind, effort, etc. but I think what Bochy is saying is absolute crap.

That's a function of the position. It's something that comes up quite often as a catcher and if you have to play catcher that's a responsibility.

It's akin to telling your star 2B to not pivot on a potential double play for the risk of getting your legs cut out from under you.

Beyond silly.

 

[FirstTimer]

I want to make it clear: I wasn’t blocking the plate to begin with,” Posey said, echoing an argument that Giants fans (and the videotape) have made since May. “That’s the dicey part, I guess, figuring where you’ve got to be to avoid that. But I have to be instinctual. That’s how I play the game. I try to play off instincts. Some of those instincts come from preparation. That’s where we’re going to put in a lot of work this spring.”

Posey also is slated to work at first base during spring training and the regular season. In fact, it won’t be a surprise if Posey is playing half his games (or more) at first base within a few years. Bochy volunteered (not so subtly) that the organization has the best catching depth he’s “ever seen,” making special mention of prospects Hector Sanchez, Tommy Joseph and Andrew Susac.

 

[EmpireWF]

So move that fucker to first base or the outfield and move on. He hasn't even earned his big payday yet so it's not like the Twins and Mauer, a player who may be shot (having a HUGE BLOATED contract out of position).

Why aren't they moving him?

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Yeah, thats the other thing, you are asking a player to go against baseball instincts that have been drilled into his head since he was probably five years old.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

So move that fucker to first base or the outfield and move on. He hasn't even earned his big payday yet so it's not like the Twins and Mauer, a player who may be shot (having a HUGE BLOATED contract out of position).

Why aren't they moving him?

I think they are still paying Aubrey Huff a lot of money, plus Brandon Belt is in the mix.

How about Posey just go out and play C and not worry about freak injuries? If it were Miguel Olivo or Brian Schneider who had gotten hurt, we arent even talking about this. How often does this even happen?

Whats next, Posey jams a finger blocking the plate, and Bochy instructs him to stop doing that, too?

 

[EmpireWF]

Cmon Warner, you can't seriously compare concern for the health of the best player on your team with that of a back-up.

 

[NAHSTE]

Agree with the comments here, don't agree with it and it's an overreaction to an isolated incident.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Cmon Warner, you can't seriously compare concern for the health of the best player on your team with that of a back-up.

In terms of how a manager should instruct his players to play the game? Absolutely I can.

 

[Villain]

Joe Torre got taken out blocking the plate and was moved to third base. When the Cardinals came into town to play the Dodgers, the team had a meeting about the upcoming homestand and in the scouting report was a mention that the Cardinals were starting a chicken catcher, Torre.

Tommy Lasorda chimed in and said he'd like to order two.

 

As told by Vin Scully when Joe Torre came to manage the Dodgers.

 

[Senser81]

Bochy is right. Posey is their best player and they can't risk him getting hurt. Posey has also been instructed to move out of the way of pitches when there are no runners on base, because he might get hurt if a ball were to hit off his arm/wrist. When he's at bat, Posey will only run the bases if he hits a home run, because he might pull a hamstring trying to beat out a grounder or something. Bochy also said that he is going to rest Posey every other game, which should also cut down on the possibility of injury.

 

[Senser81]

This reminds me of one of my old co-ed softball teams, where we had a girl who was terrible so we put her at catcher to minimize the damage. She was scared of the ball, so whenever there was a play at the plate, she'd be running away from home plate if the ball was being thrown home. I figure Posey will be doing the same thing.

 

[Mogriffjr]

it just seems when u try to avoid injury you actually are more prone to injury.

They probably would move Posey if Belt wasn't at 1B...

 

[NAHSTE]

it just seems when u try to avoid injury you actually are more prone to injury.

They probably would move Posey if Belt wasn't at 1B...

But that still doesn't make any sense. Posey is a great defensive catcher and he can hit enough to be an elite two way catcher ... move him to 1B and even if he's a solid defender he has to be 15% better as a hitter to even be top 10 overall at the position. Tough thing to slash a young player's value like that.

I would say just hope it doesn't happen again. Freak injuries happen sometimes and you can't let it dictate how you play. This would be like Bill Belichick telling Tom Brady he can't stand in the pocket anymore.