MLB Comes Out of Stone Age With New Sliding Rule
By Ken Reed
It’s 2016, and MLB finally decided it wasn’t wise to allow baserunners coming into second base to slide away from the bag and directly at the shortstop or second baseman — often with spikes up or shoulder lowered — for the clear purpose of wiping out the infielder with the ball on a double play attempt. That play is highly dangerous and has resulted in a lot of serious injuries through the years.
A few years ago, MLB decided to protect catchers by no longer allowing runners to barrel into defenseless catchers at home plate. This sliding rule at second base was the logical next step.
Also, as part of the new rule, infielders will no longer be able to employ the “neighborhood” play, i.e., simply coming close to second base without touching the bag on the front end of double play attempts.
Colorado Rockies manager, Walt Weiss, a former shortstop, is a proponent of the new sliding rule.
“I love the fact that we protect players,” said Weiss.
“I’m all for it. We made some changes to protect catchers in recent years. I’m glad to see we’ll protect the middle infielders too.”
The issue of safety at second base came to the forefront in last year’s playoffs when the New York Mets’ Ruben Tejada suffered a broken leg when the Dodgers’ Chase Utley targeted Tejada.
— Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
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Episode #29 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The Honorable Tom McMillen Visits League of Fans’ Sports Forum – McMillen is a former All-American basketball player, Olympian, Rhodes Scholar and U.S. Congressman. We discuss the state of college athletics today.
Episode #28 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: A Chat With Mano Watsa, a Leading Basketball and Life Educator – Watsa is President of PGC Basketball, the largest education basketball camp in the world. We discuss problems in youth sports today.
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"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- Reed Appears on Ralph Nader Radio Hour League of Fans’ sports policy director, Ken Reed, Ralph Nader and the New York Times’ Tyler Kepner discussed a variety of sports issues on Nader’s radio show as well as Reed’s updated book, How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan. Reed's book was released in paperback in February, and has a new introduction and several updated sections.
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Vanderbilt Sport & Society - On The Ball with Andrew Maraniss with guest Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director for League of Fans and author of How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
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