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Felger & Mazz: MLB Banning Home-Plate Collisions?

BOSTON (CBS) - Expanding instant replay won't be the only rule change coming to Major League Baseball in 2014. Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Joe Torre is adamant about eliminating, or lessening the damage of collisions at home-plate.

This doesn't make any sense to Mike Felger and Tony Massarotti. That is, making a rule change for a play that results in injury hardly ever.

"I think it's asinine," railed Felger. "I don't even think there's that many home-plate collisions to begin with. How many guys really go barreling in nowadays? It feels to me like any play at the plate can be dangerous."

Felger then cited some examples, including one that hits close to home.

"Stephen Drew had the most gruesome injury we've ever seen when he was with Arizona sliding into homeplate - he wasn't barreling into the catcher. Jason Varitek broke his arm and missed half the season by diving for a pop up in the on-deck circle. It's a dangerous position, you're going to get banged up and most of those injuries don't come from collisions."

Marc Bertrand chimed in and thinks it won't change the game all that much, saying, "I don't have a problem with it."

With all the literature out there about collisions and concussions in sports, the MLB is trying to protect its players and rightfully so.

However, Tony feels like it's not the play but rather the players, and one guy in particular who was likely the impetus for this proposed rule change.

"My problem with this is if it wasn't [Buster] Posey nobody would have ever said anything...If you get run over that comes with the territory. It was not a dirty play," said Mazz.

"At some point it reaches the level of ridiculousness. What are you trying to protect the guy for? Some plays are contact plays. He's got equipment on! There's risk for the runner too, which is why a lot of runners don't do it."

A written proposal by the MLB will be unveiled at the general manager winter meetings from December 9-12. A change for 2014 would require the approval of the players' association.

Listen to the discussion below:

MLB Banning Home-Plate Collisions?

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