On Thursday, Major League Baseball announced new rule changes for 2016 designed to speed up the game and, like the 2014 rule to protect catchers, address takeout slides to break up double plays. Since protections are now in place, there will be more scrutiny on the “neighborhood pay” that middle infielders have been getting away with for years.
The slide rule is meant to protect infielders while still allowing for aggressive base running in breaking up double plays. The base runner is still allowed to make contact with the middle infielder turning the play, but he can do so legally if the following listed conditions are satisfied:
- The runner begins his slide before reaching the base.