Scott Cousins hit on Posey: Clean or Dirty?

Pause the video in the moment before contact. Posey is facing Cousins with his glove out in front to his left. IF he had caught the ball and Cousins had slid Cousins was out. According to the rules a hard game winning takeout.

Now maybe MLB wants to outlaw players launching themselves like Cousins did. More often you see a collision, that was more like a football play.

 

Watch the video. It was a violent hit for no real purpose

I too was a catcher years ago and took my shots. I will not give an opinion on the runner's motives or intent. But the video clearly shows that the catcher in no way had the plate blocked. The only thing near the plate was the catcher's left foot as he was leaning forward to catch the throw from the right fielder.

The runner, instead of sliding to the back side of the plate - where he could have touched it with a hand or some other part of his body - deliberately leaned to his left and smashed into the catcher in a very violent and unnecessary hit.

Regardless of his actual intent that was as harsh shot that was not necessary. It really was nothing more than a football block.

 

Totally agree.

 

Meant to say I totally agree with Mike Martin.

 

This is just another example of why MLB should test for HGH and steroids every week. That kid, Cousins would have been banned and this never would have happened.

 

That's baseball

If Posey caught the ball he was out. He didn't catch it because Cousins was barrelling down on him and it was a tough hop. If he wasn't blocking the plate, he was when he turned to make the tag.

That is hard nosed baseball. As a catcher, you know that is going to happen.

I guess the question is.....Do I run over the catcher and try win the game? or Do I try to slide around him and have no chance?

Why do you play the game?.....To win!!! He wasn't trying to hurt him, he was trying to win the game.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with that play, unfortunately Posey got hurt. This is coming from a catcher who has been run over more times than a speed bump.

 

Did you watch the video?
To me and the rest of the world it appears as if he was not blocking the plate, that he was actually on the inside.

You can also see that Cousins had a clear path to the plate

You can also see that Cousins actually made a quick shift to the left to intentionally knock the crap out of him.

Dirty plain and simple. yes legal. yes they won. yes hard nose. yes happens more than it should. yes........but still dirty

 

Yes, but if he slid and if Posey had not missed the ball (which Cousins couldn't possibly know) Cousins would have been out. Posey was facing him with his glove ready to make a tag. To win the game Cousins had to jar the ball loose from Posey. So unless they change the major league rule then it's the correct play.

 

Agree 100%......but still dirty

 

I agree w/ what you're saying. (& MCreek, too).According to most everybody, it's a legal hit. My problem w/ the play is that Cousins wasn't going towards the plate. He zeroed in on Posey instead. And Posey was in front of the plate, not blocking it.