MLB NEWS

Baseball bans rolling slides

The Sports Xchange

February 25, 2016 at 1:44 pm.

Oct 10, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada (11) collides with Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley (26) at second base during the seventh inning in game two of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 10, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada (11) collides with Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley (26) at second base during the seventh inning in game two of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Rolling slides to break up double plays will not be permitted starting with the 2016 season according to new regulations adopted Thursday by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players’ Association.

The World Umpires Association also approved the banishment of so-called block slides after New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada suffered a broken leg on a takeout at second base in last year’s playoffs by Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Chase Utley.

MLB and the players’ union also signed off on two additions to the pace of play initiative designed to help speed up the game.

According to the new sliding rules, a runner is required to make a bona fide attempt or an umpire can call the runner and the batter out.

“A runner will be specifically prohibited from changing his pathway to the base or utilizing a “roll block” for the purpose of initiating contact with the fielder,” the new rule states. “Potential violations of Rule 6.01(j) will be reviewable using instant replay. Also reviewable will be “neighborhood play” calls, which previously were exempted from replay review.”

A bona-fide slide occurs when “a runner begins his slide (or makes contact with the ground) before reaching the base, is able and attempts to reach the base with his hand or foot, is able and attempts to remain on the base (except home plate) after completion of the slide and slides within reach of the base without changing his pathway for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder.

“A slide shall not be a “bona fide slide” if a runner engages in a “roll block,” or intentionally initiates (or attempts to initiate) contact with the fielder by elevating and kicking his leg above the fielder’s knee or throwing his arm or his upper body.”

The pace of play program is being expanded from last year to include timed 30-second visits to the mound by managers and coaches and a reduction by 20 seconds of broadcast breaks between innings, which will now be 2:05 for locally televised games and 2:25 for national telecasts.

MLB said last year’s pace of game directives, which included the batter’s box rule and decreased break time between innings and pitching changes, resulted in the average length of games falling from 3:02:21 to 2:56:14.

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