The massive hit and collision Scott Cousins of the Florida Marlins put on San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, causing a severe injury, was totally unnecessary and ridiculous.
Posey wasn’t even blocking the plate!
He went out of his way to the left of the base path, lowered his head and shoulder, and laid into him like a Polamalu hit. To disagree with that statement is ludicrous. He made no attempt to go for home plate and dislodge the ball at the same time. If Posey was fully blocking the bag then YES he has the right to the base path, but Buster was nowhere near it.
Scott Cousins had no right to launch himself into the body of Buster Posey in this situation. He had a clear line to the bag, even on a direct slide, and come in high with his forearms and shoulders into the arm and glove of Posey in an attempt to knock the ball loose.
And don’t give me the crap about the last second, split decision. He made the decision to go OUT OF HIS WAY and deck Buster. That was the CLEAR decision he made.
Of course, this does not warrant any need for a rule change nor need for more protection of the catchers. Though I truly think a rule should be in place that they should NOT be allowed to block the plate and base path as the runner has just as much right to that position.
But to say what Cousins did was a legal play is asinine! He NEVER made an attempt to go for the plate. A similar comparison would be the in the NFL when a defensive back HAS to make a play on the ball when it is in the air. He can not just lay out the receiver for no reason.
That is exactly what happened when Posey got nailed on that play.
Now, on the other hand, I do not agree with Giants GM Brian Sabean, after he expressed his extreme anger over this to the media and wanting to exact retribution. Payback happens in ALL sports, but you will never hear about it from coaches, managers nor front office personnel in an interview. He should have kept his mouth shut and expressed his feeling insides the clubhouse alone.
When Scott Cousins submarined Buster like James Harrison for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he should have been fined and suspended. I would like to see someone make a play like that on a first or third baseman and see what happens.
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