Major League Baseball has finally joined the rest of the baseball world in agreeing that runners shouldn’t have the right to plow over catchers, well at least sort of.

MLB adopted a new rule Monday but instead of banning collisions outright (like the rule is in every other level of baseball from tee ball all the way through college), they decided to limit them. “We would prefer you not do it, and if you do, we will call you out, but only if it meets certain criteria. Otherwise, it will still be OK. Just try not to make it too blatant. We would hate for folks to start writing bad things about us on Twitter.”

The new rule prevents the catcher from blocking home plate if he does not have the ball. This will bring MLB in line with every other level of the sport. The new legislation, officially known as Rule 7.13, will prevent the runner from deviating from his path to the plate to initiate contact.

The debate over collisions at the plate has been around for years, but the recent talks go back to May 2011 when Florida Marlin Scott Cousins lowered the boom on San Francisco catcher Buster Posey, leaving him with a broken leg and three torn ligaments in his ankle. In that play, Posey was standing in front of the plate, waiting for the throw. Instead of heading toward the open plate, Cousins lowered his shoulder, made a left turn and ran over Posey, who dropped the ball. Under the new rule, Cousins would have been ruled out and probably faced a fine and/or suspension.

But the new rule will not ban collisions outright. The one-year test run of the rule will still allow for collisions if the catcher has the ball and is blocking the plate, or if the catcher has to cross into the basepath to field the throw to the plate.

“It’s good, I think it takes away the malicious intent behind the play at the plate,” Texas Rangers catcher J.P. Arencibia told ABC news. “Obviously the runner doesn’t always have to slide, and the catcher still has the ability to block the plate once he has the ball in hand.”

And the wording of comments to help interpret the rule makes it clear the runner cannot initiate contact. If the runner doesn’t make an effort to touch the plate, or lowers a shoulder or pushes off with his arms, he can be called out, whether the catcher hangs on to the ball or not. Likewise, if a catcher blocks the plate without the ball, the runner will be safe, even if he never touches the plate. If the catcher has to cross the basepath to field a throw, any incidental contact will be allowed.

Adding another wrinkle to the rule will be the other rule adopted this week, instant reply. The umpire crew chief will be able to go to the video to see if the runner deviated or the catcher blocked the basepath without the ball.

The driving force behind the rule change is to make the game safer for the players. In particular, professional sports have all been taking a more serious look at concussions. This is one way to eliminate the biggest cause of concussions in MLB.

I know you are all asking yourselves, “What does Pete Rose think about this?” Back during the 1970 All Star Game, Charlie Hustle bowled over catcher Ray Fosse, sparking a good bit of conversation.

“First of all, if they can eliminate concussions, I’m all for that,” Rose said to Hal McCoy of the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News. “But I’ve thought and thought about it. The only concussions I can remember recently in baseball is Justin Morneau, and he got that sliding into second base. I know this is mostly about Buster Posey, but he got hurt when he got his ankle caught and twisted it.”

William Moore is the Senior Editor at Gulf Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at wmoore@gulfcoastnewspapers.com