NY catchers: New rule same as old unwritten rule

New York Yankees catcher Brian McCann works out at Steinbrenner Field on the morning of February 17, 2014. Photo Credit: Getty Images / Craig Barritt

Although Major League Baseball announced its new rule regarding home plate collisions on Monday, newly acquired Yankees catcher Brian McCann and Mets backstop Anthony Recker said the change really amounts to making an unwritten rule official.

“It’s kind of the same rule we’ve always had,” McCann told reporters yesterday. “If you don’t have the ball, you can’t be in front of the plate. I don’t know if it’s going to change a whole lot.”

While McCann seemed unsure about whether the new rule would be effective, he said that it was “a step in the right direction.”

Recker had a more positive outlook on the change, however.

“It’s kind of like the unwritten rule has become the written rule — don’t block the plate without the ball and don’t try to run me over unless I’m ready, I guess,” Recker told ESPN. “It seems like it’s a pretty fair rule. I like where it’s at right now.”

The Mets banned catcher Travis d’Arnaud from engaging in home plate collisions last season and intend on imposing an organization-wide rule this season, according to MLB.com. This mandate, along with the new rule that was announced on Monday, is an attempt at ensuring player safety.