The Transfer Rule

As the new year for Major League Baseball, there was debate about the two big rule changes for the 2014 season. Instant replay and catcher collisions were the topics that all the news outlets for the up and coming season. In the first two weeks these two new rules have been some major talking points, but a third rule change that flew under the radar is having just as big of an effect on the game as the first two.

The MLB instilled a new transfer rule that has changed the outcome of games multiple times already. When a player makes a catch, if he doesn't grab the ball with his throwing hand cleanly, the hitter/runner is now safe as a result of the incomplete transfer.

The problem is in many of these occurrences is that the fielder has made a clear catch and even taken a few steps and then bobbled the ball, only to lose the out. When right fielder Elliot Johnson of the Cleveland Indians caught a ball, took three full steps, crashed in the wall, took one more step, and then bobbled the ball, the umpires ruled the hitter safe. After the game Terry Francona, the manager for the Indians was asked by the press about what he thought about the play. He joked that if anything, he would have thought the umpires would have called traveling if anything.

In another incident, the Texas Rangers JP Arencibia took a throw at home plate as part of a force play. He stepped off the plate to throw the ball to first base, but bobbled the ball. Not only did he catch the ball, but he took steps to position himself to throw the ball. After reviewing replay, the umpires rules Dustin Ackley safe because of the transfer rule. Manager Ron Washington came out to argue, but was thrown out before ever getting a chance to argue. After the game, he was quoted as saying, "“We’ve got to do something about it. I understand the rule and I understand their interpretation of it. I just don’t agree with it.”

On another play, Rays manager Joe Maddon was upset on a double play that was ruled safe on all ends because when second baseman Ben Zobrist received the ball and tried to turn two, he bobbled the ball as the runner slid into him. Joe Maddon said, "He was absolutely out,'' Maddon said. "Part of it is that everything is slowed down, there is instant replay, it is slow. You could easily discern that Zo had the ball in his glove with his foot on the bag and the runner is out, period. So as we move this forward there had to be a differentiation between that and the two-handed transfer. … I do believe that has to be revisited.''

This new transfer rule has become a hindrance to the game. If a player has clearly made a catch, the hitter/runner should be out. Simple as that. Several times a day, the transfer rule comes into effect and in some cases, it has changed the outcome of the game.

Unfortunately MLB only changes rules once a year at the Winter Meetings. In this case, it would be advisable that they hold an emergency meeting as soon as possible to change the rule back to it's previous interpretation. If this bleeds into the playoffs and the World Series, we could see a massively important game of the season, hurt by a new rule that is clearly wrong.

The biggest reason to change this rule is that a fan should be able to watch a play and even if they don't like a rule or the call, understand why the umpire has ruled in a certain way. In a couple of cases, one involving the injury of a player, a player did drop the ball, but the hitter was still ruled out. Joe Maddon, the Rays manager affected by this call asked for a clear cut answer from the umpire why this play was ruled out. The umpire cited the injury and could tell him where the actual line is between catch and transfer. If the umpire doesn't know exactly how to interpret the rule, how is a fan in the stands or watching TV supposed to know (this can also be said for the catcher collision rule too)?

MLB....please change the rule back so fans don't have to pull out their hair over this stupid, new rule.