I'm old, but not old school when it comes to contact in baseball. I don't care in the least about excuses like "That's part of the game" or "That's the way it's always been" or "Just playing hard to break up a potential double play". Intentional contact simply does not need to be a part of baseball and it can be eliminated if and when they want to eliminate it. To begin with a slide that does not directly target the base should be treated as running out of the baseline and the runner is out -- there should have been nothing to review last night in the Royals game when Lawrie targeted Escobar. He did not proceed directly to the base. He's out. End of discussion.
Now the bigger issue is targeting a player with contact. How is what he did any different than throwing a punch with his fist? Actually I'm sure the Royals and Escobar would rather he had taken a punch in the face. At least he would probably have been able to continue to play. Target a player in a slide and you're out of the game. End of discussion. Treat it like throwing a punch. Repeat the violation and we are moving into suspension discussion.
Throwing at a batter is the same problem. In my opinion it is the most cowardly thing a pitcher can do. The only reason is "Because he can.". Keep increasing the penalty until it stops and quit excusing it as "part of the game".
Now the bigger issue is targeting a player with contact. How is what he did any different than throwing a punch with his fist? Actually I'm sure the Royals and Escobar would rather he had taken a punch in the face. At least he would probably have been able to continue to play. Target a player in a slide and you're out of the game. End of discussion. Treat it like throwing a punch. Repeat the violation and we are moving into suspension discussion.
Throwing at a batter is the same problem. In my opinion it is the most cowardly thing a pitcher can do. The only reason is "Because he can.". Keep increasing the penalty until it stops and quit excusing it as "part of the game".
