Major League Baseball has made the decision to ban home plate collisions. This rule, which will no longer allow base runners to go head-first on a play at home, could be implemented as early as the 2014 baseball season.

According to Sports Illustrated's SI.com, the reason for the new rule is player safety. The National Football League has taken extreme measures with their rule changes in order to curb the number of concussions sustained in the NFL, and this change is MLB's response to a recent study on head injuries specifically concussions. The new rule would force base runners to slide feet first into home plate, and will no longer allow catchers to block the plate.

Cubs' Dioner Navarro is looked over by the Cardinals' Yadier Molina after a home plate collision
Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images
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The rule still has to be voted on by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), but even if the players vote against it, Major League Baseball will only be forced to delay the addition of the rule until 2015. So it's going to happen, and it's only a matter of time before it happens.

I love baseball, and I won't love it any less as a result of this rule change. Some of my friends have already voiced their complaints, but I'd rather see the best players in baseball play an entire season, healthy. And I will appreciate a long, amazing career over a 2-second dramatic collision at home plate.

In my opinion, if you're a baseball fan, a play at home plate is plenty dramatic without a head-on collision. I don't believe anything is being done with the "no collision rule" that compromises the integrity of the game. As much as I hate to agree with anything that has to do with MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, this is a good rule to pass. I hope the MLBPA votes to include it in the coming season.

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