Let’s keep rule change off our plate, please

Posey is a fine hitter who could help his team as a first baseman or third baseman. But his value is in handling a pitching staff, bringing toughness to the position, and exuding leadership, simply because he is a catcher — much like a quarterback in football.

“These guys who catch are animals,’’ said a National League talent evaluator. “People are going to get hurt, but unless the guy is heading into his 30s or shows signs he can’t catch anymore, you have to keep these guys behind the plate. That’s where they’re the most valuable.’’

The Posey injury has already brought outcries for rule changes to protect the catcher. It is understandable when they come from his manager, Bruce Bochy, and his agent, Jeff Berry.

But do we really want to change the way the game is played?

Do we want to ban home-plate collisions because a catcher was hurt? No headfirst slides? No launching your body to dislodge the ball?

In other words, do what the NFL does and legislate where the quarterback can be or can’t be hit? Those rule changes have become a joke in football.

There’s no way baseball can do this. “It’s part of baseball,’’ said Bochy, a former catcher. “I understand that guys run into catchers.

“I do think we need to consider changing the rules here a little bit because catchers are so vulnerable. Here’s a guy who’s popular in baseball. Fans want to see him play and know he’s out for a while.

“So I’d like to see something considered where we can protect these guys a little. They just don’t have that protection to take a guy coming in full speed with that kind of force.’’

Bochy is correct about catchers taking the full brunt, but they also block the plate when runners are coming in hard to the point where the runner can seriously hurt himself as well. Should we ban catchers from doing that?

The argument has been made that at no other base does the runner launch his body at the fielder without trying to slide into the base first. Not true. When runners are trying to break up double plays, are they always near the base?

Baseball is perhaps the least violent of the major sports.