Bonertron Successfully Executes Sac Fly Program, Scores Sean Taylor in the 12th

[Beef]

You leave players way too vulnerable. I can tell you Major League Baseball is less than it was before [Posey's injury]. It's stupid. I don't know if this ends up leading to a rule change, but it should. The guy [at the plate] is too exposed.

This is all I know of what he said.
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At [the] point of impact, all of Buster's body is still two feet in front of the plate leaving all of the plate exposed for the runner

Said that too

[Nick]

He went into more detail about how Cousin's hit was malicious. I think that's what LoMo was referring to.

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Ok. Thanks guys.

[Mainge]

No matter what Scott Cousins does, he can't avoid it.

"It's everywhere I go," the 26-year-old Florida Marlins outfielder said via cell phone Thursday morning. He is a lifelong Giants fan who played for USF and had family in town for the series.

"It's all over the TVs. There was a 'Sports Science' on it as soon as I walked into the clubhouse," Cousins said. "It's in the newspapers. They're talking about it on the radio. No matter where I look, there it is.

"I'm trying to look the other way. Seeing it, makes my stomach turn."

The "it" was a clean, hard-nosed play at the plate that allowed Cousins to score the go-ahead run in the Marlins' 7-6 victory over the Giants on Thursday night. And, the "it" was a gruesome collision that will sideline the Giants' offensive heartbeat and the leader of baseball's best starting rotation.

Buster Posey took a short-hopped Nate Schierholtz throw from right-center field in the top of the 12th inning, and tried to block the play with his left leg while swiping a tag on Cousins, who was speeding home from the third base on the sacrifice fly. Cousins lowered his shoulder and barreled through Posey, who never caught the ball cleanly.

"I understand it was a clean play and that it was the play that needed to be made at that time, but I didn't want anyone to get hurt," Cousins said. "I'm not an advocate of changing anything in baseball. This game has been around since the 1800s. It's always been part of the game. There are definitely risks of being a catcher. That's one of the ugliest plays in baseball.

"If I saw a clean lane to slide, that's the play I'm making. I have speed and like to believe I'm going to beat the ball. But there was no chance on that play. It was a game-changing play in extra innings, and I had to play as hard as I could."

Cousins crawled over to check on Posey immediately after scoring. He was chased away from the catcher by angry Giants manager Bruce Bochy.

"I knew I hit him really hard," said Cousins, who is dealing with a stiff neck and a jammed shoulder himself. "I didn't know his foot was caught underneath. I committed to it. I went in there hard. My instinct was just to check and make sure everyone was OK. I wanted to be a good sportsman about it. It is part of the game, but it's a hard-nosed part of the game. You can't change it, but you certainly don't want anyone to get hurt. I wanted to knock the ball clean out of his glove, but I certainly didn't want him to get hurt."

Those thoughts continued to spin through Cousins' head throughout the night. He twice called the Giants' trainers to check on Posey's condition and leave messages of encouragement.

"He's an amazing player, a great guy and a leader of that team," Cousins said. "I know they're going to need his presence around. It's just so unfortunate that it had to go this way.

"I love the way he plays the game. I think he's got the best right-handed swing in the game. He's a tremendous hitter and a tremendous leader in the ways that he handles their staff."

Cousins should know. Having grown up in Reno and having played at USF, Cousins is a Giants fan and closely followed their 2010 World Series run.

"Outside of the Marlins, the Giants are my team," Cousins said. "I'm a Marlins' fan because I'm on the Marlins, but the Giants were my team when I was growing up. I followed them all through my childhood and college. They were the team I wanted to play for."

This week was supposed to be like a homecoming for Cousins. His family drove from Reno, and along with USF coach Nino Giarratano, attended Tuesday's game in the bullpen box seats. The expected celebration has turned into something else altogether.

"All last night, I had a lot of anxiety and was pretty shaken up about it," Cousins said. "Having my family here has helped, but I can't get over feeling really bad about the outcome. I feel really bad about the outcome, not necessarily the play, but the outcome."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...SP6J1JLDD9.DTL

[Chewford]

I like how Cousins is handling it. I can't imagine the guilt of accidentally causing a player's season to end.

I hope Posey's agent is acting alone. Otherwise, Posey's kind of a dick.

[Mainge]

He's sustained a serious injury and has a long recovery process ahead of him. I'm sure he hates Cousins guts right now.

Maybe he wont in a few weeks, months, whatever but it's still fresh.

[Chewford]

If he's having his agent publicly whining and calling for a rule change for him, then I've lost a lot of respect for the guy.

[Ramp]

There isn't a chance in hell that Posey is making his agent talk.

This is what agents do.

[Chewford]

That's what I figure/hoping is the case.

[jOOj]

What rule change are you going to make anyway? Catchers block the plate, it just so happened his foot was in a bad position for the spin move he would have had to do if he had caught the ball.