Collisions at home plate

Yankees’ Mark Teixeira collides with Angels catcher Bobby Wilson at Angel Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Dec. 12, 2013 11:15 AM PT

Major League Baseball plans to eliminate home plate collisions, possibly as soon as next season but no later than by 2015. New York Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson, chairman of the rules committee, made the announcement Wednesday at the winter meetings. Player safety and concern over concussions were major factors in the decision.

Dodgers’ Alex Cora scores on a wild pitch, colliding with Pirates’ catcher Jason Kendall in the seventh inning in a May 2003 game. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Angels’ Peter Bourjos, left, collides with Kansas City Royals catcher Brayan Pena as Bourjos scores on an Eric Aybar triple in the eighth inning of a game at Angel Stadium. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Philadelphia Phillies baserunner Chase Utley crashes into Dodgers catcher Russell Martin, knocking the ball away in the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium on June 4, 2006. Utley was safe on a hit by Ryan Howard. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Dodgers catcher Danny Ardoin collides with the Colorado Rockies’ Ian Stewart after making the tag at home to end the second inning of an August 2008 game at Dodger Stadium. (Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times)

Florida Marlins’ Scott Cousins, top, collides with San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey as Cousins tried to score on a fly ball hit by the Marlins’ Emilio Bonifacio during the 12th inning of a May 2011 game at San Francisco. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

Dodgers’ Delwyn Young, left, is out at home plate as he collides with Colorado Rockies catcher JD Closser during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Denver. (Jack Dempsey / Associated Press)

Oakland Athletics’ Dan Johnson, left, collides with Seattle Mariners’ Kenji Johjima at home plate but was out on the play as Johjima held onto the ball in the ninth inning at Safeco Field in Seattle in September 2006. (Kevin P. Casey / Associated Press)

Brewers center fielder Scott Podsednik collides at home plate with Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Jason Kendall in the first inning on July 7, 2003, in Milwaukee. Podsednik left the game after getting cut under his right eye during the collision. (Mary Jo Walicki / Associated Press)

Angels’ Jeff Mathis, right, is out at the plate as he collides with Kansas City Royals catcher Matt Treanor, who tried to score on a hit by Peter Bourjos during the eighth inning of March 2011 game. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)