Not unexpected - http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/mlb-already-backing-off-new-slide-rule/

 

Ya, I read that too. Unreal.

I hope that's not the new trend -- if they start allowing slides to the side and past the base again, it will encourage runners to keep doing them and hope that the umpires don't rule against them under the new additional subjective criteria (did the runner impede the fielder).

 

I thought the rule was actually pretty darn clear when they started the season, but allowing something like that Gose slide really mucks it up.

 

Ya, I read that too. Unreal.

It looks like another example of umpires having different interpretations of the rules.  

 

That Machado slide looked really bad though.

Yeah, this looks more like they need to get on umpires about so much interpretation going on.  The rule is pretty clear as spycake said, if they just enforced what is written there won't be an issue.

 

I expect this just means there will need to be some clarification and better interpretation is all.

My guess is that this will be stay an in the eye of the beholder thing, like interference running down the first base line or even balls and strikes.  It'll go toward super strict (like we saw in April) and then a loosing of the rules again (now) and continue to teeter-tooter.  My guess is that the players are probably ok with a not quite stringent view as we saw in April but want to avoid the Utley slides.  

They just need to adopt the same rule that amatuers play with and move on.  It works brilliantly there and no one is complaining that the heart and soul of baseball is being gutted.