Girardi seeks clarification on rule from Torre

TORONTO -- Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that he called his predecessor, Joe Torre, after Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Blue Jays to seek clarification regarding an umpire-reviewed play at home plate.

Torre, now Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations, told Girardi that they could discuss the issue more later this week. Girardi disagreed with a third-inning play in which the Yankees' Francisco Cervelli was tagged out by Toronto catcher Josh Thole.

The new Rule 7.13 requires that catchers provide a pathway for baserunners to approach home plate. Girardi believes that because Thole was straddling home plate without the ball, he should have been in violation of the rule and that the Yankees should have been awarded a run.

"I think there's still confusion to the rule," Girardi said. "I think it was a rule that was agreed to and brought upon late, and I don't know if everything has been completely ironed out with it. In my mind, it hasn't, because of what happened yesterday."

The experimental rule, intended to increase player safety by eliminating "egregious" collisions at home plate, was jointly announced by MLB and the Players Association in late February. Girardi would like to see further clarification about exactly what constitutes a catcher blocking home plate.

"I think the spirit of the rule is great, and I think the idea behind the rule is great," Girardi said. "I think it's just going to take some time to get used to."