WALLS CLOSING IN ON CHEATING ASTROS

That little Jose Altuve dude isn't as adorable anymore these days, is he? That's because he's a cheater.

Looks like everyone is piling on the Astros and for good reason. That's because everyone can see that what they did, and yes, there is no "accusation" here, they did it, is considered actual cheating.  It's not sign stealing. It's sign stealing with a twist.  They need to be punished severely.

Now Fay Vincent is getting into the mix. I love this story so much.

The Pittsburgh Gazette here, and Fay writes this, giving many historic examples.  Guess what? The Astros are a big part of corroding the integrity of the game. They need to be punished severely:

"I do not know the full story of the Astros' alleged sign-stealing or what the defense to the allegations might be. Thus, I begin with that disclaimer. But one thing I do know is that sometimes the lessons of baseball mean drawing solid distinctions. cheating casts a shadow over one of the most famous moments in all of sports. 

In the 1951 National League playoff game between the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers, according to a 2001 Wall Street Journal article in which several Giants players finally came clean, the Giants used a telescope perched in their center-field clubhouse at the Polo Grounds to steal the opposing catcher's signals. 

"...when physical steps are taken — whether it's a team using a telescope or video camera in center field, or a pitcher using Vaseline (Gaylord Perry) or an emery board (Joe Niekro) to alter the surface of the ball — the sport descends into cheating. "

"When A. Bartlett Giamatti was the National League president — before he became MLB commissioner in 1988 — he confronted the issue of what the punishment should be for scuffing a baseball. Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Kevin Gross in 1987 was caught with sandpaper attached to his glove, presumably for roughing up the ball, which can dramatically alter the way pitches move.
Giamatti seized the case to make a serious point. Mr. Gross received a 10-day suspension..."

'Cheating has always been considered destructive of the essence of a contest designed to declare a winner,' he wrote. 'Cheating corrodes the integrity of any game.'"

Fay is one of the most respected baseball men out there.  If you can't take his word for it, you're delusional.

Manfred isn't in a tough spot here.  This is a slam dunk.  Crush the Astros. Take everything away from them.  No 10 game suspension. No fine. Ban these players for life, fire the coaching staff, remove the Astros front office. It's over.

HERE WE GO. METS LOSE & SALVADOR PEREZ IS CHEATING NOW

I watched last night's World Series, Game 1.  The Mets and the Royals are 2 great teams.  It was a truly great Game 1, with a crushing loss to the Mets in the 14th on a Royals walk-off.  Hey, that's baseball. But here's the good news for Mets fans, and I said this when I went to bed...

"deGrom goes Game 2. It's gonna be a see-saw all Series."

My statement wasn't unusual.  It's pretty accurate seeing what I saw in Game 1.  Plus, deGrom's freaking great, better than that chubby Harvey guy. 

I woke up this morning with Mets beat writers all up in arms because Salvador Perez, the Royals catcher is apparently a cheater now, and I guess when the Mets lose, New York's supposed to get into a tizzy and blame someone.  Just stop... PLEASE!

Last night Salvador Perez "appeared" to have something on his shin guard.  It could have been dirt, which, if you look at the picture above, it clearly is. It could have been a foreign substance.  Here's what it wasn't...ILLEGAL. You know what's illegal? When you scuff a baseball in the open like Joe Niekro did back in the day. 

Does anyone remember Gaylord Perry? He doctored better than anyone... AND WE ALL KNEW ABOUT IT. He's also in the Hall of Fame.

You know what's illegal? Having a goop of pine tar the size of a small car on your neck like Michael Pineda did and then act like Jeter put it there.   When pitchers doctor the ball, it's illegal.

You know what isn't? When a catcher is rolling around in the dirt for 9 innings, or in last night's game... 14, and getting filthy and trying to get his pitchers to do their best.  And you know what? Sometimes in the transfer or the game itself, there may be something on the catcher's shinguard. This isn't Watergate ladies and gentlemen.

Zach Braziller of the New York Post, a Mets beat writer and clearly siding with the Mets, writes:

"A mini-controversy appears to be brewing after Fox cameras caught Royals catcher Salvador Perez with some kind of brown substance on his shinguards.

Perez didn’t speak to reporters after the game and manager Ned Yost correctly pointed out that there is nothing wrong with the catcher — or any position player — having the substance, believed to be pine tar, there.

'It’s not illegal,' Yost said. 'I don’t know what it was. It was brown. It’s not illegal for a catcher to have it on his shinguard. It’s illegal for a pitcher.'”

Ned Yost ladies and gentlemen, a former catcher himself. Trust me, he knows a few things about catching and he is definitely not a bullshit artist. He tells it to you straight.

Let me be crystal clear on this; The New York Mets were in that game hard all night last night.  They were, and ARE fighters, but so are the Royals, and the Royals won. That's it.  There is NO controversy. There's no nothing except for the Mets being in a 0-1 hole, and trust me... this World Series might be the most action packed ever. It will go back and forth. The Mets are still in it.

Everyone in New York that's a Mets fan needs to freaking relax.  Trust your team. Stop looking to blame someone.  The Mets are good... so are the Royals.

 Here's a bigger question... anyone concerned about where that small portion of Perez's thumb went? It's alarming to me.


 

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THE "GETAWAY DAY" YOU'LL NEVER FORGET

If you know anything about Bleeding Yankee Blue, you know that we started because I was yelling at the TV after a Yankee loss, and over the past 3 years, we've developed into something much bigger than that. Sure, we are Yankee fans here, but we are much more. We are baseball fans.  We are family and we love to interact with all of you on any given day to talk about everything from the New York Yankees, to family events to just plain life.  We are here to serve these days and we appreciate all of you checking in with us.  We are blessed. I will continue to Thank you.

I want to share with you a very good book. I was taken by this book about baseball and life.  It's called Getaway Day and it's written by Ken White.   It's a story about a 13 year old named Mikey Wright. His father has cancer and it's right then that he begins his true journey trying to save his father's life and along the way, learning about his own. Mikey has to learn about selflessness and the power of believing.   It's a truly wonderful story and I don't want to give too much away. I will tell you that you need to read it because it's a story that many families will feel are about them at one point or another.  It's touching, it sweet and it's the best book I've read this year.

I now introduce to you my interview with Ken White. Enjoy this... I did:
 
BYB: Ken, I write a lot about father, son relationships at Bleeding Yankee Blue and your story resonated with me very much. Tell the audience the importance of family and believing and why it's so important in people's lives.

(In Photo: Ken White and family, 1961)

Ken White: Family is a safety net and a bulwark. The unconditional love and support of parents and siblings gives us the encouragement, confidence, and protection to be who we were meant to be. I feel sorry for anyone who did not experience a nurturing, loving family life. I moved back home from a sabbatical in Hawaii to be close to my family because I missed them and enjoyed being around them. 

(In Photo: Ken White's Parents)
I remained close to my parents until they passed away. And I remain close with my siblings and their children. In his book, Dandelion Wine, author Ray Bradbury described an intact family as the real Happiness Machine. I believe that.

BYB: I say to my kids a lot, "Back in my day, we played ball until dark". My "day" was the 70s and the 80s. Tell the audience about the 60s and kids those days and why has it changed so much between then and now with kids, pickup games and baseball, or, has it?

Ken White: It has changed. Perhaps because there are more options and distractions. In the 60s, we didn’t have cell phones, video games, DVDs, or arcades. Television was still relatively new. There weren’t as many movies made and it was expensive to attend. Plus, our mothers wanted us out of the house. They wanted us to go outside and “get the stink off.” So, we were gone from dawn ‘til dusk. We had a park behind our house and that’s where you would find us. I see very few kids in my neighborhood playing outside, alone or together. It’s baffling and sad. We do have one neighborhood family that is a bit of a “throwback.” From the moment we first met them, we would always see the three boys outside. We knew exactly what sport had ended and what sport had just begun by what sport they were playing. It was encouraging to see that kind of love for the game.

BYB: I loved the Modesto twist in "Getaway Day", with the Yankees and Giants working out there because of the flood out in the Bay area. Very real. Bring us inside your heart and mind putting that portion of the book together, especially with Mikey Wright and his dedication to helping his father's dream come true.

Ken White: I was at the event on October 14, 1962. Every few years, on the anniversary, the Modesto Bee would do a story to remind us. When I began to write, I concentrated on stories about Modesto and the Central Valley. And, having played baseball and always been a fan of the Yankees and Giants, I wanted to write a story about this particular day. All I was lacking was the engine to drive the dramatic and fictional part of the story. I lost my best friend to stomach cancer nearly ten years ago. I realized I could combine those two experiences and write a story that honored baseball, my home town, a seminal year in my life, my family, and my best friend. But, I decided it was the father of my fictional character that would be battling cancer because it then also became a story about fathers and sons.

BYB: Cancer is a terrible disease and you see the maturity in Mikey helping his cancer stricken father. What can you tell everyone reading this that perhaps has had been in a similar situation like Mikey?

(In Photo: Wendell White, left and George Rogers)

Ken White: As I mentioned, my best friend died of cancer. This past January, my younger brother died of pancreatic cancer. So, I have been intimately involved with what cancer can do to a person and those who love them. It can be a very helpless, deadening feeling. And an inspiring one, as you watch these courageous people deal with what has happened to them and what they are facing. I was able to care for my friend during the last year of his life. My brother died too quickly for any of us to do much of anything. For me, the key was – and is – to be available. To remain upbeat and positive. To make them comfortable. To help them laugh. To be supportive. To not be angry. And to be as selfless as possible, which can be very difficult. And that is the life lesson Mikey learns in this book.

BYB: When I coach these days, I consider myself a throwback. No "travel team" mentality although, I like to be competitive with my teams. But, for me, it's about nurturing, teaching and allowing the kids to believe in themselves. Tell the audience about your coach interaction as a kid and if you see a difference today or not.

Ken White: I have had many different types of coaches in my life at several different levels, from Little League to competitive senior softball. And I have coached. Like you, I try to be competitive, but I do not believe in winning at any cost. And I also believe in teaching children about the game, teamwork, respect for themselves and others, as well as winning and losing graciously. I am involved with a local Little League program, so I get out to a few games each summer. And I still see the same spectrum of coaches and parents and players. I wish it were a little less competitive some times. In fact, I attended a “B” League championship game a few nights ago between the program I work with and the program from an elementary school I attended. It’s a very old rivalry between schools representing opposite ends of the economic spectrum. It was an exciting, well-played game. And it was no different than the games played 75 years ago when Little League started. Kids look up to their coaches, just like they look up to their dads. Unfortunately, sometimes, the coach must stand in for an absentee father. I just can’t imagine what that would be like.

BYB: What do you remember most about the 1962 World Series?

Ken White: Willie McCovey’s line drive that Bobby Richardson snagged for the final out. It was probably one of the most exciting finishes of any World Series ever played. And it still amazes me that the Giants’ team which played in that Series never returned to the World Series.

Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, and Gaylord Perry are all in the Hall of Fame.

BYB: Tell the audience the most important thing you personally have taken away from a father and son relationship and how much different is it between and mother and son? Be specific.

(In Photo: Ken, his brother Tom and Father, 1954)
 

Ken White: I would like to quote from my book because I said it as well there as I can now:  “For Baby Boomers who grew up when I did, it was up to the father to teach his son to be a man, to be tough in a cold, hard, unforgiving world. It was up to the mother to dress the wounds when that world kicked your butt. It was up to the father to provide qualified approval. It was up to the mother to provide unconditional love. It was up to the father to run alongside as you tried to ride your bike for the first time and shout encouragement as you did. It was up to the mother to stand on the sideline frightened you’d fall, and wipe away the tears when you did. Fathers took charge. Mothers took care. Between them, with a little help from family and friends, community and society, a baby boy would grow up to be a man – a normal, productive, well-balanced, and committed member of society. In the case of Baby Boomer boys like me, that meant being self-assured, self-absorbed, and self-conscious about changing the world and making things right, and filled with a sense of entitlement and great expectations for our own success.”

This was my experience growing up. It wasn’t something I fabricated to make a good story. I was fortunate to live it every day. And I was blessed to have an opportunity to do something similar with my two step-sons. I am proud of the men they’ve become.

BYB: Personally, what main ball player did you idolize growing up and why?

Ken White: Mickey Mantle. He’s still my favorite. Early in his career, when I was old enough to follow the game seriously, he was the All-American boy. He seemed like a good guy. And he really appeared to enjoy playing baseball. It was easy for him and it looked like a lot of fun. He was fast and played great defense, which were the strengths of my game. He would have troubles later in life, but I preferred to overlook those. I continue to wear #7 on my team jersey.

BYB: What was the most important thing Mikey Wright learned on his journey?

Ken White: Again, to quote the book:  “In 1962, I learned what it meant to be selfless, to think about others before myself, and to not be afraid of the unknown. I realized that I couldn’t control everything in my life, that stuff happens and nothing ever goes as planned. Most importantly, I discovered that expectations weren’t real, loneliness was absolute, change was inevitable, and laughter was essential. I became a believer in the power of positive thinking.”

He also learned to never stop believing. These are all things I continue to consider important.

BYB: Why should people buy your book?

Ken White: For Baby Boomers, it is their story. Even though it is set in Modesto, it is about growing up in America in the early 1960s. For families, it is a heartfelt look at the complex relationships of fathers and sons, husbands and wives, siblings, friends, and community. Although a family is “the closest of strangers,” there is nobody who will ever know us better. For baseball fans, it’s a fond look back at a great period of the game. For historians, it offers a glimpse into the world of the time; a backward glance at the things that would later shape all of the 60s. For everyone, it’s a fast, enjoyable read with characters you like and can root for. And, as one Giants’ fan pointed out, “I knew the ending, but I kept hoping the Giants would pull it out.” That’s the epitome of believing.

BYB: Do you read Bleeding Yankee Blue? If so, what do you think?

Ken White: I have only recently started reading the BYB Blog. I’m amazed at the depth of coverage and the amount of fan interaction. And the wide variety of stories. I can only imagine the amount of time and energy this “hobby” requires. It’s obvious that you are a true fan of the Pinstripes and the Game.

Thank you Mr. White.  Ladies and Gentlemen, it was an absolute honor and pleasure to interview Ken White for BYB.  He's a helluva nice guy and Getaway Day is a helluva read.   I hope you all take the time and pick up Getaway Day.  It's a perfect Father's Day gift. Here's the LINK to Amazon if you are interested in getting a copy right now.

Ken, thanks again!

HISTORY OF THE FUNNY BALL

If you Google ‘history of doctoring the ball in baseball’ you get incredible results.  The top five specifically are Whatever Happened to the Spitball; Biggest Cheaters in Baseball; Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz accused of doctoring ball; Gaylord Perry; and Spitball.

Even if we didn’t go any further into the controversy behind the funny ball, you can deduce that doctoring the ball involves spitting, cheating and pitchers.  But it is much more than that.  It’s something that has always been a part of the game and it is never going away unless it is successfully proven to hurt the game of baseball and its integrity much in the way PEDs has.

According to BaseballReference.com, “Doctoring the baseball is altering the baseball in some way so the pitchers are able to create unusual amounts and types of movement on pitches.” Not really a big fan of that definition frankly because one could say that Mariano Rivera “created unusual amounts and types of movements on pitches.”  He virtually patented the infamous cutter and he did so without doctoring.

Then there are the knuckle ballers like RA Dickey and retired Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield.  These guys get lots of movement on the ball but they are not doctoring the ball, they are gripping it in an intentional way. 

But whatever happened to the spitball, greaseball, shineball, slimeball?  Why is it so bad?  Who are the worst offenders?

The shineball made famous by pitcher Eddie Cicotte of the notorious Black Sox, was created by lathering “special oil used to treat infields onto the ball, creating a shine on one side and making the ball move in ways that confounded even the best hitters. Depending on what they smeared on the ball and how good they got at manipulating oozy substances, pitchers could make pitches drop, fade away, or ride in on hitters, all while using their same old throwing motions,” stated Jonah Keri in his 2012 Grantland blog post picked up by ESPN.com.  There were a number of pitchers over the years who were accused or even suspended for doctoring the ball. 

Guys like Gaylord Perry, Joe Niekro, Whitey Ford, Don Sutton and Don Drysdale all spit, greased and applied a foreign substance on the ball.  Four out of the five pitchers listed are in Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

In more recent years, we saw Kenny Rogers, Clay Buchholz and now Michael Pineda get caught with their hands in the mysterious substance goo jar.  But why do it if it is considered illegal?  It helps pitchers grip the ball in cold spring and fall games.  It gives pitchers more movement on the ball.  According to Keri’s post, doctoring the ball has helped “extend the careers of countless fading arms throughout baseball history.”  Can it hurt the batter?  Sure it can, much like an inside pitch that gets away from a hurler.  A spitball even killed a batter (before helmets were mandatory) in 1920.  Incidentally, it was Yankee pitcher Carl Mays. 

Why did the spitball go away for a while?  "Pitchers got reluctant to do it simply because they didn't know how to do it," said Jim Hickey, pitching coach for the Tampa Bay Rays and a former minor league pitcher. That knowledge base eroded so badly that today, "it's like a hitter trying to change the way he positions his hands. He's afraid to do it, even for one at-bat, because he doesn't want to go 0-for-1. Pitchers now are afraid of using an experimental pitch, getting whacked, and losing the game because of it,” stated Hickey in an interview with ESPN.com.

The spitball also is said to have disappeared for a while when Bruce Sutter developed the now famous splitter or split finger fastball, which gave the ball the magical movement that the spitball can give.  The spitball may have gone away for a while but guys like Gaylord Perry brought the demon back in the 70s and early 80s.  You never knew if or when he would throw it and Perry liked having that reputation.  I have to be honest, it was kind of cool to watch him pitch because there was always some sort of controversy and I guess some anticipation in wondering when the funny ball would come.

The difference between what happened with Pineda recently and what happened with Rogers and even Buchholz is that Pineda was blatant and about as subtle as a bull in a china shop.  Sure, we didn’t have HDTV when Niekro and Perry were pitching but use a little discretion.   Accusing Buchholz of throwing a spitball in the a game last season, Blue Jay analyst Jack Morris stated that he “found out because the guys on the video camera showed it to me right after the game," Morris said. "I didn't see it during the game. They showed it to me and said, 'What do you think of this?' and I said, 'Well, he's throwing a spitter. Cause that's what it is,” according to MLB.com. 

Umpires are trained to watch a pitcher very closely.  A pitcher has to step off the rubber when he puts his hand to his mouth or grabs the rosin bag.  And if managers or coaches draw attention to something suspicious with their pitcher or the opposing team’s pitcher, it can throw of the pitcher’s game and rhythm, which is never a good idea.

I am not advocating spitting, ever.  Not on the ground, not at someone and not on a baseball.  But, if guys are going to doctor the ball to get a good grip or feel more confident about their performance, then okay, but don’t flaunt it and don’t be stupid about it.  Two words- Be Discrete! Throw hard but don’t get so wrapped up in wanting perfection that you forget to keep your eye on the ball.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Opinion Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof



 
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ARE YOU DUMB, OR JUST STUPID?

Look, I'm the first to admit that I love the doctoring of the ball. And just so you know, everyone does it and everyone used to do it. Look, I'm a child of the Gaylord Perry era and no one did it better than him. I also understand it's cheating, which makes the whole thing seem like a big contradiction because I also know that PED use is cheating... and I hate that.  OK, so sue me...

Tonight, in front of the world, just 2 starts later, Michael Pineda used pine tar on this person after the same team he used pine tar on the last time... and this time, he got caught.  Now, I know that John Farrell wasn't realizing all of this in the dugout tonight.  Farrell had it in his head last night that Pineda was most likely going to get checked in today's game, and that's a smart manager.  You break up the game with alittle examination of the opposing pitcher and even if Pineda doesn't have an illegal substance, you hope the pitcher is thrown off, rattled and distracted a bit. It also wakes up your own club.  Tonight, John Farrell played the odds and won...so did the Red Sox.

But not only does Michael Pineda have pine tar on his neck and screws himself in the process... he also screws the Yankees and with it, changes the whole landscape of the game.  More importantly, and I'm saying this because it's very important... write this down...

If you really need an illegal substance and aren't smart enough to hide it, you clearly have no confidence in your own abilities.  Pineda failed miserably tonight.  It's disappointing. There is no comeback story anymore. Pineda has let his team down and it's pathetic. 

But believe it or not, there was a game tonight. It didn't matter much to the Yankees, because the moment Pineda left the game, the Yankees didn't show up anyway. There were errors and a lack of run scoring.  The wind was out of the sails. It was over in the 2nd. 

The Yankees scored 1 run tonight. Alfonso Soriano had a sacrifice fly and Carlos Beltran was able to score.  That's it. Again, the Yankees had 3 errors. The Yankee bullpen did a good job of holding the Red Sox to only 5 runs, but you also have to understand, John Lackey pitched really good tonight.  I hate saying that, but it's true. You have to wonder... if Pineda was actually dealing and not screwing around, could the Yankees have had a chance?

We have more about this incident in MICHAEL PINEDUH!, but it was clear, the game was lost in that second inning when Pineda was ejected.  It sucks, but we need to move on.  Sadly, the New York media will crucify Pineda tomorrow, and they should. He deserves it.  What a dummy.

Final: Red Sox 5 - Yankees 1

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YOU DIDN'T HEAR? DOCTORING THE BALL IS OK AGAIN.

I was annoyed when Clay Buchholz was clearly using some type of foreign substance on his shiny forearm a year ago. But nothing ever came of it.  Not a thing. I figured at that point, if no one wants to make a big stink about it, I guess doctoring the ball is OK again. I mean, after all, Gaylord Perry did it better than anyone, but remember, that was in the 1970's when the umps would bust these players every once in a while, but it was happening a lot. Gaylord was the best at doctoring the ball, and Gaylord is a Hall of Famer.

Then, it almost seemed like it stopped.  Now, I'm not stupid. I know that throughout the 80's and 90's it was happening, but it was not as obvious as a say Clay Buchholz shiny arm.  Maybe even the Jose Valverde, spitter.


You remember that one right? It was the Ol' "I'm gonna to gob on this baseball right now" pitch.

Well,  tonight, Michael Pineda clearly had pine tar on his pitching hand while throwing against the Red Sox, for at least part of the game. And you know what? No one cares, so good for him.

That's right, I'm officially tired of being the goodie-goodie. It's clear, this is happening more and more out in the open. You know what? Go for it... Gaylord Perry would be proud.

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ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SPITBALL

No one did the spitter better than Gaylord Perry and I grew up watching it and it was glorious.  But it’s also illegal in Major League Baseball these days... or so we thought.  Lately I guess Bud Selig has done his best not answering questions about steroid allegations pinned on players, and trying to decide whether there should be more cameras on the field for instant replay or whether or not we should have another few expansion teams or even extend the playoffs until December.  I am kidding about most of that, but the point is it’s clear that with all the cameras already in a stadium at any given game, it makes no sense that nothing is being done to reprimand pitchers who openly gob on the baseball.  

We saw it last year when Jose Valverde put a nice goober on the ball in front of the world, that one was ignored.  Now, we see Alex Sanabia spitting on the baseball as clear as day and trust me... everyone saw it!  Again though, nothing is being done to him. 

According to the crew chief the night of the "spitting" incident, They didn't see it happen when the goober was put on the ball, but later in the game, they "did order Sanabia to discard another ball for improperly going to his mouth." (Read HERE)  So in other words, everyone saw the spitter take place except for the umpires, the guys running the field.  I mean seriously, what are we doing here? 

Look, think about this... what’s the point of having rules if you’re not going to follow them?  Meanwhile, Pete Rose is still wondering if he can finally get out of purgatory for betting on baseball,  something he’s finally admitted to. 

But Jesus Christ, hasn't the man who was nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” been tortured enough?  I grew up in the 1970’s, Rose WAS baseball.  But yeah, he’s banned from the game, now 22 years ago, and spitting on the ball , something called illegal in the 1920's doesn’t even get you a fine these days, even when there's proof of it, like in the case of Alex Sanabia the other night.

Now you know where I stand on the spitter, or maybe you don’t. My point on the spitter is clear and sure, these are my own rules, but to me it makes sense.  

If you do the spitter and no one knows, AND, it’s spit and not Vaseline or Pine-tar or sunscreen or horse crap, do it.  But, do not:

• A) Spit on the ball in public

• B) Make it obvious.   

(In Photo: Gaylord Perry)

Silly I know, but that's how I feel about it. Spitters have been around forever and sure, we can get into the gray area of who actually used spit and who actually didn’t, but it’s part of the "old school" game that I love.   All I’m saying is, keep it partially honest, spit on your hand and grease up the laces.  That’s just good old baseball.  Standing on the mound goobing on the baseball is ridiculous. Sticking Vaseline in the baseball red is terrible.  Alittle spit that no one sees, well, that never hurt anyone.  Seriously, if you're out there making it obvious, you’re stupid and I have no sympathy for you.  You should be fined.  

Furthermore, I found it mind-blowing that Major League Baseball didn’t do more with Clay Buchholz a few weeks ago.  It was clear there was something illegal going on, from my point of view at least. But they let it go, never did an investigation and it all ended.  All that does is make desperate pitchers more daring, hence, Alex Sanabia.  What the hell is he thinking? And will MLB look into this? Probably not.

Message to Selig… OK, so you don’t want to fine anyone for the spitter, than take it out of the rule book. Hey, and while we’re at it, set Pete Rose free!  It’s time he be eligible to be voted into the Hall of Fame. It’s clear to me you make your own rules regardless of the ones written… oh, and the steroids stuff?  That’s another post for another time, but in case you want a nice read on the topic, check out PEDs...AND WHAT SHOULD COME NEXT.

Enjoy your Friday everyone.

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