Sticky substance used to increase spin rate. Just when you thought it was over. This is going to be big in the news cycle. Evidence of more cheating. Meanwhile, still no news on the Yankees.
What a joke... lots of players involved in this yet most of the articles out put this on the Astros in the headlines and some don't even mention the other players by name. Here are the names according to ESPN... "he identified Cole, Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson, Max Scherzer, Felix Hernandez, Corey Kluber, Joba Chamberlain, Adam Wainwright and Tyler Chatwood among the pitchers who previously asked for his specific blend of pine tar and rosin." "Harkins also named several current and former Angels -- Percival, Brendan Donnelly, Kevin Jepsen, Cam Bedrosian, Keynan Middleton, Yusmeiro Petit, Luke Bard, Matt Andriese, Dylan Peters, Jose Suarez, Kaleb Cowart and Dylan Bundy -- who used the blend." https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...-attendant-names-pitchers-ball-doctoring-case
Unlike Astros version of sign stealing, I suspect sticky substances matter a lot more. Though, I expect greater than 50% of pitchers use it so it may average out.
So let me get this straight. The angels orginazation supplied illegal substances to pitchers across the league for years, supplied drugs that resulted in the death of a player, but the Astros orginazation is still the scum of the league?
Most are Angels and this came from an Angels employee (or former Angel employee). The same franchise where a pitcher died of substance abuse that was apparently rampant with the team and others around the team. The Angels should be the headliners in this article with the Astros at the footnote. If you want to demonize a franchise, go after the one that contributed to an actual player's death die due to actions of others in the franchise. Crazy, but Astros will get singled out again but at least the Astros are not the only ones named so the beloved LA franchise will not be dragged through the ringer on this and therefore neither will the Astros. Don't see this becoming a big deal due to so may others being involved. Swept under the rug as they say.
The outrage of reporters and fans over "cheating" in baseball just shows how incredibly large the gulf is between what those on the outside think goes on and is accepted by players and managers and what ACTUALLY happens. Cheating has been rampant in baseball for as long as the game has existed. When I worked for the Astros I saw players openly discuss cheating and anything to get an advantage... everything from medicine to improve concentration, to altering baseballs and bats, to substances on baseballs and even discussions of hormone treatments. This is really a non story to me, but whatever. I still remember Astros players being envious that the Cards pitchers were better at cheating, including Jeff Supan and others.
Of the cheating going on, I suspect service time manipulation and doctoring the ball are the biggest impacts on the game today. I hate having a rule and not enforcing it during games consistently. Either remove rule or enforce it. I think the number of Ks dropping would be statistically noticeable if MLB kept pitchers from doctoring the ball.
There is no question that doctoring the ball at this point is the largest issue with spin rates and the such. Service time manipulation is a big problem but I will tell you that from the front office perspective there was and likely still is a lot of chicanery with international players and signings. Some teams like the Braves and Padres and Dodgers are famous for under the door payments and payments to runners/agents/scouts to get the best of the international players. The Braves were recently punished but if you believe what is said around the game, the Padres and Dodgers were HEAVILY involved in just the last few years.
While I suspect the international player signings have more shadiness on them, the impact of each service time manipulation is huge. The Dodgers getting a year of Bellinger in 2017 without having to use up a year of service time is basically a $40M dollar cheat or the payroll for Cleveland this season.
How could the Angels be sooo bad in pitching while having these 'resources' in-house? ...and do the Nationals now vacate the title due to Max Scherzer?
Everyone is cheating the astros just had mike fiers tell on them. They should have just paid him off.
It’s surprising usage isn’t universal outside of sinker/change pitchers. You’re literally losing out on money by not doing it.
Surveys of players/coaches a while back suggested it was 70 or 75%. My skepticism or surveys suggests it is either much higher or much lower than 70%.
