It’s been a tumultuous week for pitchers and banned substances. Less than a week ago, Milwaukee Brewers reliever Will Smith was suspended eight games after being ejected for having a foreign substance on his non-throwing arm. Yesterday, Baltimore Orioles reliever Brian Matusz was suspended for eight games as well, as he was caught with a foreign substance on his arm after Marlins manager Dan Jennings asked umpires to take a look.
Using a substance like rosin with sunscreen, while technically illegal, is used by a majority of pitchers in the big leagues. While pitchers are occasionally flagged for their use, it’s not uncommon to see a big leaguer with a shiny arm or beak (see Clay Buchholz) – there are plenty of ways to get an advantage.
If it was up to Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell, he’d like to see an approve substance that pitchers can use. He told WEEI:
“I would like to see an approved substance that pitchers can use,” Farrell said. “Because when we take a manufactured baseball and rub it with dirt, it’s going to create a slippery feeling to it. The mud residue leaves a film on it that you don’t necessarily feel a good, consistent grip. Unless you go to a ball like the one used in Japan where it’s got a tacky feel to it. But I’d like to see something that’s approved that everyone can use. I think if you poll any hitter, the hitter wants to know that the ball’s got a grip. The ball’s not going to get away from [the pitcher].”
That’s not exactly an outrageous idea.
Baseball for the most part, aside from occasional suspensions, has no issue with pitchers using these substances unless they get caught doing so. Why not take action and make it legal for pitchers to use the substances – even if there’s a limit to how much they can use.
Right now, the rules seem inconsistent.
Dallas Braeden and Alex Cora had a great discussion on the topic for ESPN’s Baseball Tonight. Braeden goes in depth about how MLB players use the foreign substance, and Cora provides details on how infielders help pitchers get more.
https://twitter.com/BBTN/status/603079542601809920
While I don’t think the MLB is going to implement any rule changes on foreign substances anytime soon, it seems like a fair discussion to have. Who exactly does it detriment? and if the answer is nobody, than what’s the point?
