By Matt Castillo
It’s been known for years that sometimes pitchers use some form of substance to help them have a better grip on the baseball, which allows them to create more spin, and more spin means much more difficult to hit. But now Major League Baseball is cracking down on pitchers who are caught using a foreign substance.
Major League Baseball has warned pitchers about not using any substance to help them on the mound and if caught they can receive a 10 game suspension so that will cause them to miss two starts. First off let’s just back up and see that again the Commissioner Rob Manfred has to threaten pitchers with suspension but did nothing to the Astros hitters for cheating in the trash can scandal but is going to crack down on the pitchers. Manfred is a complete tool, who has no business being in charge of the MLB and I think it’s safe to say he has become the worst Commissioner in sports.
The last few years the problem with baseball according to many pitchers especially Justin Verlander said the ball is different and loaded and that why he and other pitchers will giving up so many homers. MLB said they see nothing wrong with the ball and pitchers continue to complain. Now, this year no pitchers are complaining about the ball being different and home runs are not at the rate as they were and the pitchers are dominating as there have been 7 no-hitters already this season.
It’s the hitters who are now complaining about the pitchers using sticky substances that are making the baseball even harder to hit. So, I get it I am not saying that Manfred and Major League Baseball is wrong for banning substances but they need to find a solution already.
Pitchers use the substances for better grip and better control of the baseball so why can’t baseball find a substance that is legal for pitchers to use. Batters have Pine tar which helps them have a better grip on the bat so why can’t pitchers have something to help them.
Now you might be reading this and saying they do, It called a Rosin Bag, but many do not know the Rosin bag is completely useless if there is no moisture. So during the summer, the bag should help the pitcher because sweat helps make the bag tacky and will help their grip, but in colder weather, which they do play in at the beginning and end of the season the rosin bag doesn’t help provide the pitcher with grip.
So my solution for Incompetent commissioner is to look into a substance that pitchers can use to help have a better grip on the ball and where it doesn’t give them a huge competitive edge. I mean they have the resources to experiment and found something that can be agreed upon that pitchers can use. or change the baseball, pitchers talk about new balls that have a slick coating on them so find something that will make the ball tackier!
