Pitchers who have been using foreign substances to improve their performances may be in a sticky situation.
Major League Baseball will be cracking down on the use of “sticky” foreign substances by the league’s top pitchers, according to a Tuesday announcement. The league will be implementing several new protocols to curb the use of baseballs bearing dark, amber-colored markings, which testing by third-party researchers determined “significantly increase[d] the spin rate and movement of the baseball, providing pitchers who use these substances with an unfair competitive advantage over hitters and pitchers who do not use foreign substances, and results in less action on the field.”
“After an extensive process of repeated warnings without effect, gathering information from current and former players and others across the sport, two months of comprehensive data collection, listening to our fans, and thoughtful deliberation, I have determined that new enforcement of foreign substances is needed to level the playing field,” MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. said. “I understand there’s a history of foreign substances being used on the ball, but what we are seeing today is objectively far different, with much tackier substances being used more frequently than ever before. It has become clear that the use of foreign substance has generally morphed from trying to get a better grip on the ball into something else — an unfair competitive advantage that is creating a lack of action and an uneven playing field.”
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The new safeguards, effective June 21, are designed to prevent the use of the foreign substances and include several mandatory checks per game for starting pitchers, at least one check per game for relief pitchers, random checks throughout MLB games conducted by umpires, checks of catchers, and immediate ejection and suspension of players found to be in violation of the policy, among other new procedures.
The rules apply to club personnel as well. Any club employee found to have violated the new rules will be subject to fines and possible suspension from the league.
“Creating a consistent enforcement system that applies equally to all clubs and players requires a clear policy without exceptions,” said Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president of on-field operations, adding that the new guidelines “will put everyone on a level playing field.”
Several pitchers have indicated that they used foreign substances, including a weblike pasty material called Spider Tack. Former pitcher Jerry Blevins said he used sunscreen and rosin every day “for control of the baseball,” and Adam Wainwright, a pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals, admitted to using “sticky stuff” in six to seven games, calling his use of the material “minor” compared to other players.
Earlier this month, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole dodged when asked whether he used Spider Tack.
“I don’t quite know how to answer that, to be honest. … If MLB wants to legislate some more stuff, that’s a conversation that we can have,” he said.
Prior to Tuesday’s announcement, MLB already had a rule in place stating that “no player shall intentionally discolor or damage the ball by rubbing it with soil, rosin, paraffin, licorice, sand-paper, emery-paper or other foreign substance,” along with a second rule prohibiting “defac[ing] the ball in any manner,” but enforcement was spotty.
Reports first surfaced on June 3 that MLB would be banning the use of foreign substances, and the implication of the impending crackdown had an apparent effect on pitchers. In the 12 days before that date, hitters batted .233, walked 9.1% of the time, struck out 24.3% of the time, and experienced a home run-to-fly ball ratio of 12.7%. In the 12 days after, those same hitters hit .246, walked 8.4% of the time, struck out 23.3% of the time, and experienced a home run-to-fly ball ratio of 14.4%, a marked improvement.
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This shift in hitting statistics typifies the “unfair competitive advantage” enjoyed by pitchers employing sticky substances, MLB said.
“[The use of foreign substances is] creating a lack of action and an uneven playing field,” Manfred continued, alluding to the fact that more controlled pitching results in fewer balls going into play, giving outfielders less playing time. “This is not about any individual player or club, or placing blame. It is about a collective shift that has changed the game and needs to be addressed. We have a responsibility to our fans and the generational talent competing on the field to eliminate these substances and improve the game.”
