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Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |
The language used by the major leagues of baseball for pitchers using pine tar to improve their grip can not be clearer. Rule 6.02 (c) (4) states that "a thrower shall not … apply any foreign substance of any kind to the ball."
In practice, the question is much more nuanced.
Many pitchers use pine tar, sunscreen and other substances, and most batters do not oppose it because they prefer that the pitchers can control the potentially deadly sphere in their hands. Pine tar helps them, so the unwritten rules of baseball consider it acceptable. This is not as serious as scratching or healing a balloon.
That's why, when Yankee fans started complaining on Twitter Tuesday night about pine tar on the Seattle pitcher Yusei KikuchiThe first answer was to reject it.
But to be certain, we have sent the photo below to several current and former pitchers and coaches in the league, none of whom are associated with Yankees or Mariners.
Lmao but it is not obvious ??? pic.twitter.com/r96Js8GaGp
– Gettleman is the ass (@ ghanf289) May 9, 2019
The answers were clear and consistent: Kikuchi had gone too far.
"It's exaggerated," said a pitching coach. "Someone has to make him aware of this obvious disrespect.Seriously, he must be more discreet."
These ideas of discretion and respect come from the idea that pitchers should be more stealthy when they break the rules. It may sound strange, but that's the way the unwritten rules work: do not be stupid and ruin it for everyone.
A quote from John Farrell, then coach of the Red Sox, after the Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda The pine tar on his neck in a 2014 game illustrates this idea.
"I can not say that it's rare that guys are looking to create a bit of grip," Farrell said. "Typically, you do not try to be so blatant."
A recently retired pitcher agreed that Kikuchi was too obvious and said the hood's edge is a common place for pine tar. "I think they always assume that nobody will ever notice anything under the hat," he said.
Another pitcher, who was wondering if Kikuchi's use was overpriced, added sarcastically, "Just a little finger, welcome to HD."
To be clear, pine tar is not the reason Kikuchi dominated the Yankees on Wednesday. He won the match by distracting his batters with a slow curve, a slider and a fastball made more insidious by offspeed shots. He was cunning and intelligent.
But he also cheated so blatantly, not respecting the Yankees by making it too obvious.
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