Around Baseball 2021

[TwistedLogic]

I can see this argument and at first my thoughts were that the obvious solution was to have one MLB sanctioned foreign substance that is allowed. Players can use MLB brand sunscreen but nothing else.

 

But on the enforcement side something like that may not be workable. Cheaters would probably just formulate Sun-Tack, the spider tack that looks and smells like sunscreen! Then umps and officials can't really enforce the rule without, like, lab testing whatever the icky stuff is.

 

I wouldn't be shocked to see something get approved in the next CBA though. Maybe it's a tube of MLB brand sun screen that is sealed at the start of the game and never leaves the playing field - sits there beside the rosin bag.

 

Sounds like they're already in the process of it.

 

From the ESPN article linked on the previous page:

 

MLB has previously worked with Rawlings on a tackier baseball in an effort to curb the use of foreign substances but didn't get enough approval from players to incorporate any of the prototypes into regular-season games. Instead, a source familiar with the league's thinking told ESPN that MLB is in the early stages of working to create a new, stickier substance to rub each baseball with before games.

 

That new substance would replace the mud that has been incorporated across eight decades but tends to get chalky after a certain period of time, prompting players to argue that they need foreign substances to properly grip game-used balls. The absence of that new rubbing substance for 2021 means baseball will focus more on identifying egregious offenders and also collect information about the types of substances that are being utilized.

[Grant77]

Agreed, and MLB f***ed up in how they went about it.

 

Explain why part of an offseason, spring training, and 2 months of a season was not enough notice.

 

Do you want the rule grandfathered in or something? There's no reason to believe that players didn't have enough time to adapt.

[Slade]

 

Worth the 8 minutes to listen to this!

[Scion]

I can see this argument and at first my thoughts were that the obvious solution was to have one MLB sanctioned foreign substance that is allowed. Players can use MLB brand sunscreen but nothing else.

 

But on the enforcement side something like that may not be workable. Cheaters would probably just formulate Sun-Tack, the spider tack that looks and smells like sunscreen! Then umps and officials can't really enforce the rule without, like, lab testing whatever the icky stuff is.

 

I wouldn't be shocked to see something get approved in the next CBA though. Maybe it's a tube of MLB brand sun screen that is sealed at the start of the game and never leaves the playing field - sits there beside the rosin bag.

 

I agree that regulating a single substance presents its own issues as far as regulating what is and isn't MLB approved sunscreen, but is the present proposal the lesser of two evils? Perhaps, but I don't feel confident saying that.

[TwistedLogic]

 

Worth the 8 minutes to listen to this!

 

This was great. I'm not a fan of Bauer but he was pretty well-spoken here and really did a good job of outlining all the flaws in this patchwork system.

 

After watching that video I do lean more towards the players' side in that this wasn't done right and probably should have waited.

[Slade]

Legend Scott Boras weighs in.

 

[Jimcanuck]

Explain why part of an offseason, spring training, and 2 months of a season was not enough notice.

 

Do you want the rule grandfathered in or something? There's no reason to believe that players didn't have enough time to adapt.

 

You are on the wrong side of another matter, par for the course.

[Grant77]

You are on the wrong side of another matter, par for the course.

 

That's the best you could come up with? You've provided no facts or sound arguments in support of the players.

 

Warning employees, giving them ample time to adapt, and implementing a new policy is how this is done at every good workplace in the world.

[L54]

Hitters play the game too

 

What argument are you trying to make here?

[Solaxys]

Is Tatis gonna hit a HR every damn night?

[Deadpool]

That new substance would replace the mud that has been incorporated across eight decades but tends to get chalky after a certain period of time, prompting players to argue that they need foreign substances to properly grip game-used balls. The absence of that new rubbing substance for 2021 means baseball will focus more on identifying egregious offenders and also collect information about the types of substances that are being utilized.

 

Several years ago, I saw a mini-doc about the mud they use. It's all harvested by one guy from one "secret spot" that he won't reveal to anyone outside of his family. It's quirky and weird as f***. Gets all of it for the whole season at one time, and ships it to every team.

 

(Obviously my memory is imperfect, but that's the gist of it.)

[Ray]

Lol of course Blake Snell starts absolutely sucking the moment he’s out of Tampa Bay.

 

Rays with the fleece once again. Albeit not as bad as the Archer trade.

[Krylian]

I'm really curious to see how Sticky Gate impacts deGrom if at all.

[King]

[L54]

I'm really curious to see how Sticky Gate impacts deGrom if at all.

 

[Abomination]

This is a pretty cool article:

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/rob-murphy-cult-classic-laptop-baseball-card

[Jimcanuck]

Wander Franco with 3 triples in his last 6 AB. A double and single as well. Bat has been on fire the last several games.

[Laika]

What argument are you trying to make here?

 

"The actual dudes who play the game who are clearly the ones who understand the impact the most"

 

On balance the hitters will approve of these changes. It was like two days ago that Donaldson was almost exasperated about the problem.

[Spanky__99]

DeGrom left the game. They should have been a little more cautious with him.

 

FUUuuuuuu...

[Abomination]

DeGrom left the game. They should have been a little more cautious with him.

 

8 Ks in his first 9 batters too

[Krylian]

DeGrom left the game. They should have been a little more cautious with him.

 

Same reason for injury as Glasnow. Blame the lack of sticky.

[Spanky__99]

8 Ks in his first 9 batters too

 

With a hit...

[G-Snarls]

Even when Major League Baseball eventually does "The Right Thing", they still find a way to mess it up with poor timing, suboptimal implementation, poor communication with stakeholders and bad PR Edited June 17, 2021 by G-Snarls

[L54]

"The actual dudes who play the game who are clearly the ones who understand the impact the most"

 

On balance the hitters will approve of these changes. It was like two days ago that Donaldson was almost exasperated about the problem.

 

The dudes who throw the baseballs for a living are the ones who understand the impact the most. I don’t buy that hitters are unanimously jumping for joy. Did you watch the whole video? Glasnow says they had all the union reps on the call and nobody wants to completely outlaw substances.

[BTS]

I wonder if we’ll see k rates decline for the first time in forever.

[G-Snarls]

I wonder if we’ll see k rates decline for the first time in forever.

 

I would expect so

 

If not then the sticky stuff might not have been helping as much as everyone thought and maybe we just have more great pitchers than great hitters these days

[BTS]

My god Gerrit Cole is annoying.

 

[wilko]

My god Gerrit Cole is annoying.

 

 

Man I used to like Cole. He's coming off like huge baby.

[BTS]

I've never pitched. Is it fair to say he means that he can't grip/control the ball while throwing a 99 mph fastball and 90 mph changeup and slider? What if everything was 4-5 mph slower?

[Krylian]

I'm waiting for some pitchers to start nailing hitters and blaming it on lack of grip. Force MLB's hand that way.