Ever since MLB admitted that it would make changes to the baseballs for the 2021 season, Gerrit Cole — and every other player in the game —has been looking to get his hands on one. Players want to get the feel for the difference in how the ball, which is reported to be less “bouncy” responds.
“I’ve been trying to get my hands on the balls here. Nobody can tell me if we’re using the real balls from this year’s [batch], or the balls from last year,” Cole said Tuesday. ”Nobody knows the answer yet.”
Well, it turns out Cole can easily get his hands on one. The Yankees — and the rest of MLB — have the new baseballs to use this spring, according to three industry sources. In fact one MLB source said the Yankees were assured of that when they inquired earlier this spring.
Cole’s former Astros teammate Justin Verlander accused the league of intentionally juicing the ball for more offense in 2019.
“It’s a f---ing joke,” said Verlander, an eight-time All-Star who is out this year after Tommy John surgery. “Major League Baseball’s turning this game into a joke. They own Rawlings, and you’ve got [commissioner Rob] Manfred up here saying it might be the way they center the pill. They own the f---ing company. If any other $40 billion company bought out a $400 million company and the product changed dramatically, it’s not a guess as to what happened. We all know what happened. Manfred the first time he came in, what’d he say? He said we want more offense. All of a sudden he comes in, the balls are juiced? It’s not a coincidence. We’re not idiots.”