Spider Tack

[Coopdaddy67]

Why would a pitcher find the ball unsuitable? If it’s defective, sure throw it out. Otherwise, throw the pitch. The hitter doesn’t get to check the baseball. None of this justifies a foreign substance not within the rules.

And the reason MLB is acting now is because of a lack of offense which, this year, has reached an alarming stage and MLB believes is influenced by these foreign substances.

Maybe they will refine these rules over time, but for now just accept the changes and play ball.

Because baseballs are inconsistent with their grip and aren't prepared identically. That's the entire problem. Many are "slippery".

I'd argue that the bigger reasons for declining BAs are dramatic shifts and the all-or-nothing approach of hitters nowadays. MLB going to ban the shift midseason? Of course not.

I've heard countless position players the past few weeks say they have zero problem with sunscreen/rosin, which has been around for a long, long time. Hitters consider that a grip aid, nothing more.

[Kc61]

The problem is the MLB/Manfred has known it has been going on for years and chose to turn away and do nothing about it. If you want to perform and get paid you pretty much have to use it to even the playing field, ala Trevor Bauer. Now suddenly mid-season they are going to police it? Why now?

Because the average MLB batting average is .238 this year. And MLB wants an attractive sport, with exciting playoffs that go beyond watching a spin rate.

If MLB did this in the off-season, I assure you we’d hear that it’s too sudden. A full season is needed to adjust. Nobody likes their job made harder, pitchers are human, they’re pissed off. Not surprising.

[Griffey012]

Because the average MLB batting average is .238 this year. And MLB wants an attractive sport, with exciting playoffs that go beyond watching a spin rate.

If MLB did this in the off-season, I assure you we’d hear that it’s too sudden. A full season is needed to adjust. Nobody likes their job made harder, pitchers are human, they’re pissed off. Not surprising.

MLB wanting an attractive sport is news to me, see Castellanos suspension and other old timey rants about showing emotion, etc.

Offense has been declining for years, it didn’t suddenly drop off, so that still leads to why now? Was it fine when hitters were hitting .245 but .238 is just too low? Is .240 the bar for action?

I’m thrilled about them cracking down on spider tack and the battle for the most effective substance, it’s great, but why did it take so long? It’s the same way MLB actively ignored steroids for so long.

[RustyJ]

I've heard countless position players the past few weeks say they have zero problem with sunscreen/rosin, which has been around for a long, long time. Hitters consider that a grip aid, nothing more.

I’m no scientist, but grip and spin seem pretty inextricably connected to me. Maybe rosin and sunscreen is a an agreeable middle ground, but I don’t buy this idea that it’s totally harmless.

[Coopdaddy67]

I’m no scientist, but grip and spin seem pretty inextricably connected to me. Maybe rosin and sunscreen is a an agreeable middle ground, but I don’t buy this idea that it’s totally harmless.

There's a massive difference between sunscreen/rosin and spider tack.

https://twitter.com/enosarris/status...07798497419266

[RedTeamGo!]

I agree. They all need to learn how to deal with it. Baseball is a fluid game. Life isn't perfect, we have to learn how to be resilient and approach the challenges that come our way.

Of course, MLB should have been aware of this months, even years, ago, but they're addressing it now and it shouldn't be too difficult to enforce, and shouldn't be too hard for pitchers to comply.

They sound like a huge gaggle of whining babies. Glasnow especially, what is he thinking? If you're not good enough to get guys out without glue or rosin/sunscreen, then maybe you can go try and open a car dealership.

Glasnow is upset because he tore his UCL 2 starts after stopping using sticky stuff.

[Kc61]

MLB wanting an attractive sport is news to me, see Castellanos suspension and other old timey rants about showing emotion, etc.

Offense has been declining for years, it didn’t suddenly drop off, so that still leads to why now? Was it fine when hitters were hitting .245 but .238 is just too low? Is .240 the bar for action?

I’m thrilled about them cracking down on spider tack and the battle for the most effective substance, it’s great, but why did it take so long? It’s the same way MLB actively ignored steroids for so long.

MLB did take too long. And maybe .240 was an arbitrary breaking point. But as imperfect as it is, better late than never. There would be complaints whenever and however this decision would have been made.

[Roy Tucker]

I didn’t know anything about spider tack. This article is good background.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/g...e-16247361.php

[Thisyear]

where is the poster who is disguised as trevor bauer? he cannot be happy about this.

Couldn't be further from wrong on both fronts. That was not Bauer too many inconsistencies. Second Bauer complained about cheating for two years and said if nothing is gonna be done he will join in it. Bauer is the one that pointed it out and continues too. Lets not bring false narratives when you obviously don't know the story.

[Griffey012]

MLB did take too long. And maybe .240 was an arbitrary breaking point. But as imperfect as it is, better late than never. There would be complaints - whenever and however this decision would have been made.

I am sure there would, but if players have a whole off-season and spring training to adjust to life without their spider tack or whatever else, I won't be buying any of their complaints. As it stands now, I can't say their complaints are unfounded.

[Thisyear]

I find the “not in mid-season” argument to be weak.

MLB BAs are down to .238 on average. Last year average was .245 and 2019 was .252. Why should MLB allow a precipitous decline in offense to continue if it’s being influenced by use of foreign substances?

So that pitchers have an easier “transition” to compliance? So that umpires can have a year to adjust? Not buying it, sorry.

I find this way off base. They have been letting it go for years, why not make the change in the offseason instead of middle of the season. It is Busch league. You don't enfore a rule for years would be my main point of concern.

[Thisyear]

I agree. They all need to learn how to deal with it. Baseball is a fluid game. Life isn't perfect, we have to learn how to be resilient and approach the challenges that come our way.

Of course, MLB should have been aware of this months, even years, ago, but they're addressing it now and it shouldn't be too difficult to enforce, and shouldn't be too hard for pitchers to comply.

They sound like a huge gaggle of whining babies. Glasnow especially, what is he thinking? If you're not good enough to get guys out without glue or rosin/sunscreen, then maybe you can go try and open a car dealership.

This is all kinds of stupid. Read what Glasnow said again. He said having grip and all of a sudden when he can't use it he gets hurt. That is pretty logical to me.

The main point of contention is MLB did nothing for years as you said. They are the ones that look bad. You can't really get mad at players when in MLBs eyes it wasn't a rule. Of course it is gonna piss people off.

[Kc61]

I find this way off base. They have been letting it go for years, why not make the change in the offseason instead of middle of the season. It is Busch league. You don't enfore a rule for years would be my main point of concern.

If I’m speeding and the police enforce it, I get a ticket.

I can’t argue, well, you didn’t enforce it before, this is too sudden.

The only pitchers who have a right to complain are those who always acted within the rules.

[Thisyear]

If I’m speeding and the police enforce it, I get a ticket.

I can’t argue, well, you didn’t enforce it before.

The only pitchers who have a right to complain are those who always acted within the rules.

Heres where your logic falls apart they are going to write you up for speeding. They aren't gonna not enforce it for five or so years and just come out and start enforcing it. This is on Manfred dude has been a total disaster. If you can't see that I don't know what to tell you.

[Mitri]

This is all kinds of stupid. Read what Glasnow said again. He said having grip and all of a sudden when he can't use it he gets hurt. That is pretty logical to me.

The main point of contention is MLB did nothing for years as you said. They are the ones that look bad. You can't really get mad at players when in MLBs eyes it wasn't a rule. Of course it is gonna piss people off.

I read what Glasnow said. To paraphrase, he said "Wahh, you guys had a rule you didn't enforce, so I broke it so many time I got used to it, and now that you said you're going to start enforcing it I don't even remember how to pitch the right way. Wahh, sob."

Glasgow broke a rule, one that's been a part of baseball for quite some time. Just because MLB decided to begin enforcing it because of the severity of it being abused doesn't mean the players shouldn't be prepared for it to be enforced. His mindset should have been "I'll break this rule until they enforce it, and when they do I'll stop." Instead it was, "I completely altered my game based around breaking this rule, and now that they're enforcing it I got an ouchie."