Everybody around Major League Baseball knows that pitchers use foreign substances to get a better grip of the ball, have more control, and take their spin rate up a notch. Is it cheating? Yes. Is it new? No, and just ask Trevor Bauer if you don't take our word for it.
Bauer has been all over social media over the past couple of years calling out MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred over the league's hypocritic stance on foreign substances. He's even sold t-shirts with 'Legalize Pine Tar' on it.
And now that the league has suddenly made it a priority to put an end to this millenary practice, the Los Angeles Dodgers star once again made a fool out of the commissioner's office with his hilarious antics.
'Is This Legal Or Illegal?' Trevor Bauer Mocks MLB
The righty pitcher posted a video of himself in the Dodgers dugout asking the league a simple question: Is this legal or illegal? While showing how he had a baseball virtually taped to his right hand.
Carlos Rodon, Tyler Glasnow Blast The League Over New Policy
Other prominent figures around the league, such as Chicago White Sox Carlos Rodon and Tampa Bay Rays Tyler Glasnow weren't so pleased with this new policy either, sounding off against the league:
"If Rob Manfred can look himself in the mirror and say, 'Hey I'm doing the right thing,' that's fine," Rodon told Bleacher Report. "But if you can't suspend the team that you actually knew was cheating during a playoff game, that's on you. It’s hard to see this when you're giving out 10-game suspensions for cheating, but you give the Astros no suspensions at all."
"I just threw 80 something innings and you just told me I can't use anything. I have to change everything," Glasnow told the media, as quoted by Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Florida. "I truly believe 100 percent that's why I got hurt. I'm frustrated MLB doesn't understand. You can't just tell us to use nothing. It's crazy."
Pitchers doctoring baseballs is a tale as old as time. Even if some swear they've never done it, it's pretty hard to believe. Perhaps it's time MLB checks out its list of allowed and banned substances and reaches a consensus with players. Clearly, suspending players with pay for 10 days isn't going to do anything to change this.
