Its clear that Major League Baseball has a problem. Strikeouts are up. Hitting for average is down. As pitchers have increased their velocity, they have also increased the movement of the ball. Its long been known that pitchers have used foreign substances on the ball to increase their grip. But MLB commissioner Rob Manfreds crackdown on the use of these substances is his worst decision since taking over as the head of baseball in 2014.
Last week, the league announced that, in games beginning today, enhanced enforcement of Official Baseball Rules 3.01 and 6.02(c) and (d), which prohibit applying foreign substances to baseballs, would be rigorously enforced. The league informed clubs prior to the 2021 regular season that it would be looking at game video, Statcast data to observe spin rate, and baseballs taken out of play in an effort to quantify the prevalence and effects of foreign substances in the sport.
Players caught using the foreign substances will be subjected to a ten-game suspension with pay, thus placing the onus on the players to stop the use of the substances.
In examining the timing, the history of how foreign substances have been not only used but systematically taught by pitching coaches at the club level, and the lack of any flexibility in the types of substances that might be allowed, the implementation is arguably Manfreds most ham-handed ruling.
Yes, one can say this is worse than the Astros cheating scandal, where no players were suspended (the league claimed that giving the players immunity allowed them to speak freely about it). It goes further than the electronic device scandal (which Manfred said the Astros werent involved in), with the Red Sox using an Apple Watch to steal signs. You could say that its worse than MLB contracting the number of minor league clubs (after all, there were too many players now that MLB scouts and uses analytics better).
In all those cases, there were clear reasons for change that had some level of sound argument. The use of foreign substances used by the pitchers has been part of baseballs culture. Its not like MLB was unaware of it. Indeed, Manfred said so as part of his statement last week. I understand theres a history of foreign substances being used on the ball, but what we are seeing today is objectively far different, with much tackier substances being used more frequently than ever before, he said.
So to be clear: There has been a known culture in which a rule has not been enforced, pitching coaches have taught their rosters how to use it, and now, as players have unsurprisingly figured out how to increase advantage, its time to place this on the players?
To add to it all, its not that Manfred and the league did their study, worked with the MLB Players Association in the off-season, and set up the rule to start at the beginning of a season, instead, were seeing a rule enforced nearly half-way through the season. That did not go unnoticed Rich Hill of the Tampa Rays.
"I think this falls on the PA, the players' association," Hill said last week to ESPN. "I think that this is where something should have been done. The players' association had the opportunity to work with MLB, and MLB used their strong hand to put it on the players, and that's unfortunate that this is what happened.''
By going midseason, stats will likely shift and change, making June 21st a day in which player splits will need to be tracked. How will it affect overall performance? Who knows? Could a shift in batting averages be due to the foreign substances rule being enforced or someone simply seeing the ball better? Well never know because there is no clean slate to start a season, let pitchers adjust to the change, and unlearn how to pitch with substances that are a pervasive part of MLBs culture.
On top of that, how players grip the ball not for advantage, but general grip will certainly change. The odds that pitchers will now have to grip the ball harder, which in turn puts stress on the forearm and elbow means the possibility of arm injuries could increase, as outlined clearly by former Atlanta Braves pitcher Peter Moylan:
Adding insult to injury, MLB changed the baseball heading into the season. After research showed that a slight change to the ball was increasing the number of home runs, the league acted to address that. As Manfred said to me at the time of the issue with the ball being more lively, We need a more consistent baseball.
One can understand certain substances not being used. The use of Spider Tack is so sticky that weve seen a ball stick to a catchers chest protector. That creates a competitive advantage. But the league will now only allows sweat and rosin; nothing else. While MLB went to great lengths to say that hit-by-pitch numbers have been up during the use of the foreign substances, theres nothing to say that HBP numbers dont continue to increase as pitchers now in-season, mind you relearn to pitch. Again, working with the MLBPA would have allowed a limited menu of substances that could be used that didnt give a competitive advantage, yet allows pitchers to safely grip the ball. They allow rosin, dont they?
But maybe the awkward timing, the fact that players are being penalized for something taught by team coaches, the lack of allowable substances, and the 10-game suspension are all part of some plan by the league.
Hill went so far as to say implementation of the change mid-season was designed as a wedge issue between pitchers and hitters as the league and MLBPA head into bargaining sessions for a new labor deal.
"We all know that's coming, and part of this wants me to think that it's a distraction to put hitters and pitchers against each other, which again isn't going to do anything to help grow the game," Hill said. "We all want what's best for the game. We want to grow the game."
One could speculate that even if the timing is not something that pits pitchers against hitters, it does become a potential point of labor bargaining. The league could say to the union for the players, Sure, we can adjust the foreign substance rule a bit. What do you offer in exchange?
More than one pitcher is on record saying they are in favor of enforcement.
Its become an unavoidable topic, said Cardinals pitcher Andrew Miller. The cats out of the bag. ¦ A gray area that has been comfortably worked in for years and years, and I think that maybe were at a point (where) either the gray area was abused or all of the analytics told us more about what was happening then what we saw. Players are talking about it. Its not something that makes our sport look great, so it needs to be addressed.
But again, its not the idea of enforcing the change. Its how its being rolled out.
The number one thing is, Im surprised it happened midseason, said Pirates pitcher Steven Brault. I thought they had wait until after the season. But thats kind of the hot thing in sports right now, especially baseball. They want this to get taken care of as soon as possible. I cant really blame them. If you needed stick to pitch, maybe youre just not good enough.
No matter what, the enforcement of the rule at this time is all bad. Its Manfreds worst gaffe in the sense that it penalizes players for a system the clubs perpetuated. The timing is horrid as it creates a midseason break rather than a clean start at the beginning of a season. And there may be ulterior motives designed to be used in talks with the union for the players for a new labor agreement.
Congrats, Rob Manfred. Youve added another log to your PR nightmare pile.
