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SPORTS Friday 17 March 2023
MLB asks umpires for heightened sticky substance checks

By RONALD BLUM countable for any foreign
AP Baseball Writer substances discovered in
NEW YORK (AP) — Major any club area (e.g., club-
League Baseball is height- house, tunnel, dugout,
ening in-game inspections bullpen, etc.),” he wrote.
by umpires for banned grip “Each club must inform its
aides, concerned that use clubhouse managers and
of foreign substances by clubhouse attendants that
pitchers increased again they are obligated to re-
as time passed from a port to the general manag-
crackdown begun in June er any foreign substances
2021. that are discovered in the
“Unfortunately, spin rates clubhouse or other areas
began to rise again during of the stadium. Please note
the 2022 season and we that the pitcher’s bag and
received reports of con- bullpen bag have been a
tinued use of foreign sub- frequent source identified
stances on the field,” MLB by the Gameday Compli-
senior vice president of on- ance Monitors (“GCMs”) as
field operations Michael Hill carrying foreign substanc-
wrote Thursday in a memo. es.”
“Umpires have been in- In an effort to create more
structed to increase the fre- uniform ball conditions,
quency and scope of for- MLB made humidors man-
eign substance checks this Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale throws in the first inning of a spring training baseball datory for ball storage start-
game against the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers, Fla., Saturday, March 11, 2023.
year, including randomized Associated Press ing last season. Balls must
checks of fingers (including be kept in them for at least
removal of rings worn on Word of the crackdown the umpire determines that suspension for violating the 14 days, and Hill said the
either hand of pitchers), emerged from an owners the player was applying rule will be subject to more temperature must be set at
hands, hats, gloves, belts/ meeting on June 3, 2021, the substance to the ball in severe, progressive disci- 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21
waistlines, and pants,” Hill and heightened checks order to aid the pitcher.” pline for each subsequent degrees Celsius) with 57%
said. started that June 21. Four- MLB threatened to be violation,” Hill said. humidity, except for 65% at
“Pitchers may be subject seam fastballs averaged harsher with repeat offend- Hill threatened “severe dis- mile-high Coors Field.
to checks before or after 2,319 revolutions per min- ers. cipline” for club employees Procedures for removing
innings in which they pitch, ute through that June 2, “Players who are found to who assist players in using balls for humidors and rub-
and managers may make then dropped to 2,251 have used a foreign sub- banned grip aides. bing them with mud was
inspection requests of a for the rest of the season stance following a prior “Clubs will be held ac- standardized last June.q
pitcher or position player before rising to 2,276 last
either before or after an at- year, according to Stat-
bat.” cast data. Average veloc-
Hill sent the memo to own- ity of four-seam fastballs
ers, CEOs, team presidents, increased from 93.7 mph in
general managers, field 2021 to 93.9 mph last year.
managers and all major Only two pitchers have
and minor league players. been suspended for for-
The memo was first report- eign substances since the
ed by ESPN. checks started. Seattle’s
“Umpires also will be fo- Héctor Santiago was pe-
cused on suspicious behav- nalized that June 28 and
ior by players that suggests Arizona’s Caleb Smith that
the potential use of foreign Aug. 24, both for 10 games.
substances,” Hill wrote. “For “A player who possesses
example, if an umpire ob- or applies foreign sub-
serves a pitcher attempt- stances in violation of the
ing to wipe off his hands playing rules is subject to
prior to an inspection, the immediate ejection from
player may be subject to the game and will be sus-
immediate ejection for vio- pended automatically,”
lating the rules by attempt- Hill wrote. “If a player other
ing to conceal a foreign than the pitcher is found
substance.” to have applied a foreign
substance to the baseball
(e.g., the catcher applies
a foreign substance to the
baseball before throwing it
back to the pitcher), both
the position player and
pitcher will be ejected;
however, position players
will not be ejected for hav-
ing a foreign substance on
their glove or uniform unless