Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Friday 6 March 2020
MLB reminding teams about sticky substance rules

By JAY COHEN "It's been going on for de- games. So it's going to be
AP Sports Writer cades, since I've known hard to say OK we can do
MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Gaylord baseball, but, hey, if they this and not that, or what
Perry threw a spitball. Joe want to enforce it, then they're actually cracking
Niekro had an emery board they're going to enforce it," down on yet."
and a piece of sandpaper. Keuchel said. Speaking in Florida, play-
Whitey Ford used his wed- "That's just the way it's going ers' association head Tony
ding ring. to be." Clark said the union has
Pitchers have been tinker- No one knows exactly how discussed the foreign sub-
ing with the ball for years in many pitchers use a for- stance rule and its enforce-
search of an advantage, eign substance to gain an ment with MLB.
skirting and — occasionally advantage, or what might "We'll have to see how that
— breaking major league result of any increased dili- manifests itself moving for-
rules in the process. But gence in the area. ward," Clark said.
they might have to work a Cincinnati Reds pitcher If MLB enforces a more strict
little harder on their decep- Trevor Bauer told HBO's interpretation of the two
tion this season. "Real Sports" for a segment rules, a safety issue could
In response to inquiries from In this Sept. 3, 1973, file photo, home plate umpire John Flaherty shown last month that develop if more batters
clubs on the topic, Major checks Cleveland Indians pitcher Gaylord Perry's cap for an il- he believes 70% of major are hit by pitches in tough
legal substance, at the request of Milwaukee Brewers manager
League Baseball recently Del Crandall, during the first baseball game of a doubleheader league pitchers use an un- weather conditions.
issued a reminder to teams in Milwaukee. allowed sticky substance Hottovy said he thinks time
about what is allowed and Associated Press on the ball. Bauer also sug- will tell about how it is going
what violates sections 3.01 gested in 2018 that pitch- to go.
and 6.02 of the Official eign substance. Rule 6.02 come up and said 'Hey, ers with the Houston Astros "I think we'll get a better
Playing Rules. The commis- prohibits the application of like we can't even carry were manipulating balls to sense of it once we start
sioner's office went over a foreign substance to the anything, I mean non-sub- increase spin rates. talking to umpires of what
possible discipline for viola- ball or even possessing a stance related, we're going "All that I've heard and they're going to be look-
tions and the duties of the foreign substance on the to get in trouble for it, we understand is that they're ing for and what are go-
umpires in those situations. mound. It also says defac- get fired,'" White Sox pitch- just going to crack down ing to trigger some of those
It also has been following ing the ball "in any manner" er Dallas Keuchel said. "I a little bit more on foreign things they're going to ask,"
up with teams on the topic is against the rules. mean I know the rule now, substance," Chicago Cubs he said, "and again, just
during spring training. The running conversation but I mean I don't know ex- pitching coach Tommy understanding whether or
Rule 3.01 says no player on the pair of rules has cap- actly the use of it. Who uses Hottovy said Thursday. not it's going to be means
shall intentionally discolor tured the attention of play- it? Who doesn't use it?" "To the extent of what that for ejection or they're just
or damage the ball by rub- ers and coaches alike this Keuchel said White Sox is and what guys can (or) going to say 'Hey, you're
bing it with soil, rosin, par- spring training. manager Rick Renteria can't use, I mean there's using something, change
affin, licorice, sand paper, "I have heard and I mean covered the situation in a rosin on the field. Guys put the glove' or whatever that
emery paper or other for- a lot of the coaches have team meeting. sunscreen on during day might be."q

MLB wants to ban in-game video, union would allow

By MARK DIDTLER definitely before opening certain criteria in place
Associated Press day. Guys would like to un- to protect the integrity of
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Ma- derstand what we're going those videos is what has
jor League Baseball has to be allowed to use and been in the proposals."
proposed banning player what we're not going to Clark said there are a num-
access to video during be allowed to use before ber of ways to implement
games, according to New opening day." it, including in-house moni-
York Yankees pitcher Zack Houston violated rules toring. The clips would not
Britton, but the union wants by using a camera in the show catcher's signs.
to allow it with protections outfield to steal catchers' "The video person would
that would prevent catch- signs during its run to the be entrusted with cutting
ers' signs from being visible. 2017 World Series title and those clips, and you would
Players' association head again in 2018. The team look to have a standard
Tony Clark met with the was fined $5 million, man- of oversight thereafter,"
Yankees for three hours ager AJ Hinch and general Clark said. "The conversions
Wednesday and discussed manager Jeff Luhnow were New York Yankees' Zack Britton delivers a pitch during the sixth we've had included that,
inning of a spring training baseball game against the Detroit Ti-
negotiations for new video suspended for one season gers Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. as well as the individual
rules in the wake of the and the team was stripped Associated Press clips sent to a central place
Houston Astros' sign-steal- of draft picks. Hinch and that allows for review, as
ing scandal. Luhnow were fired by the lowed to look over their flection of that," Clark said. well."
"Right now, MLB's proposal team, but no players were mound performance. "And that we've slid across Clark said the union is open
would be like a blackout. disciplined. "The view that the players includes access to technol- to setting rules for player
There would be no ac- MLB also is investigating have is one that is con- ogy, certain technology discipline for future tech-
cess," Britton said. "That's a whether Boston broke rules. cerned about where the during the course of the nology rules violations.
pretty extreme stance be- Under the union's propos- game is and where it's go- game. There's systems that Players will not be punished
cause of one team, that al, hitters would still be al- ing. So everything that allow for access to your at- for violations in the Boston
everyone else is punished. lowed to review video of we've slid across the table bats, and or your time on and Houston investigations,
So, hopefully, we can find their at-bats during games in regards to proposals on the mound. Having access baseball Commissioner
some common ground, but and pitchers would be al- technology has been a re- to those videos even with Rob Manfred has said.q