MLB cracking down on spin rates

[gunnarthor]

https://nypost.com/2021/03/23/mlb-finds-new-way-to-catch-cheating-pitchers/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons

 

Essentially some teams, cough cough Astros, might have been cheating a bit too much with sticky substances to get greater spin rates so MLB is cracking down. Interesting to see if this changes the game much. Apologies if the article has already been shared elsewhere.

[Doctor Gast]

I think it'll change drastically the dimensions of the game and I'm surprised that they are doing it yet happy they are. It should benefit the Twins if it's enforced. Because I believe that they don't encourage it, not saying no Twins does it. That'll put quite a damper on Cole.

[Mike Sixel]

Interesting. I know the past, hitters have not had huge issues with stuff, since it gives pitchers better control and they don't get hit as much (IIRC).

[RedBull34]

 

I think it'll change drastically the dimensions of the game and I'm surprised that they are doing it yet happy they are. It should benefit the Twins if it's enforced. Because I believe that they don't encourage it, not saying no Twins does it. That'll put quite a damper on Cole.

Bauer too I think.

[Doctor Gast]

Bauer too I think.

There's no doubt that he was using this year. But I believe he's all for a level playing field.

But if they are checking variance of spinning rates, that means that those who have been cheating priorly will get off scott free. It'll only keep those that aren't from doing it. There must be a better way.

[dougd]

ESPN describes some of the additional things they will be doing. "Baseballs taken out of play -- both randomly and prioritized, if they exhibit signs of foreign substances -- will be inspected by a third-party lab, according to the memo. Balls will be tracked back to whoever was pitching when they were taken out of play.

Finally, game-day compliance officers will monitor dugouts, batting cages and bullpens for violations of the foreign substance rules while filing daily reports of their observations with the league office."

 

Surely a number of Twins pitchers will be affected, not just Yankees and Houston.