MLB Random Thoughts - Week 12 [6/18 - 6/24]

[Glenbino]

Rays 1979 "throwback" uniform.

[Villain]

2. It provides grip, which leads to being able to put more torque on the ball. Which leads to better breaking balls. It's the same principal as why they don't let balls with scuffs stay in play.

Except that's not proven to work.

[MVPete]

This was awesome lol.

[RyanLeaf16]

1. If you want a better grip, use the rosin bag
2. It provides grip, which leads to being able to put more torque on the ball. Which leads to better breaking balls. It's the same principal as why they don't let balls with scuffs stay in play.
3. It was kind of dumb for Peralta to try it on a team he used to play with that knew he was doing it.
4. Maddon had himself a lovely little whining session with the press afterwards

As for Archer, he pitched well. He deserved the win. If his catcher and third baseman could catch the ball, he'd probably have won.

I completely disagree.

1) There are a number of pitchers who don't like the rosin or feel that it provides adequate grip. Further, if adding better grip to hold the ball provided a competitive advantage, why is rosin even allowed on the mound?

2) It wasn't dumb. As many former players and current players have said - this is common practice and it provides no competitive advantage whatsoever.

It is an antiquated rule (regarding prohibiting pine tar as a foreign substance - I am not referring to other substances that effect the flight of the ball) that simply has been paid no attention to and therefore is still technically illegal. As a matter of fact, many people are talking about what effect it really had for Johnson to even pursue the issue. The Rays ended up getting out of the inning. Peralta's former teammaters were over hugging/talking with him prior to the game last night and per Rays sources, were apologizing for the incident all together and Johnson himself came out and said a suspension is a bit extreme for punishment. He even feels that an ejection is enough as the infraction is not all that serious. So even he appears to be back tracking on the issue as well.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I completely disagree.

1) There are a number of pitchers who don't like the rosin or feel that it provides adequate grip. Further, if adding better grip to hold the ball provided a competitive advantage, why is rosin even allowed on the mound?

2) It wasn't dumb. As many former players and current players have said - this is common practice and it provides no competitive advantage whatsoever.

It is an antiquated rule (regarding prohibiting pine tar as a foreign substance - I am not referring to other substances that effect the flight of the ball) that simply has been paid no attention to and therefore is still technically illegal. As a matter of fact, many people are talking about what effect it really had for Johnson to even pursue the issue. The Rays ended up getting out of the inning. Peralta's former teammaters were over hugging/talking with him prior to the game last night and per Rays sources, were apologizing for the incident all together and Johnson himself came out and said a suspension is a bit extreme for punishment. He even feels that an ejection is enough as the infraction is not all that serious. So even he appears to be back tracking on the issue as well.

How about we just stick to not allowing any foreign substance on the ball, so we don't have to argue about whether these substances have any effect on movement?

To me movement isn't the only issue anyway. If it provides a better grip, it shouldn't be allowed.

I think questioning Johnson's motives is fair, that was kind of a dick move, but I can't support the pitcher if he was using any sort of substance, regardless of the reason.

[MVPete]

Chris Perez chimed in on it on Bowden's radio show.

http://siriusxmsports.posterous.com/chris-perez-indians-closer-joined-jim-bowden

[RyanLeaf16]

Chris Perez chimed in on it on Bowden's radio show.

http://siriusxmsports.posterous.com/...ned-jim-bowden

Thanks for sharing. He said the same thing everyone else has been saying, it offers no competitive advantage in regards to your pitches. Per Perez, you could likely find 1-2 guys on each team, each night with pine tar on their glove if you did an unannounced random search. It's prevalent and it's really not a big deal.

[Slateman]

Nationals hustling all over the diamond and getting runs because of it.

[Rudi]

James McDonald is pretty damn good.

[Rudi]

Bryce Harper's famous phrase, "That's a clown question, bro," soon will be available on T-shirts, according to a report.

The Washington Nationals' young phenom told Comcast SportsNet on Thursday that Under Armour will begin selling T-shirts with his now often repeated catchphrase.

[Slateman]

[NAHSTE]

Welcome to Milwaukee!

[EmpireWF]

Ike Davis homer and the Mets lead 5-0 in the first.

Hell yeah

[Woy]

Where has this been over the last month, CRADS?

[Glenbino]

is going to win the AL MVP