Royals catcher’s mystery shinguard substance raises questions

The New York Post ^ | October 28, 2015 | Zach Braziller

[TBP]

Harder to do that anymore, since the average life of a game ball is now 4 pitches. It gets dirty, the ump throws it out. It didn’t used to be that way.

[KC Burke]

The Royals and a pine-tar controversy? Brought up by NY? Seems like only yesterday...

[Fido969]

Reportedly, Elston Howard used to scratch up balls with his belt buckle, then throw them back.

I think if I were the pitcher, and the catcher were to scratch his balls before throwing back, I wouldn't catch the thing.

[UCANSEE2]

What about the over inflated bats ?

[jjotto]

Yes. And anything the slightest bit unusual about equipment gets scrutiny. Pine tar and rosin are allowed, so I imagine they end up in odd places.

[TimF]

I bet he’s deflating it, too.

[dfwgator]

[mware]

Tar too high up the bat cost George Brett a homerun if I recall correctly.

[lee martell]

Ask a football player named Tom Brady what Deflate-Gate means. Some learn the hard way.

[mmichaels1970]

ba DA bum!

[gr8eman]

I admit, if I was a Mets fan I would be a bit of a sore loser as well. The Mets blew that game, IMO!

[DoodleDawg]

OK so are we going to hear the New York press whine the entire World Series? The Mets lost. The Royals out-played them. Get over it.

[notdownwidems]

“It’s not illegal,” Yost said. “I don’t know what it was

Well wait a minute, if you don't know what it was how do you know whether it is illegal or not? The only way that works is if there is NOTHING that would be illegal to put there...are you telling me it would not be illegal to put, say, zyklon B gas on there? I know this guy is paid to stick up for his players but geez, use a little common sense.

[Red Badger]

But were the balls deflated?????.........................

[rktman]

Rookie. 😂

[Red Badger]

“If you ain’t cheatin’, then you ain’t tryin’ !...........

[Vigilanteman]

So am I. And considering that the average life of a baseball in the major leagues is maybe two batters, the chances of benefiting from ball doctoring versus the penalties of being caught are close to nil.

[tacticalogic]

Well wait a minute, if you don't know what it was how do you know whether it is illegal or not?

If there's a discrete list of things that are illegal, then you just need to prove that it isn't any of those things.

You don't have to know what it is to have a list of things you know it is not.

[Vigilanteman]

Elston Howard played in an era when they used maybe four or five baseballs in an entire game. Now they use that many in a single inning.

[DoodleDawg]

And if that video on the website is legit then I’m pitching game two tonight. It goes from a slightly fuzzy frontal view to an amazingly sharp and clear close-up of the shin guard. What camera was it supposed to be taken from?