10:41pm: If the league attempts to punish Bauer, the union “would challenge any discipline not covered under current rules,” Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets.
8:09pm: Major League Baseball announced last month that it plans to crack down on pitchers doctoring baseballs. Now, one of the game’s highest-profile pitchers, Dodgers right-hander Trevor Bauer, is under the league’s microscope, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Bauer started against the Athletics on Wednesday, when he yielded two earned runs on 10 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. The umpires from that game have since collected multiple “suspicious baseballs” that Bauer threw, according to Rosenthal, who writes that they “had visible markings and were sticky.” As Rosenthal notes, though, the league may not be able to prove whether it was Bauer who doctored the ball, so it’s unclear whether it will discipline him.
Of course, the fact that the league’s looking at Bauer is especially intriguing when considering some of the past comments the outspoken 30-year-old has made in regards to potential cheating. He accused Astros pitchers of using illegal means in 2018 in an effort to increase their spin rate, and he then called the team “hypocrites” and “cheaters” last year.
Bauer had a career campaign in 2020 as a member of the Reds, with whom he won the National Cy Young, before signing a three-year, $102MM guarantee with the Dodgers in free agency. The returns so far have been promising, as Bauer has posted 20 strikeouts against three walks while giving up six runs on six hits in 13 innings, though this latest development is unwelcome for him and the Dodgers.
Wow. What a cheater.
This is the same Trevor Bauer that put up videos on his channel of him promoting certain substances because they’re clear and they work better. This dude uses grip and everyone knows it. Now go after all the other high profile names; don’t just out Bauer.
Let’s go Bauer!
Sticky situation for Bauer.
I mean, correct me if I’m wrong but every time a ball is hit, fouled etc. the catcher grabs a new ball from the ump, who then throws it to Bauer. Unless Bauer has something funky hidden in his glove he has no control over what balls he gets so how could he doctor them? It would be quite ballsy (for lack of a better term) to doctor them live during the game on the mound. Could it not be just pine far from a bat?
PItchers do it constantly. Some more blatantly than others.
in the 06 ws iirc kenny rodgers was called out by tlr for using “stuff” but nothing really happened other than the ump inspected rodgers pitching hand and would of been unnoticed until the announcers brought it up. long story short i don’t mind if pitchers “doctor the ball” as long as they do it on the field. i don’t mind players cheating a bit as long as both teams have the ability to cheat the same way (i.e. like doctoring a ball) but when using tech in your home stadium to get an edge unless your going to let the visiting team to use the same tech imo that’s going to far.
The thing, Kenny Rogers knew when to fold ‘em. That’s what nothing ever came of it.
And the pitchers who didn’t cheat were at a big disadvantage. Their numbers were worse and missed out on getting big contracts
Exactly!!!!! Does anyone think that there isn’t one pitcher that doesn’t doctor the ball when he pitches. Like the old saying goes “If you ain’t cheating you ain’t trying”
^Yes, been the story of the game. Change the rules, change the cheats. The spitball was legal until 1920, partially legal until 1934. In 1955 Commissioner Ford Frick unsuccessfully advocated removing the ban.
It seems that ‘substances’ either on the ball or in players has always been a part of the game, which occasionally has fans ‘shocked, shocked’ to discover this.
Frankly Gaylord Perry turned hiding his goo into part of the entertainment, watching him pitch was like watching an expert 3 card monte dealer.
Fines should be issued if there is proof, but for a good crook there usually is none.
you’re wrong
see: Kikuchi’s hat
It’s very easy for a pitcher to take pine tar out to mound or put pine tar on his hands prior to taking the mound.
As requested, sorry but you’re wrong. Throughout the history of baseball, pitchers who have cheated did so while on the field (near or on the mound). New York Yankee Michael Pineda got caught using pine tar twice, first with it on the palm of his hand and then another game on his neck. He used his hands to transfer it to the balls. Brendan Donnelly, Jay Howell and Joel Peralta had pine tar inside their gloves, making it very difficult for cameras to pick up. Julian Tavarez had pine tar on his hat, and would touch it and then touch the balls. Joe Niekro had an emery board in his pocket that he used on baseballs. Kevin Gross had sandpaper in his glove that he scraped balls with while holding them in his glove. Gaylord Perry was caught rubbing vaseline on the baseballs. Brian Moehler got caught with sandpaper taped to his thumb. Orel Hershiser had water poured down his back between innings to wet the balls on the mound. Rick Honeycutt had a thumbtack taped to his finger. And BTW how could pine tar from a bat get onto baseballs that never made contact with any bat?
If a catcher doesn’t wear batting gloves and has pine tar on his hands. Or the catcher has pine tar hidden where he reaches for it before throwing the baseball back to Bauer. Option 3 is the catcher rubbing a sticky substance inside the catchers mitt.
You’re right.
Most pitchers put tar under their glove, on their wrist.
Under the hat, or on the belt are also popular options.
i’m fine with players “cheating” as long as it’s on the field and both teams have the same opportunity to cheat, i.e. like doctoring a ball or eating greenies
Personally I think greenies should not have been banned. There’s so many legal supplements that provide energy, I don’t see the problem with it.
I knew this would happen eventually
“Crisco. Bardol. Vagisil. Any one of ‘em will give you another two to three inch drop on your curveball.”
“You put snot on the ball?”
I haven’t got an arm like yours kid, I gotta put on it anything I can find. Someday you will too.
Of course, if the umps are watching me close, I just put a little jalapeño inside my nose and get it running, and if I need to load the ball up a little, just wipe my nose.
I thought the only team/players cheating was in Houston?
Depends on your definition of cheating. Pitchers doctoring baseballs is as old as the hills.
And stealing signs has been around just as long. At many different lengths.
Cam is correct. What the Astros did was wrong, but Hank Greenberg’s 1940 Tigers (Hank admits it in his autobiography) stole signs via telescope and then relayed to hitters, and so did Wille Mays 1951 Giants. Granted, the 2017 Astros won the world series and the 1940 Tigers and 1951 Giants didn’t.
I’ve read many stories over the years saying as much.
Here’s one from this year
“When Eno Sarris of The Athletic surveyed 20 hitters, pitchers and coaches on the topic, the median answer was that “more than three-quarters” of pitchers are using something. Five respondents even went so far to say the true answer is closer to 100 percent.”
Did you hear about the angels employee? The one who gave Cole and Verlander his own blend of sticky stuff that holds up in cold.
This stuff is done by every team
Still doesn’t make it right, Guess its time to reset
“A legend in his own mind” ( Clint Eastwood). Could easily have described Bauer
his AAV and how much of a bust this contract will be are also legendary
Bauer is barely even in the top 10 in AAV in MLB.
2021/2022 is what im talking about. obviously 2023 brings it down but its pretty clear it’s just an insurance policy that Bauer would rather prefer not to pick up.
LOL
U guys dodged a bullet.lol
@despicable_you- well that’s if Bauer is found guilty. Nobody wants to play for the Mets. You have to be traded there. Nobody goes there willingly.
Lindor signed an extension…. he seems to want to play for us…..
@MetsFan22- he was traded there lst. And how he could turn all of that $ down? Lol. Playing for the Mets can’t be worse then playing for the Blue Jays. No reason why Lindor can’t do well in NY. You must be happy Bauer didn’t sign with you guys? Smh
His start in Colorado he was throwing whiffle balls, in the thin air!
Calm down, people. He hasn’t been found guilty of anything yet.
Where there’s smoke you often find fire.
You can tell the kind of tree by its fruit.
Gary 4:8
Over 90% of pitchers use sticky substances.
Increased workloads, less spin, 2021 they’re trying to break the pitchers.
I’m going to need your source for that. 90% bro ?
When Eno Sarris of The Athletic surveyed 20 hitters, pitchers and coaches on the topic, the median answer was that “more than three-quarters” of pitchers are using something. Five respondents even went so far to say the true answer is closer to 100 percent.
Works for me. Just thought that was a very high number. Nice.
Falling off that high horse is going to hurt, Trevor. Flap your arms on the way down, might slow your fall…
Calling out Bauer because he’s an outspoken conservative is what the MLB has become. It’s BS! Everyone knows that there are a lot of pitchers that use “foreign substances”, but you don’t see them being investigated. If you think otherwise, then you’re just a lying fool.
It does seem odd that the first one they’d investigate is Bauer, but I think that it’d have way more to do with his public comments on this specific matter (that shined (shown?) a bad light on MLB) than his political leanings.
Maybe it’s because Bauer said publicly that no pitcher can increase their spin rate by 400rpm without using foreign substances and then did just that in 2020.
He knows that many pitchers use it, MLB knows that many pitchers use it, and all of the players know that many pitchers use it, but Bauer is the one that’s being investigated? He’s outspoken about it, and none of the others have the balls to admit it, so he’s the fall guy. MLB is turning into the NFL/NBA and it’s sad. I love this game, but it’s getting ridiculous!
He didn’t help his case when he talked about personally using substances on an HBO documentary.
I’m conservative, but Tyler is just exhausting and unbelievably unlikeable. I’m sure he’s hardly the only conservative in baseball.
I thought he said he’s a libertarian? He has the personality of one, anyway.
when were his political leanings any part of this?
And we have our first lying fool!
i dont know jack about Bauer’s leanings, nor do I care. the guy is a whiny cheater, a Class A hypocrite, Jose Canseco 2.0. there are a lot more outspoken individuals that tend right in baseball but they arent rapidly seeing their spin rates for no good reason. probable cause enough right there even just to take a closer look.
You were first, Mr. Morgan.
Would seem the pitchers who have problems with blisters are probably using the sticky stuff
Around the same time MLB decided to peel out of Atlanta for the ASG. It is not out of the realm of possibility that while MLB was caving to the left, certain groups that pushed the ASG move could have easily said, “oh, see what you can do about Bauer.”
Wouldn’t be shocking to find out this has been in the works since before Spring Training, and they purposely waited until after his first start to target him and get inside his head.
Politics now has a home in sports. Very good chance Bauer would be defended and left alone had he be on the “proper” side of the political spectrum. This should not come as some surprise to anyone.
If the batter uses pine tar to grip the bat so he he doesn’t lose it while swinging said bat and potentially hit a player or fan, than a pitcher should be allowed to use pine tar on his fingers to grip the ball so he doesn’t hit a batter in the face. In both instances, pine tar give both batter and pitcher a grip advantage with an added safety element.
Except using pine tar on a bat does nothing to increase bat speed…
Yes it does!
Hub, try swinging a bat with less grip. Your bat speed will drop. Significantly. And bats will fly out of hands more often.
If they just randomly collected baseballs that were actually used in a game, I’d be surprised if less than half of them had some substance on them
Wake up. Some of the stuff is obviously from a bat, and some of the stuff is obviously from the dirt, and some of the stuff is obviously applied by the pitcher as an advantage.
Yep. Both pitch and batter use pine tar for grip. Advantage: Safety and Performance. Everyone wins. I guess Manfred could otherwise change the baseball, but a purest wouldn’t support that. Oh, wait!?!?!?!?
good call and accurate JW.
I’m awake, but thanks for basically substantiating my point.
1984 What?
You’re saying there’s crap on the ball, and I said it’s from the play of the game AND from pitchers. The entire point of this article and what I’m saying is that pitchers are putting substance on the ball which you should be able to see when analyzing the crap on the ball.
I didn’t think that was your point and I don’t think I confirmed anything you said. I guess I’m not clear on what you meant by “substance?” Game dirt or pitcher’s stuff that’s not allowed?
MLB will catch him and embarrass him publicly but they will not punish him. The article already says “may not be able to prove it was Bauer who doctored the ball.” MLB has no appetite for punishing cheaters.
These baseballs they have currently will not prove anything but they will now approach the mound and the baseball in his hand and have some questions during an actual baseball game.
The only good way is to punish the pitcher no matter who is messing with the baseballs. That will cut it out quick
I’m confused. Is Bauer suppose to be the pot or the kettle?
He was open about what he uses. His transparency absolves him from both.
Meh
Let him and anyone else cheat. Who cares.
Apparently everyone but you.
Apparently you don’t pay attention to this topic. He’s far from the only one, the list of those that don’t care about this include MLB hitters.
I would argue that the list of mlb hitters who don’t care that pitchers cheat is very, very small.
When it comes to using substances to help grip the ball, majority of hitters would rather that than get hit with the ball.
Ummm… because it’s cheating?
Bauer has to understand he is a pitcher. He is not allowed to have an edge of any kind. If you hit you are allowed to cheat or gain an edge. That was proven today by Conforto.
oh no! Bauer’s a victim again!
Pitchers. You shouldn’t target one player like that. It’s mean and quite vindictive.
Big Arm Guard takes another victim
Nebraska since you don’t watch games, the ball hit Conforto’s cheat pad. Keep believing the lies that arm guards don’t help hitters.
wow! a hypocrite and a cheater! its almost like he practically admitted to it on YouTube. bum.
Is this you admitting a contradiction? Because freely admitting to something and advocating for it would make him less of a hypocrite and, well, pitchers have cheated for two centuries. Stop whining.
I dont have a problem with substances, especially when you considering that reportedly 8/10 pitchers use something. IMO tho the league should set some standards like which 2 or 3 substances are ok and how it can be applied and how often. Something like a smear on tape places under hat beak or back of glove, pitchers have rosin bags on the mound.
I like strike outs and pitches with movenent thats 1 of the biggest things that drew me to the game in 2013, i love a great cutter or sinker. I think MLB wants more scoring as we seen with the juiced ball and if MLB can cut down some strike outs then obviously more balls in play.
There going after Bauer first cuz hes been so outspoken and mostly negative against the league. You would think Cole would have been the first with it coming out about him asking the angel for Goo for his Baseballs
they’re going after him because he is cheating. practically admitted to it on YouTube.
You just reiterated what he said…
the 2/10 pitchers who didnt use the stuff have been at a big disadvantage
I don’t care if other pitchers do it. Investigate them one at a time and punish them so it doesn’t happen again. Bauer is a start.
Look, I hate the guy just as much as the next guy, but we got to get out of this “guilty until proven innocent” mentality. This is the world we live in now, influenced by left/right media and looking to find guilt before anything. I’m gonna assume he did nothing as there is no way to prove he did it based on this article. Plus, even if he did, baseball didn’t punish the Astros so he should be ok to get away with it also.
Wait…
In the same post, you’re both complaining about “guilty until proven innocent” but defending “one team got away with it so nobody should be punished?”
Is that called “taking a stand?”
Baseball took away draft picks and fined the team $5M. It may not have been enough, but it was punishment.
@GBS42 that was literally the most severe punishment that the Commissioner was allowed to levy on a team. The Astros got the maximum.
Because there was nothing in the CBA about what the Astros, Yankees, and Red Sox did to electronically steal signs being against the rules nor anything about penalties for players, MLB could not penalize players for that at all.
Absurd. If Bauer slaughtered someone on the field with 50,000 fans watching & millions on TV, is he surely innocent until he goes through years of litigation to “prove it really happened” & wasn’t a figment of all our imagination?
The judicial system is created to provide *justice*. It doesn’t exist to confirm whether reality is really real.
I really did just type this message to you – it isn’t uncertain until a judge says I did. You are welcome to believe I typed this message to you in advance of the trial. That’s called being attached to reality. Thankfully, there’s still enough people in our country attached to it to allow everyone else to continue living in fantasy land.
I don’t see what they can do without catching him. The MLBPA hasn’t agreed to any discipline in this issue, especially considering they’ve tacitly agreed to allow pitchers to put substance on their fingers to help their grip. Easily over 90% of pitchers are doing something, particularly those in the colder cities this time of year. Of course, Trevor is in California! No matter. I’m not sure what Manfred is trying to accomplish here.
Maybe it’s some kind of warning ? Clean up your act because we’re going to clamp down on substances used by pitchers? Who knows?
The rule is in the books. So are the possible penalties. Fines up to $50k and suspensions up to 10 games. He can be penalized for each offense, meaning each doctored ball according to the rules.
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MLB has not tacitly agreed to anything. They have explicitly said its against the rules by sending a memo to the teams 2 straight seasons and have said they will strictly enforce the rules in both.
They now have the technology available in every MLB ballpark to measure spin rates so they have more ways to recognize what balls are being doctored.
They have also explicitly said that the only legal substance to increase grip is the rosin bag.
Its not hard to figure out what Manfred is doing here. Using substances on the ball like Bauer has admitted and even bragged that he is doing increases spin rate. Increased spin rate increases strike outs. Lowering it increases balls in play. Manfred has been vocal in saying that they want to increase balls in play to make the game more exciting for fans.
Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.
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sHoCkEr
I wonder how much Manfred is paying MLB’s professional ball inspector…..
I’ll see myself out.
“Why of course I know him. He’s me.”
I hear he got a professional ball inspector from Avenida Revolucion.
Astros beat reporter broke the story
Funny, first comment on the MLBs announcement called out Bauer.
and the shame is he’ll get a slap on the wrist and that’ll be it. personally, the substances are trivial to me, but if it’s illegal there is no reason they shouldn’t be taking it seriously enough to consider it PEDs lite. that’s the desired effect after all.
You went from “trivial to me” to “PEDS lite” in a matter of 19 words.
That’s a pretty impressive feat .
Pitchers going down to TJS at least once a week and this is what triggers you D?
Priorities. If anything Bauer might’ve helped keep pitchers healthy with his philosophy. Glad to know you are pro-arm injuries.
Well yes a guy like him as dumb as him nobody shld expect any better
“Have since collected several suspicious baseballs”. Uh, there’s this thing called “chain of custody” that is critical if you want to prove someone guilty. You can’t collect balls after a game and claim they are suspicious when other hands have touched them since he did. The freakin bat boy could have been picking his nose and then grabbed one. Manfred isn’t happy that Bauer is so outspoken so you can’t trust that this isn’t payback.
ah, the Ryan Braun defense. best way to help the integrity of the game.
Yeah, it doesn’t help like arbitrary enforcement of rules does…that’s the real key to integrity. I don’t know why you hate Bauer, but you sound incredibly petty throughout this entire comment section.
This is not going to a court of law where rules of evidence apply.
Trevor said in one of his vlogs that a lot of pitchers have done doctoring baseballs in the past. and they never get caught for doing that. I wouldn’t be surprise if Bauer does not receive a suspension for doctoring baseballs..
the league said this offseason though that they plan to go harder on it. he can thank himself for making them more aware that people are breaking the very rule he’ll be first to get caught for.
Let’s see how MLB and Bauer can handle the situation.
Manfred won’t do it
Sunscreen on the forearm hit it a few times with the rosin bag and you have a clear sticky substance and all you have to do is touch your forearm to get a grip
Legalize pine tar. Takes all the other substances out of the equation.
It at least puts the heat on the creep.
He’s to outspoken, getting framed
MLB is the Deep State, and they’re after Trevor Bauer.
If he gets caught couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
He’s a tool bag. Can’t believe the Dodgers signed him.
Oh how the turned tables…
If they’re going to enforce it, the only way to make it work is to have the pitcher suffer the consequences. no matter who is doctoring the baseball.
Legalize it. We all played wiffle ball.
If they’re going to enforce it, they’re about to suspend a ton of pitchers in baseball
True. Amnesty for all. Lol
Or pitchers could just, you know, stop using illegal substances.
Pine tar helps a pitcher grip a baseball. Have you ever been hit in the face with a baseball? My guess is no, you haven’t. Have you ever played competitively. Again, my guess is no, you haven’t. Pine tar is all over the baseball field but not allowed on a pitchers fingers to control the ball. Stupid rule and stupid take. Way to go, Astro fan!
Look up the history of the spitball and why it was banned and you’ll see why pitchers shouldn’t be allowed to use pine tar.
Bauer is editing his new video to make an attack on Manfred as we speak. It should be released any time soon and yes he’ll deny the accusation all the way.
Profiling in my opinion because of his comments. I’ll laugh hysterically if they can’t prove anything, I mean c’mon…he knew he’d be a target. Also, funny how Rosenthal throws all these extras in his report like, multiple baseballs (I heard one), and they allegedly had scuffs and were “sticky”. So the officials allowed this baseball writer that loves throwing a bunch of crap at a wall hoping something will stick to inspect the baseball(s) they confiscated? Please…
Not saying Rosenthal is a 100% correct, but he is likely to have better sources than someone posting anonymously in the comments section of a niche site
Bauer puts a giant target on his back all the time. Loves the attention. I appreciate eccentric and quirky players, but Bauer seems like a self-centered tool.
I don’t buy the guy was cheating. He’s obviously a very easy target for someone like Manfred. He doesn’t fit the mold of what the league wants and it’s no surprise that he’s the first pitcher targeted under these new policies.
Bauer himself said that a pitcher cannot improve his spin rate by 300rpm without using illegal substances. He then increased his spin rate by 300rpm for 1 inning in 2018. Then in 2020 he increased his spin rate by 400rpm.
He himself said that it is impossible to do without using foreign substances.
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One thing you have to admit about Trevor is that he’s smarter than the average MLB player. He knew this new policy was coming and wouldn’t put anything on that baseball after signing a guaranteed deal. I know exactly what you’re talking about and I’d be stunned if anything is found on that baseball unless someone else put it there.
Trevor Bauer is an American baseball hero. Plays to win, and is honest about it, even saying how he does it.
MLB has allowed this and much more/worse for years. For you purists out there, competition breeds the seed to win. You don’t like it, stop watching sports.
Everyone in sports/life is looking for an edge to win. Duh.
Haha American hero.
The guy is probably the biggest narcissist in the sport.
Really — what MLB player making $15M+ a year is not?
Conforto?? Edge to win? MLB investigate? Nope.
Conforto incident should have sparked baseball purists like Bob Costas to take a look at arm padding and how it has helped change the way the game is played.
It won’t happen.
@gigorilla what is there to investigate? The play wasn’t reviewable, the umps conferred and the ump even said he blew the call. That’s it, the game is over.
How bout them Stros?
Go Stros!
They should check Kimbrel’s with the obvious pine tire on his hat.
No one cares about Kimberly anymore because he can’t throw a good enough fastball anymore.
Knowing how Bauer is, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was just doing this on purpose to keep Manfred honest and make sure mlb sets a standard for doctored balls.
Half the negative comments are coming from sour Mets fans because Bauer decided not to sign with them, now they’ve got they’re excuse to bag on him.
What a shock, mlb was watching Bauer’s start. What a crock
Let’s just suspend 4/5’s of everyone’s rotation! What could go wrong!?
When you admit on HBO that you are using illegal substances then yeah MLB is going to be watching you. Not a surprise.
And when it comes back inconclusive, it’ll look like they targeted him and lose all credibility in this regard
Or… we’re about to watch a whole lotta AAA pitching as guys start falling like flies to suspensions. Either way manfred will look like a joke
Oh I’m sure they won’t punish him. The article as much as said so. They are just sending him a message: cut it out.
And by cut it out, do you mean using substances, or talking about it? Seeing as how they haven’t publicly accused anyone else, it’d seem they don’t actually care about the former.
Bauer admitted it publicly. It is likely a huge part of the reason he got such a big contract. That’s why MLB is after him. If you want to make a point that cheating is not okay you go after the spokesman.
Honestly. It just means cheat better
I’ve watched countless games- dodger and otherwise- when guys arms are still shinning like a polished car. I just don’t see the reason to blow this up when it’s such a known not secret, and it’s not PEDs. (I know you are basically saying same thing, just closing my thought)
My guess is they’ll investigate and “fail to find anything substantial.” Bauer has basically already said I’m cheating and I’ll also name names of everyone else. MLB doesn’t want to open this particular can of worms so they’ll do what they always do, ignore it.
Shocker! No Way the insane jump in spin rate from 2019-2020 was caused by a foreign substance lol. But let’s not throw Bauer under the bus. I’d guess that 80% of pitchers use some sort of foreign substance. Most hitters don’t mind because they are less likely to get a 100 mph pitch to the dome.
I quess this explains how Bauer went from a 4.0 ERA pitcher to a 2.0 era pitcher
So did he just randomly try using it in 2018 then stop for 2019 and 2020?
Actually he did. He did it for 1 inning to make a point to mlb. MLB did not listen. In 2020 I’m guessing Bauer just figured “if you can’t beat ’em join ’em.”
The Dodgers are Cheaters. Plain and simple. Ban them from the league.
It’s not a Dodgers thing, it’s a Bauer thing. He was doing it last year with Cincinnati.
You must have missed the article that said 75% of the league is doing the same thing
How do you think Lamet magically improved his command? Are you that naive to think the Padres are immune??
“If the league attempts to punish Bauer, the union ‘would challenge any discipline not covered under current rules,’”
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but that’s the reason Manfred did not and COULD not punish the Astros players. So might want to quit whining about it and demanding it. It’s the union, and they do it for everyone. Yes, including all of your favorites.
And accurate and reasonable point.
Section 6.02(c)(4) of the rulebook states “The pitcher shall not apply a foreign substance of any kind to the ball.”
Section 6.02(c)(7) states “The pitcher shall not have on his person, or in his possession, any foreign substance.”
Section 6.02(d)(1):penalty-“The pitcher shall be ejected immediately from the game and shall be suspended automatically. In National Association Leagues, the automatic suspension shall be for 10 games.”
Bauer has said it himself the best are using the clear has he not? He’s not a cheater he just joined the rest of the elite. More so its been know he and Cole were not exactly pals at UCLA and I’m sure he has no problem letting everyone know why Cole has had the success he has in the MLB. He basically announced he was going to great in 2020 and was. Are you a cheater if you announced you were going to join the rest of the pitchers using the clear. The Angels aren’t too happy with their fired vistor clubhouse manager that supposedly supplied opposing teams with the best clear around. Wheres are the nail file Niekros and spitball Perry’s now! Goo Angels!
He said he’s cheating and he said everyone is cheating so he’s not cheating?
Has that kind of logic ever worked for you with anything?
Don’t believe the man ever said he was cheating. He proved there is something you can use to increase spin rate. Which makes you successful. Baseball is a game of getting ahead. Everyone has there up. Pine tar. Steroids. Cocaine. Trash cans.
I wish I believed this was actually baseball trying to deal with a problem rather than just looking like they’re doing something by investigating an obviously guilty player for someone a lot of them do in one way or another. But until Rob Manfred demonstrably does something in good faith I’m just going to assume the worst about every word and every action.
If you think MLB had to give the astros immunity to prove that they cheated you are not paying attention. Any investigator worth their salt could have proved that without statements from the players. MLB obviously made a deal with the players to save face and not to find the truth. I expect MLB to come out hard at Bauer for substances on the ball. You can cheat in a World Series, but by god, let’s not have a better grip on the baseball.
Thank God Bill weighed in with the update that the league has a CBA and a union and that there is a thing called the law.
I was worried they might take him out back and shoot him without due process and that’s just not OK!
Close one!
Who else would have doctored them? The Left Fielder?
Anyone on the field on could put something on the baseball. We still don’t know that anything was even on the ball but most people want to put Bauer in the guillotine. It’s just pure bias backed up by nothing but hate of his sometimes polarizing opinions.
The next time he steps in the batters box he needs a 94 MPH, pine tar coated baseball to the sternum
Why? Because he was the first player who was effected by routine ball inspections that we’ll see throughout the season?
In cold weather most hitters actually don’t mind and even prefer that pitchers do anything to get a better grip on the ball so they don’t lose control of a 90+ mph fastball coming in at their head.
Dang, the MLB is so bad that they’re making me a Trevor Bauer fan. Of course the most outspoken, anti- Manfred pitcher was the first one to get his ball inspected. I bet there is nothing on it and if there is I don’t believe that Trevor put it there.
there was a sticky substance on the ball.. like the sap from trees in the spring mixing with the rosin.. and scuff marks.. like the ball scrapped the laces of the catchers mitt at 100 mph.. after the glove had been in the dirt… in this day and age.. no video no proof.. I mean its not like he was Joe Niekro caught with sand paper and an emery board..
Nothing happens to Astros players but they are good boys and don’t speak out against Manfred. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that the most outspoken pitcher against Manfred in baseball is the first one targeted under these new policies.
What do the Astros players have to speak out against? They weren’t punished at all. If anything they should be sending flowers to Manfred for his fumbling of their cheating punishments – all the hitters who used “the system” would have gotten a lifetime ban if a different commissioner was in power.
doctoring the human body and the baseball are as old as the game itself.. They were cocaine addicts laying baseball in the 1880’s all nice in legal drinking coca-cola.. and it didn’t change.. when speed came along players took speed, when Steroids came along they took steroids.. and I;ll bust a few bubbles Steroids were popular in the 1940’s starting in Muscle beach.. and straight to the MLB.. How come players Like Maris had such a gigantic spike and why did he lose those curly locks he was famous for.. was it radiation poisoning or was it steroids.. ? Gee Mr. Mantle.. why did you end up in the hospital with a Needle stuck in your hip after a shot from Dr. Feelgood?… Read between the lines… this is the chronicle of one event.. one of many treatments from trainers and “Doctors” commonly administered in those days.. grantland.com/features/the-last-boy/
Greenies were literally meth. Breaking Bad could have been set in the 1970s and Walter White could have been MLB’s biggest supplier – would anyone watch that? I probably would!
No it isn’t “literally” meth lol. It’s an amphetamine but it’s not methamphetamine. I’ve taken dextroamphetamine for over 15 years starting in middle school because of ADD. Methamphetamine is extremely more neurotoxic then dextroamphetamine or methylphenidate. There is a huge difference in the drugs. Don’t mean to be mean but people need to learn the difference or learn the definition of “literally”.
Pitchers who get caught are looking at an ejection and a 10 game suspension. Not exactly a big deal.
So basically just one start missed. And MLB thinks that is some sort of deterrent? Hilarious.
This guy has always been a garbage human being
Can you prove he did it @2dm04
He is just a moron. He acts like he is a gift to sports and poop doesnt stink. Guilty or not still garbage human. Especially after BS he pulled with supposedly signing with Mets. Just a dic.
And of course that time when he threw the ball over the Centerfield Fence.
Or he’s proving a point and you’re too stubborn to acknowledge it
Maybe they should cancel Bauer and move him to Colorado.
And I thought his success was all because he could pitch with one eye closed. Guess I was wrong.
“Bauer hates the guy I also hate so I will not only defend his cheating, I will cheer it!!!”
Probably noteworthy that Bauer’s name is attached to this, only because….well, it’s Bauer. Venturing a guess these aren’t the first balls tossed out for inspection, and this leads to NOTHING.
Lol I’ve never seen a sport self destruct like baseball. Whether the baseball was doctored or not Bauer will always be accused of it now. Not sure why this information got out….I guess it’s just Manfred playing politics again, he’s just so good at it that he couldn’t help himself.
The MLB isn’t even dying anymore, it’s flat out dead. I can’t say whether I will ever come back to it or not one day either. Right now it almost sounds like a harsh punishment to be forced to sit down and watch a full game. It’s just such an awful product on the field and when they chose to play politics it was the nail in the coffin and made it a chore to follow the MLB.
I can rant about all the problems with the game, it would go on for a while. But what’s the point? The ones who are in control of baseball don’t give two craps about the product on the field. It’s just easier to say bye Felicia.
Ducky, it’s been fun catching up and happy things are going well for you. Maybe one day our paths will cross again.
Bye Felicia
Have a nice trip. Baseball is alive and well, you just want it to return what it was when you were young and it never, ever will. Remember when Kevin Gross got caught cheating in 1987? No different to now with Bauer. Baseball is closer to being exactly the same as it was in the 80s but because its like, 3% different, old people who hate change think the sky is falling.
“I can rant about all the problems with the game, it would go on for a while.”
All those “problems” aren’t problems at all. There are no problems. See ball, hit ball until both teams have made 27 outs – that still is happening all day every day this summer. Shame you can’t see the good things. Baseball and MLB is the best game and league in the world, period. The problem is fans like you who are toxic and have this impossible idea of what their vision of a “perfect” game is, it’s a one that will never exist and you want to impose it on the rest of us, who do not agree with you. I want more home runs, I want more K’s, I see so many commenters here hating on hitters for striking out “too much”, then complaining pitchers are bad because they don’t strike out enough guys, all in the same breath, give me a break…
Cant wait to see who flips their bat today, have fun doing whatever you’re doing…
The fans baseball has lost over time disagrees with you, UK.
Yup, the game is fine. I don’t pay much attention to what is trending, because this is the same as every other sport. 3,000 yards passing in FB use to be a magical mark. Now it means nothing. The mid-range jumper in basketball has almost disappeared.
Why? Because everyone adapts to what the other guy does, One day, it’ll be slugging. Then OBP. Then BP arms that throw 100 mph. One day they will teach prospects how to bunt, and that’ll kill the shift. Pitchers will figure out who the high-launch guys are and feed them sinkers.
Let the sport evolve and grow.
Any check to see what Meaghan Markle thinks about this?
this is fake news. mlbtr is just testing the news comment rules before they take affect.
I’m just surprised the comments haven’t been cut off
Crisco vagasile what ever I can find.
Pitchers doctoring baseballs is one thing, but being a total, vocal, hypocrite is another.
Breaks my heart to see this happen to a real class act like Bauer.
I knew the A’s weren’t this bad!
(just kidding, I know they even won that game – I also know that they are indeed, pretty bad right now)
It Happens Every Spring (1949).
The Major League references have made my morning.
“You tryin’ to say JC can’t hit a curveball?”
Dodgers fan, but not a Bauer fan. If the umpires found “…visible markings and were sticky…” during the game why didn’t they raise the issue at the time? Did the A’s ask the umpires to check the balls, or were they directed by MLB to collect balls based on statcast spin rates from opening day? Leaking Bauer’s name gives the appearance of an MLB vendetta. Attempting to discipline him will open the equivalent of Pandora’s box as you can be sure that the Dodgers will have umpires check the baseballs of opposing pitchers with high spin rates.
Not a Bauer fan either, but this is not how investigations should play out. Same with DV, same with drug abuse, same with PEDs. Investigate everyone if you want, but nothing goes public until you have found someone guilty.
so you mean the news should stay out of people’s business because MLB did not say anything Ken Rosenthal (a reporter that reports for a news papers on baseball but is not paid by mlb in any way) did.
MLB whom is doing the investigation did not announce or say anything on this subject and nobody probably would know anything if it wasnt for reporters.
The major leagues work on a favored team basis. The yankees and the dodgers are clearly two of those favored teams. So when Roger Clemens is wearing a Red Sox uniform in the postseason he is thrown out of the game for bickering, but when he’s wearing a yankee uniform and throws a piece of a broken bat at a Hall of Fame player wearing a Mets uniform, the umpires just laugh it off and tell him to not do that. When a fan reaches out and catches a ball at Wrigley Field it’s just another foul ball but when a fan reaches out and catches a ball at yankee stadium it’s a home run. When Jeremy Giambi crosses the plate ahead of the tag from Posada, the ump instinctively calls him out in a fraction of a second with a brief sidelong glance and without even so much as a second thought. And so it goes. So when the yankees are pulling as many sign stealing shenanigans for years as the Astros did in one season, it’s crickets, but now we have fans throwing garbage cans on the field and still complaining about the Astros players not being banned from baseball. So it’s not just MLB, its even the fans. People want favoritism. It gives them something to whine about (ya think?) when their team doesn’t win.
Do you think if this happened when he was on the Reds or the Indians, he would not have been tossed in a heartbeat? You know that would have happened.
I want and love players that show emotion and personality but for some reason Bauer p*sses me off sooooo much lol.
He acts as if hes the best pitcher on the planet after having a 1 great season in a 60 game sample size, against all teams in the NL central with pretty bad offenses as a whole…
MLB is a joke! Also what happened to the pitch clock:? I am sick of 60 seconds between every pitch.
Until baseball forces hitters to keep a foot in the box while taking signs this will continue. Remember, baseball rule changes are made to destroy the pitcher and aid the hitter. If not allowing hitters to play with their gloves, uniform, performance-enhancing arm protection or with themselves hinders the hitter it will not be enforced.
Then there wouldn’t be a need for a clock.
MLBTR, I would love to see a poll set up for reader’s opinion of Manfred’s decisions up until this point.
Can someone please tell me how / why the AL has a DH and why the NL does not?
When did it start and why does it take a “new CBA” to get it for both sides?
It makes a HUGE advantage for the AL
Cause AL like boring games.
Well if he was cheating he wasn’t cheating very well since the Dodgers lost and it was the A’s only win of the year.
Deface-gate
Bauer also posted this video recently too which makes the fact that he’s being investigated even more intriguing –
youtube.com/watch?v=8eYGKz278jY
Manfred is destroying baseball
Bauer’s about to receive more punishment than any of the Astros received for cheating.
That’s gotta sting.
I hear he scuffs them on a garbage can.
It would be hilarious if Bauer, who loves to pontificate about his prodigious knowledge about the physics of throwing a baseball, turns out to be no smarter than Gaylord Perry.
I doubt if he’s as smart as Jay Hook.
After receiving a master’s degree in thermodynamics, Hook retired in 1964 at age 28.
He wasn’t a very good pitcher but he was very smart.
Bauer is foolish for waving the “red flag” in front of the Bull that is MLB.
The league may be looking to make an example of Bauer. Rules against cheating and penalties are “selectively enforced against MLB and NFL players and teams.
The Yankees got a “free pass” winning multiple titles with roided up players who were openly and blatantly cheating on a daily basis,
The Astros cheating was minor in comparison to the Yankees steroid loaded up rosters.
MLB is hypocritical in the enforcement of its “rules”.
The Players Union will have a lot to say if the Commish and Ownership try to scapegoat Bauer.
qb texans watson?
Not really. The rule is in the books. So are the possible penalties. Fines and suspensions up to 10 games are both named. He can be penalized for each offense, meaning each doctored ball according to the rules. They could throw the book at him or they could just fine him. But a $50k fine won’t mean much to a guy making $40 million per season, so expect some 8-10 game suspensions after the first fines are given..
Not a Bauer or Dodger fan, but tbvh, umps can clearly tell immediately on the field if a baseball’s been tampered with. The fact that they had to take the ball out of play to “analyze” it somewhere else sounds very fishy. Sounds more like MLB is trying to find something than there actually being anything.
I wonder if one of his teammates crawled through the ductwork to replace the confiscated balls with ones that were clean.
Yes, you can see something on the ball right away, but I think they want to see what the substance consists of. Since that trainer got busted for his rosin and sunscreen and whatever mixture. MLB probably want to see if there is a new batch of stuff out there which you can’t tell by looking at the ball.
Manfred’s probably thinking of a way to turn this situation into a disaster like everything else he touches.
Bauer isn’t a hypocrite and here’s why: when he pointed out the obvious and ridiculous cheating taking place, the presumption had to have been “okay, fans, MLB, MLBPA, Umps and GMs will see this and action will be taken and people won’t be rewarded.” Instead, Cole got that contract and no one so much as flinched. So, the feeling he’s gotta be left with is, “fine. This must not be cheating. Time for me to see where I land in the pecking order with all things being even.”
Rules are only rules if enforced otherwise they’re built in disadvantages whereby the naive become victims.
Here comes the 4+ era. Issue him a warning, with clear consequences going forward.
The same for all players.
manfred just issued a statement:
“using the latest statcast technology, we have determined that umpires setting aside sticky baseballs will extend the length of games by an average of 17 seconds. this is detrimental to pace-of-play and requires a corrective action. effective immediately, games that are tied at the end of 9 innings will be decided by rock-paper-scissors. in order to maintain pace of rock-paper-scissors play, choices will be restricted to rock or paper. also, i’m an idiot.”
The rule is in the books already. Both the crime and the punishments. What can the MLBPA say if the player is suspended or fined? Not a thing.
Maybe Bauer shouldn’t have told the world and MLB how he was cheating.
Is he the only one involved in the Dodgers organization? Yeah, right!
The league has openly “doctored the ball” this year and in years past, to curb the home runs. In the past, to aid offensive output.
It’s got real taste of hypocrisy, to try to go after a pitcher trying to grip a ball better, the same year the league has changed the ball. MLB will allow pine tar on a bat. Is it not used to improve the grip in the bat used to hit the ball? Whats good for the goose…?
He all but acknowledged he was using some form of illegal tac last season. This could turn him into the most expensive mid-rotation starter in MLB. Now let’s see what happens the next time Cole pitches for the yankees.
Yeah, didn’t he say that since everyone else cheats so does he. But now he is complaining that they look into him when he says he is cheating. Also, I hate how before he even got caught he preemptively said they can’t prove that he put anything on the ball bc it could have come from anyone in the field. I never paid attention to him before but now I know I shouldn’t care. He’s a heel.
Has 6 runs in 13 innings always been good?
No, but he currently leads MLB in Ks. That’s usually good
A couple 2 run shots in the 7th inning at Coors hardly negate that he has been very very good for the majority of the time he’s been out there. That’s right, 4 of the 6 runs he’s allowed are from 1 single Coors inning. He’s been great so far really, one inning aside.
MLB’s feeble and vindictive move to take attention off their bumbling of the All Star game.
Ahhhh yes you can just hear the MLB “Wheel of Fortune” warming up. The issue isn’t really about Bauer maybe doctoring the balls, and that the game umpires although noting issues with the balls did nothing during the game even though they had the authority.
The real issue is what penalty will it stop on when the wheel stops., 8 men banned for life for conspiring to fix a W/S, an average manager but a great player banned for life for betting on games not as a player but as a manager, two executives banned for life for violating international drag rules, a manager and and general manager, get suspended for a year (60 game season) for cheating to fix games which lead to their team winning the W/S. Numerous players suspended for Domestic Violence allegations despite the fact they weren’t either charged or convicted in a court of law.
MLB has no crediibility in dealing with offences or penalties, its just all up to the WHEEL.
The real hypocrisy is not with the players but rather with MLB Head Offices. They have absolutely no standards as to how rules are applied.
You have players and exec’s suspended for life for gambling or alleged cheating, and you have other players and exec’s who have done far worse and basically got a slap on the wrist or nothing at all.
MLB brags about its Drug Policy. There have been PED around for decades. MLB only developed their drug policies when the USA Congress became involved and forced the issue.
MLB talks about its Domestic Violence Policies. But this only came about as a result of the other major sports (particularly NFL) taking action. And while I agree that there should be a policy around Domestic Violence as a former Police Officer I find their methods of investigation and punishment disgusting.
As for cheating. You pay a player millions of dollars per season and give him long term contracts you expect him to perform at a high standard and win you games. He knows this and he’s going to seek out every advantage and edge he can find to win.
Someone here quoted these rules:
Section 6.02(c)(4) of the rulebook states “The pitcher shall not apply a foreign substance of any kind to the ball.”
Section 6.02(c)(7) states “The pitcher shall not have on his person, or in his possession, any foreign substance..
Great rule right clear cut ?
Umpiire throws the ball to the pitcher. Pitcher then throws to the catcher or 1st baseman in the normal routine of play. Catcher or 1st baseman scuffs the ball or loads it up with some substance and lightly tosses it back.
MLB needs to examine all their rules and policies, make them clear cut as to time frame of investigation, penalties and treat everyone the same.