TODAY: The league officially announced that Smith has been suspended for 10 games, and will be fined. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Smith won’t file an appeal, so his 10-game absence begins with tonight’s game against the Yankees.
JUNE 13: Mets reliever Drew Smith was ejected by first base umpire Bill Miller in the seventh inning of tonight’s matchup with the Yankees. Smith had been called upon to enter the game but was tossed before throwing a pitch after umpires checked him for foreign substances.
Smith is the third pitcher of the season to be ejected for foreign substances, each of whom has come from the two teams involved in tonight’s contest. Mets ace Max Scherzer was thrown out of a start in April, while Yankees starter Domingo Germán was ejected last month.
A foreign substance ejection comes with an automatic 10-game suspension. It’s likely MLB will formally levy that ban on Smith tomorrow. The righty will have the ability to appeal, though that would be heard by a league official. Neither Scherzer nor Germán pursued an appeal; both pitchers served out the suspension before returning to the roster.
Players suspended for an on-field rules violation cannot be replaced on the roster. Assuming Smith is indeed suspended, the Mets will have to play with a 25-man roster for a week and a half.
They’ll also be down one of their better high-leverage arms. The 29-year-old has a 4.18 ERA across 23 2/3 innings. He’d posted a 3.33 mark through 46 frames last year, however, and he’s striking hitters out at an above-average 27.7% clip. Smith has picked up a pair of saves and held eight more leads this year.
Hey! It wasn’t Phil Scuzzi this time!
No way he could cheating with those numbers
He probably used his numbers as inspiration
He gonna get sent to the principal office, Manfred about to give Smith the stink eye.
Put him on double-secret probation.
Well this sure seems like a… sticky situation.
If you are a Yankee though, you can wash your hands.
Apply the dang rule equally or forget it.
Yeah, I was wondering that myself, even Scherzer had a chance to wash his hands before his ejection, why didn’t Smith? I honestly don’t understand these rules.
So do pitchers get a warning and told to wash, or do they just get ejected? If there is a rule, it needs to be enforced by a uniform method. It can’t vary team by team or ump by ump. Why give cheating players the opportunity to feel wronged?
If i understand correctly they are allowed an alcohol wash if umpire suspects them of sticky stuff. If he is sure then no wash. The alcohol wash is supposed to remove rosin but leave petroleum based substances. If hands are sticky after wash then its more than just rosin. That was in a story earlier this year and if i remember correctly it was the max scherzer incident.
What to learn here? Don’t come out of the dugout with sticky stuff on your hands even if it’s rosin. Its against the rules to apply ANYTHING to your hands unless it’s from the rosin bag that’s on the mound.
Rosen from the bag combining with the sweat on your arm can get you ejected too. We saw that with Hector Santiago
So careful with the Rosen bag when you get to the mound too
Better to just not touch anything, I think
If you use the rosin bag on the mound, you are fine.
All the ejections this year have been as the pitcher left the dugout. Meaning they put rosin or other sticky substances on in the dugout.
I DO believe that there is an issue with players doctoring the rosin in the dugout between innings/before games. I think there is a “whaaaaaa?!? It’s just rosin!” slightly juvenile approach from some of these players.
Like, we get that it’s just rosin, but if you are sitting there applying it like it’s baby powder on the bench, mixing with water, sweat and having to do it OFF CAMERA; that’s a rightful ejection.
It’s not a mystery, Scherzer said that he washed his hands with alcohol. The problem is that when the rosin contacts alcohol it becomes more sticky than normal.
@sodomojo. Exactly. I would love for the mlb to say “Okay, you are adamant it’s just rosin. How about he take a sample and lab test it? If we are wrong then we will take the black eye, but if it’s not just rosin then you have to accept a harsher punishment”.
Then watch every team be forced to fire and replace locker room attendants as they become the scapegoat.
Is it time for the fire sale yet? I’m sure there will be a few teams lined up to pay pennies on the dollar. Most costly fail in the history of sports, & we’re only in June!
Baseball can change quick. Mets look pathetic right now, but we’d all be foolish to count them out. That 3rd WC is up for grabs.
Last year, the Yankees were playing like .700 ball (or like this year’s Rays) until the ASB and then fizzled out with injuries. Lots of season left.
Exactly.
Way to make the 3rd wild card the goal! I’m sure that’s what Cohen had in mind during his spending spree!
The goal is the World Series. I’m not saying the 3rd wild card should be the goal, but it’s a way in. The division title does not seem feasible at the moment. The Braves are so much better, but there’s still hope, especially with the wild card.
Exactly. The way the playoffs are designed now, any team that makes it in can get to the World Series. Prime example is the Phillies last year or the Braves in 2021. You just need to get hot at the right time.
Why is it so bad that the richest owner in baseball chose to take a shot at an expensive roster of old guys? He didn’t want to trade away the farm. He wants to attempt to build it. Money he has in abundance, prospects he has not. Just seems logical.
@CaseyHiggins
Exactly. Steve Cohen is smart enough to understand this. He has actually said it several times.
If its prospects he doesn’t have but wanted, then he should have traded what he could have and rebuilt instead of wasting all the money and assets on this ancient disaster of a roster
They limited their ability to get a better farm system, and blocked all the kids with way over priced old guys with limited upside if they are ready to get experience.
The Mets did nearly the dumbest thing they could do on both the competing and rebuilding fronts
@darkstar
Why would they have traded assets coming off a 101 season? Has any team ever done that? As long as they didn’t trade away top prospects, they did the right thing. If they are still a mess this trade deadline, then I would agree that they should sell, and aquire any young talent or lottery tickets.
Problem is the Mets have no interesting rental trade assets. Except maybe D-Rob but he’s a little pricey for what you get.
@legendary
That’s why the Mets eat all of his contract. Same with Carrasco, Canha, Escobar and Pham. Just get something (anything) for them, the money is spent either way.
Those dudes don’t have much on-field value. And Canha has a club option for 2024.
Mets keep cheating yet are still 3 games out of the wild card LOL. highest payroll for what?
Let me rework that thought:
The Mets are 3 games out of the Wild Card despite having the highest payroll and cheating.
Let me rework that thought:
The Mets are just 3 games out of the Wild Card despite having the highest payroll, cheating, and the 3rd most player days on the IL.
Wtf happened to Scherzer’s slider?
Both starters were terrible tonight.
Father time remains undefeated.
He had the sticky stuff taken away and it don’t slide no more.
Lolmets
The Queens air makes people naturally sticky. No cheating here.
It’s all the burning Canadian fir trees sending that sticky smog southward.
So you’re saying it was atmospheric pine tar
I think a suspension would be uncalled for in this case. He was ejected before he ever impacted the game. I can see suspending pitchers that actually pitch in games with foreign substances, but when the ump just stops a pitcher from entering it doesn’t affect the game in any way.
Suspensions aren’t based on one’s impact of the game. He will be suspended for “breaking” the rule. They need to change this next year instead having an umpire judging what is and isn’t too sticky, there needs to be some kind of standard.
It does effectively alter a team’s bullpen management. One reliever could be having a scheduled off-day and is now suddenly in the game. That burdens the entire pen. The point is to deter teams from using sticky stuff. I’m all for the auto suspension and not being able to use the roster spot.
News release from the commissioner’s office: “Manfred to add pre-tacked baseballs into the major leagues next season. Pitchers found not using the tacky baseballs will be suspended for ten days.”
So hiflew – a guy leaves a bar with an .30 BAC, stumbles into his car, starts it, and before he can drive anywhere, passes out at the wheel.
In your world he gets no punishment, because, he never was on the road or impacting public safety.
Right?
That is not exactly right. Give the guy a PI, but if you don’t D, regardless of intent, then you shouldn’t get a DUI.
Take that same guy and have him stumble to the car and pass out on the hood with the same intention of driving. What happens there?
Or what about the same guy that stumbles to his car on a chilly night with zero intention of driving, starts it for the heat and attempts to sleep it off in the car. What about that?
There are hundreds of different scenarios that can come from your analogy. Do they all deserve the same harshest punishment?
@hiflew Yes. In many cases they do. The punishment is meant to act as a preventive measure. Obviously the punishment can increase based on impact, but at the very least the base punishment (in this case 10-game suspension) should absolutely be the same for everyone regardless of impact.
“Or what about the same guy that stumbles to his car on a chilly night with zero intention of driving, starts it for the heat and attempts to sleep it off in the car. What about that?”
This should absolutely be punished accordingly. If it wasn’t everyone would be using this excuse. If intoxicated, get warm somewhere else.
I agree with von purple.
It’s called a zero tolerance policy. There have been a handful, literally, of millions in the DUI scenario that has an intestinal infection where bacteria were manufacturing alcohol amd it made them have a BAC without a drop to drink. Fascinating story, true if you look it up, but incredibly rare. They had to fight to figure out how it happened to them after being charged, and, once the medical evidence was in, weren’t guilty of crime.
Otherwise, you choose to drink. Make plans. Get a ride. Call a friend.
Zero tolerance.
Mlb has chosen this as a particular sword to fall on. At least when thrown out they’re being consistent with the penalties.
“Because thems the rules and if you break the rules, you have to pay the price. Period.”
“If you can’t play by the rules then either don’t play or get some new rules.”
I was taught that if drinking and getting in the car, the keys should remain outside the car or it would be considered DWI. If I had to sleep it off, I would tuck the keys under the wheel. So if a cop rolls up, they don’t have cause to arrest for DWI. As with a six pack that’s’ missing one, it can’t be in the car where it can be reached while driving but it can be in the trunk.
@GASoxFan and hiflew, a better analogy would be if said .30 BAC guy starts his car pulls out of the parking lot and a police officer pulls him over before he gets on a street road.
The worst pitcher in baseball was also using foreign substances. I wonder how bad he will be without it. Heck he can’t even cheat right. I once said that Drew “Homer” Smith should be in the Mexican League. Looks like I was wrong, I can admit when I’m wrong. He should be in low single A as a batting practice pitcher. As usual I was right. When can I ever be wrong. I’ve said all this when he was doing “good”. Most Met fans are saying now what I’ve been saying the past 2 years. Maybe I should become a GM, I know more than Billy Eppler, thats for sure
While he’s not great, he’s nowhere near the worst pitcher in baseball. The Mets have several arms (Nogosek, Muckenhirn, David Peterson, Megill, Yacobonis, Dennis Santana, Denyi Reyes, the recently released Tommy Hunter) who are worse than Smith. And so do many other teams.
Baffling that someone could get obsessed with a middling reliever like Drew Smith. Go for a walk outside or something.
@rct you don’t understand the feeling of everytime there is a close and winnable game, Drew Smith comes in and blows it. Yeah he pitches well in blowouts, that doesn’t help the team. When the game is on the line he falters 9/10 times. Us as fans shouldn’t have to put up with this BS, enough is enough already. Its gotten to the point where contemplate turning off my TV when he starts running in. I don’t know how hes fooled so many people. For example, a homerun hit in a 9-9 ball game in the 9th inning is way more valueable then a solo homer hit when your team is up by 20-5. Drew Smith is the pitcher version of the worse scenario. Strikes out the side when we are up by 10 runs, gives up a 3 run homer when we are up 8-7. He deserves to be released, let some other team deal with his bs
I understand the feeling, but c’mon, Drew Smith is far from the worst pitcher on the team, let alone baseball.
ur telling people to go for a walk outside as u sit on the couch eating cheetos meat riding drew smith. who knows u might even be billy eppler i know u and drew have a very special relationship just in time for pride month lol
@TomSeaversDurag: Your homophobia aside, I literally said that Drew Smith is ‘not great’. No idea how that qualifies as ‘meat riding’, but you might want to join LFGMets on his walk outside.
Yes, I think you should be the Mets GM, and Camden can be your assistant. First order of business, trade for Travis Jankowski.
Don’t strain your elbow patting yourself on the back.
Nuh uh.
Did he swear on his kids it was only rosin and sweat?
SWEAT AND ROSIN.
Every time, the umpire claims it’s the stickiest hand he’s EVER seen. Yeah, right.
I’m stunned the MLBPA allowed this nebulous and subjective rule.
Yankees pitchers get warnings first, other teams’ pitchers only get ejections.
I went to high school with Bill’s sister Vicky. We used to call her “Sticky Vicky”
Oof!
The LOL Sticky Mets
ESPN has another element to go into the story line for tonight’s national telecast.
Ron Darling had an interesting comment that may be worth exploring further by MLB. With all the data being captured in baseball, it may be feasible to establish a baseline spin rate for each pitcher. To that, add a upper and lower limit to establish a baseline range of peformance. When a pitcher deviates in game from their baseline, investigate.
I’m not saying it’s the perfect system, but it has to better than the subjective test that is happening now. If you are going to implement a system that suspends a player for 10 games and impacts the team, you need more rigor than a guy feeling your hand and saying it’s too sticky.
I can’t see that working. Let’s say a pitcher decides to throw a slurve with a higher than usual spin rate and then raises an alarm bell. He only throws it once or twice a game. Now he’s being investigate by an ump and the opposing team is aware of him throwing it in a specific count/situation to a specific batter. The hitter may not even be aware of that pitch. That’s disruptive and unfair to a pitcher.
Your right that there needs to be more uniformity to “stickiness” standards.
A data point of one or two times is not actionable IMHO but I can also see your point.
I’m going to guess the adhesive industry has a metric and is able to test for stickiness. Develop one for baseball and use it when the umpire thinks a pitcher’s hand is too sticky.
What if a guy just has a monster night? Adrenaline, fluke…whatever.
I fought the law and the law won…..
Sue the umpires for slander and take a public polygraph .
Only yankees get mulligans. And the opposing managers get thrown out.
Seems fair.
Holy ship.
Kinda funny how they called out Joe Musgrove in the playoffs and have since been caught twice cheating with the sticky icky.
Karma. She is a beetch!
It’s the direct result of touching anything in the slum of Flushing Meadows with bare hands.
The Mets are so bad that they can’t even cheat properly.
Every team looks for an edge; at the plate, in the field and on the mound. Gamesmanship, err fudging the rules, has been part of the fabricate of this game going back to Abner D. And it ain’t never gonna stop. And, I love it.
Agreed, the Mets look silly here. Translation. If they’re doing it, so is everyone else. IMO, their FO needs to reevaluate/tweak their approach to making this strategy available to their pitchers that want to be a part of it.
Sitting back on a recliner snacking on popcorn and sipping lemonade…watching what may be history. The most expensive non-playoff team in sports history. Let’s see how this goes.
Obviously touching the hand with the umpire’s hand is not enough. They should lick it.
See, now this is why we need a Women’s MLB with all female umpires.