May 15: As expected, MLB has announced that Blanco has been given a ten-game suspension and an undisclosed fine. Blanco no longer plans to appeal the suspension, GM Dana Brown told reporters (via Rome). He’ll begin serving the ban tonight.
May 14: Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco was ejected from this evening’s start against the A’s following a foreign substance inspection. Umpires confiscated Blanco’s glove when he came out for the fourth inning. Tayler Scott entered in relief.
It’s almost certain that the Astros will be without Blanco for the next week and a half. Players thrown out of a game for foreign substance usage are subject to an automatic 10-game suspension. MLB has yet to announce that in Blanco’s case but seems likely to do so tomorrow. Teams are not permitted to replace a player who is banned for an on-field rules violation. Assuming Blanco is suspended, the Astros will need to play with a 25-man roster for 10 games. Blanco told reporters (including Chandler Rome of the Athletic) that he plans to appeal if MLB imposes a suspension.
Blanco has been Houston’s best pitcher this year. He earned the fifth starter job late in camp and no-hit the Blue Jays in his season debut. The 30-year-old has followed up with another six strong outings. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any start. Blanco pulled within one out of a quality start in all seven of his appearances until tonight. He was through another three scoreless frames against Oakland, bringing his season ERA to 2.09 over 47 1/3 frames.
While Blanco’s pedestrian strikeout and walk rates suggest he’s likelier to pitch like a mid-rotation arm moving forward, he has been a massive boost to an otherwise rough starting staff. Aside from Blanco, Hunter Brown and rookie Spencer Arrighetti are the only Houston pitchers who have made more than five starts. Brown and Arrighetti each have an ERA north of 7.00. That’s also true of J.P. France, who was optioned in late April and subsequently suffered a shoulder injury.
The Astros have welcomed Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander and Cristian Javier back from the injured list over the past few weeks. Manager Joe Espada said last night that the Astros were going to run a six-man rotation of Valdez, Verlander, Javier, Blanco, Brown and Arrighetti for the time being (X link via MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart). That’s designed to manage the staff’s workloads as they navigate a stretch with only one day off until June 6. A likely suspension for Blanco could put that plan on hiatus for a couple weeks.
my popcorn is ready
I’m saving mine for the Blue Jays reaction.
I hate the Astros as much as the next guy but this is awful for baseball. The players union should strike immediately.
No they shouldn’t. This is one player, and we on here don’t have all the facts.
@kayrall it has truly gotten out of hand. They’ve ejected guys for having too much sunscreen on their skin. It’s a joke. They bought Rawlings so they could manipulate the ball when/how they want, but then punish pitchers if they need to grip a slick ball better.
But life and the games go on.
Yep
@Kayrall…,Keep your panties on, Kayrall, the sky isn’t falling. It’s just like the “Baron” says, just one guy trying to gain an edge. How dumb it would be to “strike” when it’s one of their own union members caught cheating. Unions typically protect their players, not throw them under the bus.
Don’t underestimate the influence of drugs or tight panties. Or both, lol.
Facts? He had resin all over his glove. He admitted (thru interpreter) it was on his arm already (yeah..) The stuff ran down his arm, then got “stuck” on his glove.
For those who maybe just are not old enough to remember.. Bucholz, beckett.. Many pitchers used to put rosin on their arm, accidentally rub the ball across it, or flat out their other hand, then more onto the ball as little as 15y ago before Bucholz (clay) got busted big time.. By think was Toronto by having a massive patch of rosin on his glove forearm and the umpires making him wipe it off during one game.
Yeah.. It’s illegal, the so called reason it was semi allowed before was it gave a better grip, less wildness. Last few years, with all the analytical input, it got flat out banned as everyone knows.
Players got sneakier after the ban. Hirokazu sawamora’s shoulder length hair was as greasy as ca gov newsome, hair his hair gel was for the baseball and every new baseball was wiped down after he removed his cap, took his pitching hand and went down the length of his hair 1st.
Always a way to grease up a baseball. Players just need to find other ways and be creative.
Why ?
Baron knows nothing.
Truth is, MLBPA won’t do a thing because this is a wedge issue. Position players will not side with pitchers and pitchers would like to walk back to the dugout without being felt up by the umpires. Bet the umps would rather not check.
This is a league driven by hitters yet the game was at its peak when the game was driven by a mix of everything, but mostly star pitching.
I’m surprised that the umps noticed anything was amiss, as Oakland’s lineup doesn’t usually hit the ball much to begin with.
Only third in the league in home runs.
That’s kinda all they do well.
Mason miller would like to have a word.
Okay, but I don’t think we can help him get traded.
Take a hard look at Oakland’s pitching numbers. Miller cannot pitch 9ip/162g and it would take that for that staff to be respectable.
“Kinda all they do well”…Isn’t that a bit like being called a “bad” boxer, because all you can do is keep repeatedly hitting your opponents in the head?
Depends. Can you stay on your feet when they get one in?
A’s middle to middle bottom on most stats . But amazingly they are ahead of the Asstrolls on almost every stat.
well its the astros and everyone knows they ONLY way they win is to cheat.
What a childish statement.
What a true statement.
Both statements can be true…
Children are known for their brutal honesty.
It’s childish if you can honestly ask yourself DOES THIS CLUB HAVE A HISTORY OF CHEATING?
The answer always comes back YES!
how ironic
Still going on about the astros cheating? Every team was cheating!! Get over it
“Still going on about the astros cheating? Every team was cheating!! Get over it”
I’ll take “Copium cheaters say for $100, Alex.”
just taking a lesson from the Yankees playbook
They’re better this year. Probably will dominate in two. Everyone underestimates Oakland. Clearly, they’re going nowhere this year, but they have talent
Dumb.
This is ridiculous… How’s he gonna hide a trash can on his glove?!
Maybe you figure that out yourself considering he joined the Astros major league team 5 years after the scandal…
Relax, buddy. He was obviously joking.
Hate to break it to u, but those jokes are wayyy to old
*too
and they are not
Want some cheese with your whine, Yordan?
Cheating Astro jokes NEVER get old.
They aren’t old when the Astros cheat again. When they cheat again it just refreshes the jokes.
Like Altuve’s bad tattoos/electronic nipples
ain’t no way ur one of those grammar policemen
that was 2019, and it never happened
“cheating astro jokes” are your way of expressing your jealousy of the Astros dynasty and the way they won the Yankees 3 times (cleanly) in the playoffs. (if you wanna belive the buzzer conspiracy that every MLB insider says didn’t happen, go ahead. They still swept em in 2022 cleanly and won them in 2015 al wild card)
Hate to break it to you, the strips deserve them. Basically the harshest punishment the Astros have received.
Cope harder
“That happened in 2019. And it never happened”
Super believable argument there
Then don’t cheat to begin with. If you want to be behind your team at its best, face it at their worst.
Not as much as your mom wants Yordan.
That’s because you have no life.
These fools are hypocrites, the lot. Half of them are Dodgers fans, the other half are Yankees fans, and the third half are fans of all the loser teams. Wonder how many Red Sox fans would suck Alex Cora’s bat if he whipped it out but boo Altuve, who didn’t cheat.
Three halfs=Yogi Berra style joke.
No one goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.
At least they had a punishment. Cora? To not manage in 20 during the height of the pandemic was not a punishment and with his next deal, he’s going to be rewarded. Says a lot about MLB today…
AirY0rdan they’re only old if you’re sick of hearing how your team cheated. I’m not sick of it. Evidence here contradicts your opinion anyways
AirY0rdan sorry Bud, didn’t scroll down far enough to read all your stupidity.
No cheating astro jokes are not our way of expressing our jealousy of the Astros. Far from it actually. Everyone that’s still pissed about it is an actual adult that doesn’t understand how accountability is not a thing.
Yesterday. As in the past. all That is all over. The “Astro’s dynasty that I’m accused of being jealous is non existent anymore.
The “conspiracy” that people say happened was in 2019. I said, it didn’t happen
So… 2019 conspiracy never happened? How about Astros cheating? That was never a conspiracy. There are words thrown around that are not even not even close to what they really mean such as conspiracy and collusion.
A classic never gets old. You cannot cheat and then just walk away.
The insecurity that Yordan is displaying in all the comments is half hilarious/half pathetic. Bro is taking his white-knighting to the next level with all this cope and seethe.
it’s clearly a terrible joke
Sure they do, they are old right now. I’m not even astros fan buts it super lame
(Shrugs) When the Astros quit cheating we’ll quit making the jokes
A joke is not too old if it still gets a reaction.
Keep telling yourself its a coping thing. If it makes you happy.
in other words, when mlb investigates the rest of the league like they should have done when there were plenty of players citing other infractions. but sure let’s leave 1 team as the scapegoat bc apparently ignorance is bliss
A lot of people seemed to like the joke ckc12537… Clearly it hit a nerve for you and I’m sorry your feelings got hurt
2017 has proof, the buzzer conspiracy doesn’t… simple as that
You can’t, but making jokes about it 7 years later is a bit much. What are the Astros supposed to do to earn your forgiveness, lose on purpose to quench your jealousy?
If that’s the way it worked, 2020,2021,2022.2023 should have been joke free…
No, if they didn’t want to be labeled cheaters, don’t cheat. It’s really that simple.
“but making jokes about it 7 years later is a bit much”…If it bothers you this much, the Internet is not the place for you champ. Sorry you’re butt hurt but a joke.
Also still waiting on that list that you offered to give and haven’t yet… Please provide.
I agree with your first point, I was responding to Mr. Perkins who said “if they stop cheating, no dumb jokes”, which then means no cheating= no jokes and they didn’t cheat in the years I mentioned which according to him would mean no jokes… 2nd: I did give a list you just haven’t seen it, scroll and find it
@air
“Won them”
What are you, two?
What are you quoting?
And time will only make the 2017 title more legitimate….
yeah, it says that the astros were the scapegoat when everyone in mlb knew there was fishy stuff going on throughout the league. i guess it makes sense that intelligent people know this, while the followers keep making jokes and fail to truly understand. “no child left behind”
my feelings aren’t hurt, i have done nothing wrong. i’m sorry you struggle to comprehend basic english
I don’t struggle with basic English. Btw, one’s feelings can get hurt without one having done anything wrong. I fear it is you that has a compromised comprehension of basic English.
ok lol. just be salty your team hasn’t won anything since truman was president. lol
Lol I am a bit salty about that. Human nature… I guess we don’t cheat enough.
Way to attempt to change the topic tho.
Welp. Now they’re gonna say his no-hitter was a fluke.
Ridiculous. The umpires check multiple times every single game.
I’m just saying what the people are gonna think after this. I still think his no-hitter was untainted.
my 1st thought when he was ejected, knowing Yankee fans like having field days with these kinda stuff even though German had the same thing last yr and later that yr pitched a perfect game…
And of course, Cole was one of the original worst offenders.
Yet still won a Cy young without. The level of denial you Houston fans have is astoundingly hilarious
Yet the Astros won a WS and 3 pennants without…
Can’t be an “offender” until it’s banned. Use your head!
That must mean the Yankees all cheat by these meatheads logic.
Huh? Who said that?
First base umpire Erich Bacchus said “It was the stickiest stuff ive felt on a glove since since we’ve been doing this for a few years now”
I’ll say it “Ronel Blanco’s entire 2024 performance up to now has been a fluke”
Your entitled to your own opinion…
wow, a guy who sweats buckets and uses rosin yields a sticky substance. it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand 1+1 = 2
I’m going by what an umpire that was there and felt the substance actually said. You are just being a homer making things up because they make you feel better about your team cheating.
It also doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look at things objectively using the facts that are available, but here you are.
I’m not making things up – it’s what Dallas Braden said. You’re just being ignorant because you like to pick on the Astros. You should seek psychiatric help because fixating on something out of your control is insane.
Oh yeah, because Dallas Braden was on the field and felt the substance like the umpire. Maybe you can reach out to the person who operates the scoreboard for their opinion?
You need the help. Clinging to what some random announcer makes up versus actual observers that were involved. Youre probably the type of person who’s “research” is purposefully looking for sources to support their view, rather than thinking you may be wrong. What a sad life, contorting things in such ridiculous ways so you don’t have to accept facts.
So pathetic you even mute me after responding because you’re so fragile.
Stickytros
How Original…
Bet they keep the sticky stuff in 55 gallon drums. That look like trash cans.
@roguesae2
Nah trash cans are to obvious, but the gatorade jugs on the other hand that’s a good low key spot
Altuve walks it off and they go to dump the Gatorade jugs on him.
Awww hell
Cinderella’s carriage bout to turn back to a pumpkin….
We’ll see how effective Blanco is when he returns after the suspension. One thing we know for sure is that the stat freaks will be all over his spin rate like cheap suits.
im shocked
astros players never cheat
they always play clean
how could this have happened???
Not surprising from the cheating Astros.
Yeah in that clubhouse he probably just didnt want to be the only one not cheating.
can I remind you how many teams have had a player suspended for this?
Keep posting through it. It’s really working.
Assertion usually works with me. Now I believe the Astros are a reputable organization and the world is flat.
And I believe that on a flat earth, the Astros always play clean baseball.
No, they are trolls who are impervious to facts.
AirY0rdan, yes please remind us with a list of players
Your such a troll its hilarious
And also still waiting on that list of players you offered to provide…
Off the top of my head I can list Scherzer, German, Robert Suarez on the Padres and Smith on the Mets
Yes, you can. Please provide names, dates and suspension length.
Sorry I don’t remember off the top of my head the date’s but I can assume they were all 10 game suspensions…
Thank you… So tops, 4 rn… Per your count. To be fair, no one ever said those guys aren’t cheaters either though… We think they’re cheaters too.
My whole point is that the Astros can get booked and harrased. I don’t think it makes sense after this amount of time but if it happens, I guess they deserve it. But the amount of emphasis that goes on the Astros over anyone who cheated since 2017 isn’t comprable with all of them together
Because they won the world series because of cheating…
Understandably, as an Astros fan, you’re sick of hearing about it buttttttttt, the 1919 White Sox are still referred to as the Black Sox, after their scandal so I think you’re just gonna have to get used to it.
Trashtros
so did the red Sox…
I know the Mariners have had 1 player suspended for sticky stuff on glove. Actually the first player since the rule was implemented in 2021 and they DFA’d that player like 2 days after the suspension was over.
Pretty stupid of him if you ask me. They check throughout the game.
You need to do it right and let your catcher have the stuff!
Got away with it for six weeks. Not bad….
With Blanco probably does not surprise me. But very stupid he was. But does surprise me when come on to field and check. Not sure what innings they do check. I know after first but after that.
Post more often you should, Yoda! Checks are random.
texgal found the most awesome pawn shop AI chatbot for cheap
LoLz spit out malt liquor reading this
You and me both CravenMoorehead.
WHATCHU SIPPIN ON FAM
Actually we may be related but on your second cousin’s side, he went by CravingANYhead because I can’t even get -any- unlike you! You’re actually a +1 on the family legacy charts because of your current status getting -some.-
My nicca 🙂
Oh to answer your question cousin, I graduated from malt liquor to bath salts…that high octane stuff was not good for my libido. (But I’m old and stuff) cheers
Let me know when you guys need a glass of red wine….and a joint.
Actually SODO both of those substances are LOW on my list of preferred intoxicants. Weed just makes me ruminate excessively and cause me to get stuck in my head. And red wine always seemed a bit hoity-toity to me, but I know it isn’t actually. It’s the wine snobs who I rebel against b/c there are many in my family lol.
Haha. I would have said the same thing about red wine about 15 years ago
Champagne is the only “wine” I will drink. My parents owned a wine store and drug me around to every damn winery on the West Coast as a kid. So that is probably where my issues started. God wineries are so damn boring when you’re a kid. Seen one , you seen them all. Just like a microbrewery.
Yankees swept Minnesota today, NY Rangers came back from a 3-1 goal deficit to win the series. Tonight is gonna be a 2 blunt night. Gonna sleep like a baby 🙂
Can we bring back the Greenie?
I’m sorry, huh?
Very fun season for Houston. Might be time to at least retool.
No need to re-tool. They still have a team full of tools.
Retool… let’s see we tried trash cans, buzzers, sticky stuff… hmmm. Perhaps we can cause the air pressure in the stadium to greatly intensify as the ball crosses home plate when the visitors are up! What tool does that?!?
You’d have to ask the 80s Minnesota Twins about how to rig up something similar
Kent Hrbeck still has a good eye and a bad attitude.
Another Astro cheater…
From watching it as it happened, it looked like the stickiness was inside the glove and not on his pitching hand. And they checked his pitching hand multiple times and were satisfied. Plus Blanco is a big sweaty dude in a humid dome. Not making any excuses or pronouncements, just seemed different than some obvious sticky stuff situation.
Hopefully a fair investigation, if possible, will be more conclusive one way or the other.
I’m not an Astro fan by any estimation.
They did the investigation on the field. There won`t be any sort of substance analysis. It’s umps touching a guys hand, glove, etc. if it’s (too) sticky, he’s ejected and suspended. I believe he can appeal though
They confiscate gloves/equipment and actually do test them for any questionable substances.
That must be new this year as last year they did not do that. Players walked off the field with their gloves. The test is for stickiness not necessarily foreign substances as too much rosin or rosin mixed with alcohol from washing hands has warranted ejections in the past.
I agree though they should have to swab the hand and confiscate the glove / ball and send for testing. This way it proves levels and is not subjective by the umpire(s) who have been worse this year it seems.
As far as I’ve seen, confiscated equipment goes to the commissioners office. They certainly could be testing for specific substances, but I’ve yet to see any lab results released after any of the prior ejections.
Steve Sparks has commented on Blanco’s sweating every game.
it’s really smart to get the announcer in on it to help curb outcry and give an excuse.
new scandal alibi unlocked (i have no clue what’s going on here but it’s a fun idea)
Do they not have air conditioning in the Astrodome?? They even have that at the Trop!
That’s not fair comparison tho. It’s cooler in the trop cause there are less people there usually… Sorry
I think what a lot of fans really want to know is, now did M.L.B. deadened the baseball again this season. Baseballs come off the bats at a hundred plus, and go nowhere. No one can trust M.L.B any more.
As far as cheating lets get the A.I. ball and strike system in the big league. I’m tired of watching the dice roll with it. Its a form of cheating. Checking hands when the umpire at home plate is allowed to manipulate the outcome with no oversight, ridiculous.
There have been so many embarrassing false home run calls from broadcasters. I don’t recall ever seeing this. It’s one thing when a ball is scorched and the wind knocks it down, but I’ve seen at least 10 no-doubters stay in the park.
I was curious about the same thing. Tons of power decline, at least it seems that way to me.
MLB definitely manipulates the balls, it’s getting frustrating. Depending on various reports, there may be as many as 7 different balls they are testing at one time. And Yankee Stadium has their own special balls. (All of what I am saying is unsubstantiated hearsay, but the point is there needs to be more transparency in how they choose a ball and it needs to be the same for everybody.)
MLB bought Rawlings just to obfuscate their own ball shenanigans.
Well, that explains a lot, now doesn’t it?
I picked up Altuve’s reaction to the ejection on my short-wave radio
Nicely done!
All you wannabe Astros haters pay attention.
Despite being a Yankees fan, he made a clever joke. Most of you are intellectually challenged, and have the sense of humor of a 5 year old fascinated with their own boogers.
Thank you Yankeesforever. Also f#@k you.
Go to bed GrampaNolan!
An Astros player caught cheating.
Also-the sun rises in the east.
Water is wet.
And the Rangers beat the Astros in the ALCS en route to a World Series championship.
Bro was cheating against Oakland of all teams
Maybe hoping for another no-hitter?
My theory: secret pocket in the glove that’s gone unnoticed thus far. Several teams/skippers have probably complained/mentioned something about heightened suspicion. Maybe even during the game tonight. They did a deeper inspection based on that and voila
While I won’t discount that argument, his spin rate has been the same throughout his entire career and that includes the game he was ejected in. So either he has been getting away with it for a few years or its just bad happenstance. Not to mention umpires check the hands, glove and hats of the pitchers every game so it would seem crazy he was never caught if he was cheating this time.
I think after all the facts have come out, pretty obvious that he just pushed the rosin a bit too far. Perhaps, as I alluded to, the umps have been feeling his hand throughout the year and kind of made him a potential “watch him” type thing. Either way, not as damning on Blanco as originally possible, for sure.
Astros cheating, you don’t say?
Can someone explain to me how he was cheating for 6 weeks when MLB Umps are checking his glove multiple times every game???
Yeah man it’s crazy. I’m thinking he either has a secret pocket in his glove….OR they have deemed him as a “borderline” guy and tonight say he creeped over the line with the rosin?
If he comes off legit I Didn’t Mean It then I would probably believe him. However, lots of players cheat, on lots of teams, every season, period.
So if was cheating punish him. Give him his ten game suspension and fine him. I believe that is what happened to New York Yankee German, what, last year?
If he does it again, punish accordingly. His profuse sweating is one thing that makes me skeptical he did anything with the intent to cheat. We’ll see. I have no problem with players being disciplined for cheating.
I highly doubt its sweat as many people are trying to claim. The ump that ejected him claims it was the stickiest stuff he’s felt on a glove since they started checking gloves
He has been the darling of my first place fantasy team thus far, hoping they don’t punish him any further
Only he can explain, and I doubt he’s going public….
If he played for the Rangers, would you ask the same question?
I always wondered this, I really only care now since it’s a player on the team I follow
Astros cheating?……..now that’s a shocker
Your mom’s cheating, not a shocker.
It would be very funny if it turns out that Blanco has been cheating all season and goes back to being a turkey after this
Oh, no! Sticky stuff. Heaven forbid pitchers get some grip on the balls. And heaven forbid the batters actually have to learn to make… *gasp* CONTACT with the ball instead of trying to knock the ball to Saturn while hitting 0.230. No, no! Guys are paid to crush monster HRs while batting 0.230 so any talk about just making contact just won’t get the player that $600M AAV contract.
They allow sticky, just not excess. Some contact would be nice. Might as week start every AB with a full count these days
CHEATERS!
@aragon
Don’t tell me, are you one of those squeaky clean humans that not once in their entire life cheated in any form at all to gain an advantage for personal benefit. I bet you were the model student in school.
Still….cheaters.
Lol, a fan of another cheating team! BTW, yes I have cheated to get an advantage during my young days. However, I regret doing so and I don’t do it repeatedly.
I suspect he is still in school.
I’m calling on MLB to ban the Astros for a year and take away their titles! Who will sign the pledge????????
While your at it, Imma start a pledge for you to turn off your voice. Will you call for a pledge to ban the 2018 Red Sox? How bout all the other teams who cheated in 2017 according to multiple MLB Players (who were never on the Astros)
Defending the cheating that 100% happened by sighting the cheating that maybe probably happened as justification is a losing argument. The Red Sox, with their former Astro as Coach, also 100% are cheaters too. The biggest penalty the Astros received ended up being the public shame that will always follow them. You are going to have to do better than other teams with managers linked to the Astros also cheated if you are going to defend the Astros the rest of your life.
*Citing
The Astros cheated 100%, everyone knows that there is no way to say they didnt. But when they are the only one that gets shamed, for when if you do some research you find out multiple teams cheated in 2017, like cmon man
“public shame”. Where is this public shame? I don’t see it. Gamesmanship, called cheating in some circles, has always been a part of our national pasttime. Nothing dramatically startling to see here.
Whether in the field, at the plate or on the mound, individual players and teams have always skirted the rules, r routinely trying to get around them today and will do so in the future. All in the name of gaining an edge.
When MLB tries to limit gamesmanship from the game, there’s always someone out there trying to get around it. I love it!
That is the argument of a 6-year-old. The thing that I did wrong is justified by the fact that another kid did it too. This is your problem. I understand your argument because I was also six once. The wrong actions of other teams does not make the cheating by the Astros suddenly right. The reason the other teams are not being disgraced in the same way as the Astros is because they are the ones flying the BS pennant in their rafters. You can have your tainted championship, but the rest of us do not respect it. No matter how many of the other kids did it too.
The public shame is the fans in this post referring to your team as the Trashstros and not acknowledging their championship, the way many don’t acknowledge steroid users stats and won’t induct them into the HOF. Nobody likes your team except for you.
Old Man Yells At Cloud
A cheating Houston Astro. Who would have thunk it?
Very on brand
Isn’t a suspension automatic for a foreign substance ejections? There’s no *if* MLB imposes a suspension.
You can appeal but nobody has ever won, insinuating everybody has been guilty. So yes, it’s virtually automatic.
My issue was with him saying he plans to appeal *if* MLB imposes a suspension. Them imposing a suspension is a matter of “when” not “if” and the league has no discretion in the matter.
MLB is a joke for all of these ejections. They constantly manipulate the baseball, and then want to punish pitchers who are trying to get better grip?
I’d also like to know how often MLB has admitted that an ejected pitcher didn’t actually have a “foreign substance” after the lab analysis.
I’m not so sure MLB actually does any lab analysis, or would even make the results public.
I remember Hector Santiago, I believe, being eject and vehemently arguing/denying he used anything. And then at the appeal hearing, which he lost, no lab analysis was presented.
@AngelsFan1968
Yeah, that’s the ridiculous part about all of this is that they don’t even provide proof of any violation. It’s just instantly you’re guilty. Would put more validity to the rule if they had the substance tested twice by two independent studies and if it’s found to violate the rules, the guy is suspended. If it’s just sweat and rosin, he isn’t suspended.
But, I know MLB doesn’t like to actually be held accountable for their decisions so this will never happen.
Most substances are wet when applied, and are prone to drying and evaporation, especially alcohol based. I’m sure that makes it complicated to address.
@stymeedone
Right, but the genetic makeup of the substance doesn’t change. They can test for what it is and determine what is is.
So an Astro cheating?
Maybe not. You guilty of mugging an old lady? Maybe we should get all the facts first.
I was just asking a question last night. Today? Not only was he caught, he was fined, suspended, and has accepted the fine and suspension without a challenge. Guilty. Not sure what your point was.
So apparently they found the inside of his glove to be suspect, yet his piching hand was checked multiple times and found clean. I would not be jumping to any conclusions just yet folks. (One of the umpires checked his glove and shrugged his shoulders to indicate he could not feel anything wrong.)
I was also pleased to see Espada and Blanco speak to the umpires in a controlled and civil manner, rather than the childish behaviour that we see from some managers – looking at you Boone.
I’m detecting a conspiracy over this incident. He’s been framed.
Confiscated the glove, but is there any more information about it. Foreign substance could mean a lot of different things. Wish we knew more…
MLB needs to stop checking pitchers between innings. Yes you read correct.
Why are hitters allowed to have every edge over the pitcher? They can put bat grips on the wood bat, spray it with sticky substances, use pine tar, wear batting gloves, wear elbow guards, forearm guards, hand guards – yet the pitchers are targeted? MLBPA can’t do a thing because pitchers and hitters would be divided on this issue.
Let’s not forget pitchers can’t stay healthy either.
If pitchers are being checked, it’s time to take things away from hitters. Fair play.
I’m picking up what you’re putting down. I say let pitchers use it, juice up the ball for hitters again, and let’s boogie.
From what it looks like, the reason Blanco was ejected was because he used the rosin on his non-throwing hand.
That’s a big surprise that an Astros player is cheating
that explains the completely outta nowhere stats for a loser like him
Mlb should vacate no hitter
But they wont
Not even a slap on the wrist for astro champion cheaters. Shocked blanco wasnt allowed to continue pitching. Houston gets all the passes no matter how many trash cans they bang or titles they win
if u take away the 2017 season, we still made it to the alcs 6 times in a row, won 3 pennants, and won a world series
Lol@astro fans
Always tryna find excuses
I get it
You’re a fan for years or decades
You finally win something
You’re finally good
And then it turns out its all a fraud
So human reflex is to create excuses
Like a dishonest spouse
“If you take away that 1 time i cheated on you with my secretary, and that other time i cheated on you with your sister, i’ve been real good”
I get what your trying to say but you missed some points. The Astros have proved they can win year in and year out without cheating. Therefore, when they cheated in 2017 it was a disgrace to baseball, the championship in 2017 should be questioned forever, and fans can still be mad at them although I think it’s getting a bit old. So me “finding out it’s a fraud and making excuses” isn’t what I’m doing. I was showing you the Astros “get all the passes” they don’t need frickin passes to win.
After years of mediocrity, the Rangers make it to the postseason and go undefeated on the R(ays)O(rioles)A(stros)D(iamondbacks) and win it all. Now that’s something to be proud of.
They did a heck of a job no doubt, well deserved 100%
You’re correct. Johnny.
Can someone please explain how rosin inside your glove can improve your grip on your throwing hand? This makes no sense. He would have to take his glove off and either rub his throwing hand with his glove hand or stick his throwing hand inside his glove. Neither happened! The videos would be everywhere!
So you can have rosin on your throwing hand, but not your non-throwing hand? Therefore, you have to make sure your hands don’t touch each other after they you got rosin from the rosin bag?
How does the Dodger pitcher get to change gloves, on the same day, but the Astros pitcher doesn’t?
MLB has a different standard for the Dodgers, Yankees and Redsox. Proven time and again.
My bad, the day before. But he had a foreign, sticky substance on his glove, right?
It was due to colors. The white Nike swoosh.
This is a complete sham.
Baseball can be very comical, hypocritical
Kuddos to the few pitchers who never did “foreign substance cheat” through out their careers. It hurt their “numbers” (and $$$), but they keep their integrity.
Like what pitchers have never used Rosin?
One of the VERY few players to really take it to the limit against funny business was Al Worthington.
“In Minneapolis, Worthington started 11 games and relieved in 26 with an excellent 2.04 ERA (he was 11-9). On August 29 the Chicago White Sox announced the purchase of Worthington’s contract from the Red Sox. On September 8, having just pitched 5⅓ innings in four games, he left the team and went home. He’d won one and lost one, and had given up two earned runs. He said, “I’m home and I’d rather leave why I’m here a personal matter,” though he did indicate he might enroll at Howard College.15 It was later said that he left because “the club stole signals from the opposition.”16
A nationally syndicated Jim Murray column provided more of the details. Worthington’s objections were ascribed to his being “a man of deep religious convictions.”17 Worthington had followed evangelist Billy Graham since a 1958 faith meeting, and both Worthingtons were “born again” during the Billy Graham Crusade.18 “I’d been going to church since I was six,” he said, “and I’d always wanted to go to heaven, but I’d never understood how.”19 “I do not want to do anything that would displease the Lord,” he explained.20 Murray wrote that his biggest save was himself. Worthington was active in the Brotherhood of Christian Athletes.
Worthington also said, “As a Christian, I couldn’t throw a spitter, and never would. It’s an illegal pitch.”21
He’d left the ballclub on principle, and it wasn’t the first time he’d spoken up when he’d seen or heard something he thought was wrong. In September 1959, with the Giants holding a slim lead over the Dodgers in the National League pennant race, he heard that the Giants were using a spy in the grandstand, armed with a pair of binoculars. He went to manager Bill Rigney. “I told Bill that I had been talking to church groups, telling people you don’t have to lie or cheat in this world if you trust Jesus Christ. How could I go on saying those things if I was winning games because my team was cheating?”22 With the White Sox, manager Al Lopez would neither confirm nor deny the spying. Worthington told GM Hank Greenberg, “I can’t play for a team that’s cheating.”23
…
Around 1961 or so, perhaps still troubled by the fact that he knew White Sox owner Bill Veeck condoned the cheating, Worthington was asked to complete a questionnaire for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Asked if he were to do it all over, would he play professional baseball again, he answered: “Maybe not.””
Astros. Cheating. Water. Wet.
Whenever they crack down on something it’s always some no name scrub who gets caught. See, we’re doing something about it. Yeesh.
It’s old, MLB, tired and pathetic. I miss the good old days when George Brett would get tossed for having too much pine tar on his bat. Or Derek Jeter would get called out for a fan reaching over the wall and interfering with a routine fly out. Oh wait, not the second one. But all those game stoppages for throwing crap on the field leading to the home team forfeiting. Oh wait, that didn’t happen. Or …..
Oh, never mind.
He didn’t appeal. Well, that pretty much admits his guilt.
If I had to take 10 days off of work every time I got busted for having sticky stuff on my hands, I would have never worked a day in my life.
Astros cheating? What a surprise lmao
That’s a bit too big of a suspension for someone who misplaced their gummy.
10 games is an automatic suspension for any case where the pitcher gets ejected when an umpire deems it too sticky. Its not decided after the fact
Astros are almost as sketchy as an LA Dodgers contract!
Cheaters gonna cheat.
I remember gerrit Cole being asked about spider tack a few years back………..
What he say
Umpire called him the biggest cheater he has come across in his career
To be fair, the umpires say that in every situation like this lol. I think its their scripted response
Yankees pitcher gets to wash his hands and opposing manager gets ejected.
Dodgers Yamamoto get to switch his glove
MLB is trying so hard to have Dodgers /Yankees WS., I hope they fall on their face. You also have Ohtani, give me a break.
So this is an interesting case. I went ahead and took a look at Blanco’s statcast numbers for his spin rate and what not, including his last game before he was ejected. And all of those numbers this season, and his last game, are near identical to his career stats. As much as its fun to trash the Astros, I actually think this is a bit of a nothingburger. What Blanco has done this year to find success is that he began to throw the changeup at a SIGNIFICANTLY higher rate than he used to. I think previously it was a sub 10% pitch, now its like at 30-40%