MLB taking a hardline stance against baseball doctoring, spinrates being looked at

[spanishsox]

MLBPA is aware of the issue.

https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1401181119333109760?s=20

A sticky situation: One estimate in this in-depth report is that 80-90 percent of pitchers are using illegal substances,
which have suppressed batting averages to historic lows

https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1400529522781347843?s=20

Evidence was presented at the MLB owners meetings to suggest that the use of illegal foreign substances by pitchers trying to enhance spin rates and get an edge is “very prevalent” in the game.
So the crackdown will now commence in earnest.

[LITTLE NELL]

Watching games on TV, I've seen some huge breaking balls this year.

[voodoochile]

How many Sox players are doing this I wonder.

[jcw218]

How many Sox players are doing this I wonder.

I do know that 2 low a level pitchers in the Sox system were suspended for 10 games each for being caught using foreign substances.

[spanishsox]

More info:

MLB is prepared to ramp up its inspection of doctored baseballs, uniforms, gloves and body of the pitchers.

https://twitter.com/usatodaysports/status/1401616127353098246?s=20

[kickingtelevision]

How many Sox players are doing this I wonder.

I think it is fairly obvious Giolito does.

His spin rate on the 4-Seam went from 2099 in 2018 to 2426 so far in 2021.

[Frater Perdurabo]

Doesn’t this year’s ball have slightly taller/thicker seams? Wouldn’t that make it easier to get higher spin rates? Or am I remembering things wrong?

[Chez]

I think it is fairly obvious Giolito does.

His spin rate on the 4-Seam went from 2099 in 2018 to 2426 so far in 2021.

I'd be surprised if there aren't White Sox pitchers using foreign substances. Seems like all the cool kids are. That said, Giolito overhauled his mechanics and delivery after 2018. Those changes may (at least partially) explain the increased spin rate.

[voodoochile]

Doesn’t this year’s ball have slightly taller/thicker seams? Wouldn’t that make it easier to get higher spin rates? Or am I remembering things wrong?

I don't know about that, but I do recall when pitchers were complaining about how tight the seams were on the "new baseballs" which led to the huge spike in HR a few years after the steroid era ended. There were other factors about those baseballs - they were wound tighter and people were using "golf ball" as a comparison. If the seams are indeed more pronounced like they were in the 70's and earlier yes it would make spin rates easier to achieve.

[FielderJones]

How many Sox players are doing this I wonder.

The only team that has increased spin rate more than the Sox is the Dodgers.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/06/04/st...ds-daily-cover

[Chez]

The only team that has increased spin rate more than the Sox is the Dodgers.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/06/04/st...ds-daily-cover

As the story points out, the comparison doesn't account for the change in personnel from 2020 to 2021. Adding Lynn, Rodon and sometimes Kopech to the rotation and Hendriks to the bullpen likely contributes to part of the increase from 2020 to 2021.

[Paulwny]

A friend of mine thinks he's noticed a dark area on the back of Hendriks' cap and that he often goes to that area to adjust his cap. Anyone else notice this?

[Chez]

A friend of mine thinks he's noticed a dark area on the back of Hendriks' cap and that he often goes to that area to adjust his cap. Anyone else notice this?

He can discern a dark area on a black cap? If so, maybe it's darker because Hendricks's sweaty hand keep touching it? Chicken and egg, perhaps.

[34rancher]

The only team that has increased spin rate more than the Sox is the Dodgers.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/06/04/st...ds-daily-cover

Not sure what was more shocking from that article, the data on the sox pitchers increasing that much or the picture of Yermin Mercedes catching….

[voodoochile]

The only team that has increased spin rate more than the Sox is the Dodgers.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/06/04/st...ds-daily-cover

Great breakdown on what is going on. Don't know what the answer is. I do recall Daver constantly ranting about pitchers cheating whenever the topic of steroids would come up. I think he was referring to pitchers using steroids, but certainly this is something more extreme and even steroids wouldn't fix it. You can't hit it far if you can't even hit it...