Santiago of the Mariners has become the first pitcher suspended as part of the MLB’s crackdown on ball doctoring. Santiago, who is still eligible to play while he appeals the penalty, says that substance on his glove was: rosin and sweat. Weird thing about the rules—rosin is only apparently legal on the throwing hand. Still, it seems a weak example of which to make an example.
Once again, if MLB is going to be serious about pace of play then it needs to enforce the rule about how long pitchers have to make their next pitch. That, in turn, will decrease strike out rates. If the umps are incapable of it on their own, then use a pitch clock.
Fan Interference 
Paper and I went to a Hartford Yard Goats game a week or so ago. The home team complained about a visiting pitcher and the ump did an inspection. They made the kid wipe his hand, and the crowd boooooooed lustily while his manager trotted out with a towel, waited for the pitcher to clean his hands, and fumed back to the dugout. Paper asked, “Did we accidentally end up at a game in Philly?”
LikeLiked by 1 person