Is MLB To Blame For The Sticky Substance Problem?
The Lead
Wondery
3.9 • 2.2K Ratings
🗓️ 15 June 2021
⏱️ 15 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Recently across Major League Baseball, the issue of pitchers using sticky substances to generate more spin — and therefore gain an advantage — has exploded into a controversy, with Yankees ace Gerrit Cole among those under scrutiny. Today, The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli on how big this problem has become, how MLB and commissioner Rob Manfred are trying to put a stop to it, and why the league ultimately needs to look itself in the mirror.
UPDATE: A few hours after this episode published, MLB issued a statement explaining exactly how they intend to deal with the issue of sticky substances. Umpires have been instructed to perform checks of both teams throughout the game, and any pitcher caught using a foreign substance will be ejected and automatically suspended, with progressive discipline for repeat offenders. Other position players and club personnel may also be subject to league discipline. You can read the full statement here.
Follow Britt Ghiroli’s coverage of Major League Baseball and the sticky substance controversy: https://theathletic.com/2641498/2021/06/09/ghiroli-blame-for-mlbs-sticky-substance-controversy-falls-first-on-the-league/?source=theleadpodcast
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, prime members, you can listen to the lead ad-free on Amazon Music. Download the app today. |
| 0:07.0 | Hi there, Wondry listeners. Hannah and Sruti here from TrueCram Podcast Redhanded. |
| 0:11.0 | Your favourite podcast Redhanded. We just wanted to say how excited we are to be included in Amazon Music |
| 0:16.0 | and Wondry's best podcasts of the year as chosen by their listeners, which is you. |
| 0:21.0 | So thank you so much to everyone who listened to us voted for us, all the things you do for us. |
| 0:26.0 | Any of you out there who haven't checked out Redhanded, what are you doing? What are you waiting for? |
| 0:31.0 | It's a weekly show where we deep dive into the most talked about cases like the Delphi murders, |
| 0:35.0 | and also those you might never have heard of like the Nathari child sacrifices in Delhi. |
| 0:40.0 | Go listen to Redhanded right now on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. |
| 0:45.0 | Recently in Major League Baseball, the issue of pictures using sticky substances to gain an advantage has exploded into a controversy. |
| 0:59.0 | This is baseball's dirty little secret. The thought of the pictures have weaponized this, |
| 1:06.0 | and they have found ways to use fighter tech adhesive and super glue type materials to get better spin rates on their fastballs and the breaking balls. |
| 1:17.0 | And Yankee's Ace Garrett Cole is one of many pictures who are coming under scrutiny. |
| 1:22.0 | If he won't give an answer to that, and he's made the bank that he's made, everybody's doing it. |
| 1:28.0 | Today, the athletic sprick roly on how widespread the issue has become, how MLB plans to try to put a stop to this. |
| 1:35.0 | And while the league ultimately needs to look in the mirror, not only did they not punish these guys and look the other way when their stars spin rates were jumping, |
| 1:44.0 | but they handed them a better instrument to use it. |
| 1:47.0 | And in that respect, I think the league really should take on some of this blame here. |
| 1:54.0 | From Wondering in the Athletic, I'm Tiffany Oshinsky. It's Tuesday, June 15th, and this is the League. |
| 2:01.0 | It felt like something great was happening. |
| 2:05.0 | There was just something about the emotion and the heart of the game. |
| 2:09.0 | The failures of the past don't matter because we've got this now. |
... |
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