It has been a little bit less than a month since the MLB began their sticky substance crackdown. Pitchers are subject to inspections between innings and at any time umpires deem it necessary.
The new policy has not come without controversy, as many pitchers find it to be invasive. Max Scherzer especially had a strong reaction to the checks earlier in the week.
On Sunday, Mariners pitcher Hector Santiago became the first pitcher to be ejected as a result of the new sticky substance policy. “He was ejected for when his glove was inspected for having a foreign substance that was sticky on the inside palm of his glove,” said crew chief Tom Hallion after the game. Hallion also added that the substance was “very noticeable.”
Under the crackdown, any sort of foreign substance anywhere on the pitcher, his glove, his hat, his belt buckle, etc. carries an automatic ejection. The league office will now insect Santiago’s glove in order to determine whether the ejection was warranted or not. If the league finds that he violated the rules, he will receive a 10 game suspension.
Santiago and the Mariners have objected to the ruling and are confident it will be overturned. “Once they take it back and check it, it’s just sweat and rosin,” Santiago said after the game. “If they’re going to do all this science stuff, it’s going to be sweat and rosin. We’ll be all right.”
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