IT’S "PINE"DA!

Well, Michael Pineda has done it again - he’s embarrassed himself, his team, Yankees’ fans, and the NYY’s organization.  The Yankees’ young, surgery-recovered starting pitcher was caught with obvious pine tar along his neck, only one week after TV cameras had caught the same substance on his hand (both games against the most ignored cheater’s team, David Ortiz’ Boston Red Sox).  Still, two wrongs don’t make a right.  Pineda admitted utilizing the pine tar to help his cold fingers have control over non-fastball pitches.  The next day, he was suspended for 10 games.  As a Yankees’ fan, I personally feel humiliated and disappointed.

My humiliation stems from the prestigious expectations of the Yankees dating back from the early 90s to today’s Yankees.  Throughout those years, the Steinbrenners have worked hard at creating an overall classy persona for the organization, with players such as Jeter and Rivera leading the way.  Yes, they've had some bumps (mainly A-Rod), but no other team during those years has proven themselves with so many distinguished players (including Don Mattingly) and future hall of fame players (Jeter, Rivera), while accomplishing 5 world championships.  That’s why whenever one player goes outside the boundaries it gets magnified so much.

I’m disappointed because Pineda was already reprimanded after his last start by his manager, Joe Girardi and his pitching coach, Larry Rothschild.  Additionally, both Joe and Larry should have ensured that a full understanding was absorbed by Mike after they delivered their lecture.  The second usage of the pine tar proved otherwise!

Ironically, shortly after Pineda was ejected, baseball fans began to learn that almost ALL pitchers in the Major Leagues have been using pine tar for many, many years, according to several former players and managers!  Not only did former pitchers such as Rick Sutcliffe, David Cone, and Al Leiter admit to using it in their past, but former Cleveland Indians’ pitcher Roy Smith estimated through his professional experience that 75% of the pitchers typically use it.  No one in MLB insinuated otherwise.

That common inside-baseball knowledge was one reason why the Red Sox manager, John Farrell hesitated the last time to officially object to Pineda’s pine tar usage.  Even in Pineda’s second usage, Farrell didn't act vehemently mad, but instead focused his objection towards Pineda’s blatant display of the substance.  His own players, Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia, had supported pitchers using it for better grip just as hitters similarly used it on their bats.  Farrell also knew his own pitchers were using it (but concealed their usage).  Not surprisingly, the next game’s starter for the Red Sox, Jon Lester, “coincidentally” had absolutely no control of his breaking ball and sinker pitches and got hammered by the NYY hitters for an eventual lopsided loss. 

Pine tar’s offense usage was even a bigger deal back in 1983 when George Brett used a bat exceeding the allowed amount (18” from the bat’s barrel) of pine tar.  Billy Martin knew Brett was using an exceeding amount for approximately one year!  He waited that whole time for an opportune moment to capitalize on Brett’s rule-breaking usage.  When Brett hit a 3-run homer in the top of the 9^th inning in Yankee Stadium against Goose Gossage to put his Kansas City Royal’s team ahead 5-4, Billy came out to protest the bat and the umpires threw Brett out of the game while disqualifying the home run.  Four days later, the American League President, Lee MacPhail, determined that they would allow the home run from Brett’s “illegal” pine tar usage, bringing the game back to a Royals lead with a 5-4 score and scheduling a later date (25 days later) for the Royals to play their one-third remaining inning and the Yankees to play their unfinished half-inning.  Neither team scored another run.  Thus, the Yankees ended up with a loss.  George Brett’s whining and temper tantrum were unfortunately rewarded.  It’s just another instance in which favoritism rarely seems to “favor” the Yankees.

My main take on this whole Pineda incident is that it has now opened up Pandora’s box - not only related to pine tar, but to the fact that MLB is still hiding potential cheating from its fans.  It’s time for MLB to stop concealing things from the public.  They should have learned their lesson from the whole steroids issue!  With today’s TV coverage, anything physical can be detected, including non-blatant pine tar or any other substance.  MLB claims they’ll review the whole pine tar usage after this season, but why wait?  Procrastination rarely results into anything positive.  MLB should immediately review the need of pine tar by both pitchers and batters.  You can’t let one use it for an advantage and not the other.  Perhaps a compromise of allowance such as certain game-playing temperatures, a limited amount on a ball (susceptible to an umpire’s inspection at any given moment), a gripping glove (partial or whole) for a pitcher, etc. could resolve the issue.  In any case, stop the ignorance.  Let’s get this and any other upcoming surprises upfront and resolved!