2013 World Series - St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Redsox

[twballgame9]

A. His ball wasn't moving more than it normally does.

B. They switch balls almost every pitch. This is the main reason no one doctors the ball anymore.

C. There is no evidence that that spot existed in any inning prior to one where he is winning 5-0 at the time.

D. That video doesn't show him doing anything - looks like he was checking his nails.

[claver2010]

beltran has a hangnail?

maybe well see him in 2015.

Mets fans disdain for Carlos Beltran is a constant source of entertainment. Especially for his looking strikeout on a breaking pitch nobody could have hit against a guy who's acquitted himself pretty well later in his career.

my disdain for beltran has nothing to do with that pitch. in fact, he was one of the only who showed up in those playoffs.

Truth. 3 HR in the series and an OPS over 1.000. Hittable or not, it was an awful way to end a series. I've never considered that a rational reaction, however.

BTW Delgado's OPS was close to 1.3 that series, which I didn't remember.

Since I assume most mets fans are morons, I assume they boo beltran for game 7

[EagleNYC]

A. His ball wasn't moving more than it normally does.

B. They switch balls almost every pitch. This is the main reason no one doctors the ball anymore.

C. There is no evidence that that spot existed in any inning prior to one where he is winning 5-0 at the time.

D. That video doesn't show him doing anything - looks like he was checking his nails.

I agree on points A, B and C, I just wonder what that was about. As to D, he appeared to touch that precise spot with his index and middle fingers. If he only did it one time, it couldn't have done much. I don't think it changed the outcome of the game (I have a feeling that if St. Louis did score off of Lester, the Sox O would have ramped it up and scored 14 runs), but it's worth asking the question. Hell, even if he didn't touch the spot, it's not as if having a substance on your glove (for whatever reason) is acceptable. There was clearly something on his glove. Whether it was there for 1 inning or more is irrelevant.

[twballgame9]

Having a substance on your glove may not be technically acceptable, but educated speculation is that it was pine tar and that the Cardinals really don't want to make a beef about that given the quotes earlier in the year by Wainwright and Carpenter. Evidently it is well know that most pitchers use pine tar or sun block to grip the ball, especially in cold weather, because the Cardinals pitchers told everyone that they do it.

I don't really care because it had zero impact on the game, but evidently baseball would grind to a halt because no one would be available to pitch if they enforced that rule strictly.

Also, someone showed a picture from the ALCS with a worn down spot on his glove in the identical location. No idea why it looked the color of grass for one inning last night, but there is nothing there to make me believe that is something designed for loading the ball. Lester is too smart to make it that obvious. And it was that obvious that had the Cards cared, they would have made a stink about it.

Lester was awesome last night because he had command of his stuff, not because his stuff was better. Usually he is more wild than that and is anything but economical. One would think that if you had trouble commanding your stuff, you wouldn't want to make it move more. For example, Peavy would be an idiot to doctor the ball - he can't control his fastball as it is. Lester was more in command last night, not less.

It's a whiney non-factor bitch session from the greatest baseball fans in sports who are praying that Lester gets suspended because their team can't hit lefties.

[DavidGordonsFoot]

by "guy", i take it you mean bookie... not the guy you sleep with on the down low.

i have to say that this was lame, even for you

like i said earlier, he is reaching today.

[hansen]

clearly, it was something to help control the ball. most pitchers put it on the hat bill... not sure why he had it in the glove.
i do agree with mrs rettig though; the cardinals werent fielding and/or hitting so this had zero impact on the game and is a non-issue.

[TobaccoRoadEagle]

latest news - it was bullfrog.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mlb--red-s ... 09343.html

in other news, the line is down to sawks -115/nice fans +110. i'm falling further into the "save wager for game 3" camp

[twballgame9]

Fact: Major League Baseball is well aware of this and does not consider it an issue despite rules about foreign substances because pitchers, hitters, coaches, managers and executives agree that a substance used to better a pitcher's grip, as opposed to doctor a ball or make it dip and dive in unnatural directions, is within the confines of the rules.

Like I said. Grip, not movement, and Wainwright is the first guy to go on the record about it. Not an issue not because it had no impact, but because MLB doesn't give a shit if any of the pitchers do it.

[twballgame9]

“There are probably a lot of pitchers in this game who need something at times to help them get a better grip,” Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “If you’re talking about scuffing or putting Vaseline on the ball to make it move differently, that’s a separate issue. But to do something to get a better grip on the ball? With guys throwing 100 miles per hour? I don’t think that’s cheating … It’s a tool to keep [the ball] from flying out of your hands.”

[DavidGordonsFoot]

Not a sox fan, but... say goodnight, hansen.

[hansen]

Not a sox fan, but... say goodnight, hansen.

That pitch to Ortiz was deadly.
Cards better plate one here if they want to win this game.

[twballgame9]

John Farrell gave up a win. He's a light weight. Lackey would be done three batters ago. I hate bad managers.

[twballgame9]

Farrell is the worst kind of manager. Stupid but thinks he's smart. Just threw away a win to a shitty team.

[flyingelvii]

He had 83 pitches going into the inning, was pitching well and facing the bottom of the order. Not sure why you want to take him out.

[twballgame9]

Because farrell is an idiot. Good high school manager and the sox are up 2 to 1. Have to make it hard I guess.

[commavegarage]

overcompensating for leaving buchholz in too long in game 6

[hansen]

That should have been scored a base hit.
Tough play with a fast runner.

[twballgame9]

Well farrell made this a series. He sucks. Good manager trusts lackey.

[twballgame9]

Throwing uehara. So dumb.

[hansen]

Well farrell made this a series. He sucks. Good manager trusts lackey.

Not going to lie... was very happy to see him given the hook tonight the way he had been pitching.

[hansen]

Throwing uehara. So dumb.

Never understood why managers do this.

Last night Matheny pitched martinez, siegrist, etc. in a blowout. why not pitch your long man in that case? why give the other team a look at the opposing pitcher?

[twballgame9]

Red Sox should be embarrassed. Made this a series. G god I hate over managers.

[flyingelvii]

Well farrell made this a series. He sucks. Good manager trusts lackey.

I thought he took him out three batters too late?

[twballgame9]

Well farrell made this a series. He sucks. Good manager trusts lackey.

I thought he took him out three batters too late?

Ha. Needless relief

[twballgame9]

Good high school manager is up 2 to 0. Typical sox though. Make it hard against a bad team

[claver2010]

Martinez has some filthy stuff, some of those sliders were unreal

[flyingelvii]

Well farrell made this a series. He sucks. Good manager trusts lackey.

I thought he took him out three batters too late?

Ha. Needless relief

I'm just trying to understand what the fuck you're saying because it was non-sensical and on both sides of the fence last night. At least that's how I read it.

[TobaccoRoadEagle]

i think he's saying that what they did didn't work so they should have done something different that DID work.

kinda like a sawks version of mo.j.

[claver2010]

or tedwardo is back to his thursday night ways

[twballgame9]

Well farrell made this a series. He sucks. Good manager trusts lackey.

I thought he took him out three batters too late?

Ha. Needless relief

I'm just trying to understand what the fuck you're saying because it was non-sensical and on both sides of the fence last night. At least that's how I read it.

I said Lackey would be done [as in with that shitshow of an inning] three batters ago.