Why does it have to be a position player? Verlander? Framber? There are a bunch of guys who have been around to experience the blowback.
And if it doesn’t bother Altuve or Bregman enough to say something, then it doesn’t bother me, either.
This is why I’m going to reserve judgment until the appeal process goes through. If he doesn’t appeal or loses, then he’s hurt the team, but probably not any worse than our bullpen guys generally pitching like scrubs and our RBI guys not doing their jobs. It would just be another chapter in a garbage season.
A couple of more idiot moves like that and guys won’t want to play here because of all the extra bullsh— you have to put up with for being known as serial cheaters. Not that I thought the trash can was a huge advantage.
I’m more old school. I don’t even dislike cheating because I know most teams cheat. But don’t be stupid with the franchise’s brand either. They’re checking your glove, McFly!!!
Tbf pitchers on all teams do this stuff. If Blanco were a Yankee or a Dodger this wouldn’t be anything more than an isolated incident. However because he’s an Astros this will be viewed as a systemic issue. It’s bs but it is what is. Someone (don’t care who) needs to straighten him out and make him realize how his actions reflect on the team.
His spin rates don’t suggest he was cheating. His vertical movement on his changeup is significant but that could be mechanics more than anything if the spin rates aren’t eye opening. I think it’s rosin/sweat, but the lab will tell us what it is. Pretty harsh to go after Blanco off the cuff like that if we don’t have all the facts. Blanco kept telling the umps to check his hands but he said they wouldn’t.
If it was on his hands, then eject the guy. If it’s on the glove but not on his hands, then change gloves. Also, why did they let German from the Yankees wash his hands and let him stay in the game last season? The umpire crews are inconsistent on this.
I understand the optics are sh*tty considering our history with cheating, but I don’t give care what others think. If Blanco did have spider tac in the glove, then Crane should make an example out of him.
It’s just so random for a guy whose spin rates aren’t that much different from a year ago and cruising to a spectacular season to try and sneak something by the umps.
If he wins his appeal I’ll be fine with him as a fan. But the simple fact is he’s potentially taken out for 10 games and has put scrutiny back on Crane’s organization. Double whammy. This is the kind of grist for the mill that makes journalists dig around the clubhouse. At least it will be for us.
Which brings me to the next point of how stupid this is with the gloves between innings. Why not collect the glove and put it in a box that umps only have access to? The pitcher goes to crew chief, who opens said box and hands pitcher his glove. It removes all of the doubt and suspicion.
As embarrassing as it sounds, the Astros may have to implement preemptive measures by having the pitcher’s glove handed over to the pitching coach after every inning for safe keeping and avoid the appearance of impropriety.
If anything appears suspicious, have the pitcher change gloves.
If it is determined that it was an intentional act, I wouldn’t be surprised if Crane has Blanco traded or released.
Also, what did Diaz know? Tacky substance transfers to the ball handled by Diaz. He noticed nothing?
Another hit to the franchise’s credibility may be to much for the owner to accept. He fired Luhnow and Hinch, so letting a player go or trading him for another act of cheating, or carelessness, or thoughtlessness, seems possible.
ps. I didn’t see Section 102’s post until I posted mine. Any similarity of subject matter was strictly coincidental.
For all we know Yainer could have said something to him and was ignored….no one knows but those guys themselves.
Espada did not put up much of a fight during the ejection or at the presser.
If Espada saw and felt it then Blanco did whether it was intentional or not….you know the umps are checking….so even if unintentional then be proactive and change gloves….these guys have at least three….main glove, back up glove and one they are working in for future use……bad decision on Blanco’s part even if you believe he is innocent.
I myself don’t think he is innocent, but that’s just me.
Yeah, this is the problem with going all hellfire and brimstone on the dude. Really, the thing people are reacting to here is that he got ejected and will probably have to sit 10 games.
If the umps had made him wash his hands and change gloves, would some of you still be calling for him to be traded/exiled/executed?
Yet the Dodger and Yankee pitcher was allowed to change gloves. Scherzer was allowed several chances before ejection.
After the second inning, the umpire who checked Scherzer determined that his hand was “slightly sticky,” but Scherzer offered to wash it off. When Scherzer came back out for the third inning, he was checked again. This time, his hand was clean, but the umpire expressed concern about stickiness on the glove, so Scherzer changed his glove. When he came back out for the fourth inning, the umpire again checked Scherzer, and this time, his hand was “far stickier than anything that we’ve felt certainly today and anything this year,” prompting the ejection.
Umpires are prone to hyperbole, too. The guy in the Scherzer case even used that same “stickiest EVER” language. I don’t believe they can or should be taken literally or seriously when they say things like that.
Given the disparate treatment of what look like similar instances, even this year, I think the MLBPA should consider filing a grievance if Blanco is suspended. This looks particularly bad when you consider that nothing was found on the ball or on his pitching hand.
