Using pine tar is one of those unwritten rules in baseball. Using pine tar against a team you obviously cheated against a few weeks ago is another story. Michael Pineda should have known better than to try and dupe MLB umpires by having an obvious portion of the illegal substance scraped across the right side of his neck.
If you were to poll around MLB the results would probably vary in terms of how affective pine tar actually is. Pitchers seem to agree that it helps with control to some extent especially on those cold spring nights early in the season.
The Boston Red Sox (10-12) will be known as pine tar snitches for the rest of the season. John Farrell felt it was worth it to get Pineda out the game. The Red Sox have some guys in their bullpen that practice the same tactics. Follow Me on Instagram: NYsteve8
Pine tar came on the national scene in 1983 in the famous Pine Tar game between the Yankees and Royals. George Brett was called out for allegedly having portions of the substance on his bat. The call subsequently ended the game. Brett famously charged home-plate in one of baseball's most historic altercations.
Umpires should be able to identify pine tar with relative ease. It even has a distinctive smell. However, it goes undetected in the sport on a regular basis.
The Yankees expect the 25 year old right-hander will face some sort of suspension. Pineda is an important part of the Yankees pitching staff this season. The team has taken responsibility for not properly educating Pineda about the substance. That comes off as an obvious ploy by the organization to protect the young pitcher. The A.L East will be a tough division from top to bottom this season. Pineda has to make better decisions going forward. Your in the big leagues now kid.
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