New York Mets starter Max Scherzer’s ejection in his most recent start against the Los Angeles Dodgers has sparked tons of debate regarding the use of rosin for pitchers in Major League Baseball.
Scherzer said he “swears on my kids’ lives” that he did use any foreign substance that led umpire Phil Cuzzi to toss him from his outing after he deemed his hands too sticky to continue pitching.
Scherzer claimed that he only used rosin and sweat, and despite trying to relinquish the stickiness with an alcohol wash with an MLB official watching, Cuzzi still threw him out of the game.
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Former MLB player David Cone reacts after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to game two of the American League Division Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on October 14, 2022 in New York, New York. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Former MLB pitcher and current broadcaster David Cone decided to do a little experiment before ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” matchup between the Mets and San Francisco Giants, using MLB’s “rock rosin” to see just how sticky fingers get when pitchers use it.
The experiment shows that Scherzer has a case.
“We did a little experiment before the game and I had the rosin bag right there. That’s the rock rosin,” Cone said. “I had not too much sweat to work with, but even with just the rock rosin, it got sticky. Then, I went to the alcohol to show you, ‘OK, let me clean it off.’ I had a little discoloration from the rosin.”
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Cone, then, showed just how sticky his hand was after implying the alcohol.
“The alcohol sort of activates what’s left of the rosin,” he said.
Max Scherzer #21 of the New York Mets reacts after an ejection by umpire Phil Cuzzi #10 during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 19, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Scherzer wasn’t just tossed from the game, but he was suspended 10 games as a result. He decided not to appeal, with his reasoning being that an MLB official would be overseeing the hearing.
Dan Bellino, who was also umpiring that game where Scherzer pitched, explained their reasoning for tossing him.
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“As far as the level of stickiness, this was the stickiest it has been since I’ve been inspecting hands, which goes back three seasons,” Bellino said. “Compared to the first inning, the level of stickiness, it was so sticky that when we touched his hand, our fingers were sticking to his hand, and whatever was on there remained on our fingers afterwards for a couple of innings where you could still feel that the fingers were sticking together.”
Scherzer’s side of the story appears to match up with Cone’s display.
Former MLB player David Cone throws the ceremonial first pitch before game two of the American League Division Series between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium on October 14, 2022 in New York, New York. The Guardians defeated the Yankees 4-2 in ten innings. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
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“I knew I was going to get checked in the fourth,” Scherzer said Wednesday. “So I have to be an absolute idiot to try to do anything when I am coming back out for the fourth. I am in front of the MLB official that is underneath [near the dugout]. I wash my hand with alcohol in front of the official. I then apply rosin and I then grabbed sweat. I then go back out there and Phil Cuzzi says my hand is too sticky.”
