PHOTO: Did Michael Pineda use pine tar tonight against the Red Sox?

66 Comments

Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda has dominated the Red Sox so far tonight and it looks like he could be using some pine tar to help shut them down. Or at least improve his grip on the baseball. You be the judge:

source:  This is probably more common that we realize, but that looks pretty obvious. Interestingly, Pineda is starting tonight against Clay Buchholz, who was accused of using sunscreen on a baseball last year. Also, don’t forget that some suspected that Jon Lester used a substance to doctor the baseball during the World Series against the Cardinals. The Red Sox are surely aware of what Pineda is doing, but maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that John Farrell hasn’t complained.

UPDATE: According to the YES broadcast of the game, it looks like Pineda no longer has the substance on his hand.

UPDATE II: Pineda struck out seven batters over six innings of one-run ball for his first victory in MLB since July 30, 2011. Per Erik Boland of New York Newsday, Pineda said after the game that he had dirt on his hand. Alrighty then. Meanwhile, David Ortiz told Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal that “everybody uses pine tar” and it’s “not a big deal.” Umpire Brian O’Nora told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that “the Red Sox didn’t bring it to our attention so there’s nothing we can so about it.”

Anthony Rendon fan interaction video looked into by MLB

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
0 Comments

OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.