Trevor Bauer accused Major League Baseball on Thursday of leaking a story about inspecting the ball balls he used during his start against the Oakland Athletics to determine if he had doctored it.
The Athletic, citing sources from the major leagues, reported that referees collected balls that were used throughout the Dodgers referee’s outing. The report says: ‘the balls have visible marks and were sticky.’ Bauer held Oakland to two runs with three shots with 10 shots over 6 2/3 overs.
“Lol always nice to read desperate and misleading clickbait headlines from national gossip bloggers,” Bauer tweeted. “Translating fake journalists speaks for everyone: ‘It’s unclear whether’ = ‘I can not bother to look at this cuz, it does not fit my narrative.’
Bauer continues: “Wondering where the articles are about balls from every other pitcher that are literally taken out of play in every other game this season? Lol also for @MLB who already has ‘sources’ talking to gossip bloggers about a so-called confidential process a week into the season, thumbs up, keep it dead! ‘
Two league officials said the referees are instructed to collect balls in every game, including every pitcher, which is then sent to a verifier. MLB has let teams know over the past month that the league is deeper against pitchers who use foreign drugs to use doctor balls.
“We have instructed referees, GCMs, ECOs and Authenticators to submit baseballs that come out of the game to the Commissioner’s office for further inspection and documentation,” reads a memorandum sent to the clubs. “They will prioritize baseballs that contain potential evidence of a foreign substance, but will also randomly select balls to ensure full coverage.”
The Athletic reports that the balls collected during Bauer’s start on Wednesday were brought to the referees’ attention. A league official did not say whether a pitcher would experience discipline if the league determined he was using a foreign substance.
People familiar with the union’s thinking said that discipline issued outside the bounds of the current rules would face an immediate challenge, and that all investigative leaks would undermine efforts to change the rules in this area. undermine.
Bauer was an outspoken critic of MLB’s efforts to police the use of foreign drugs. In a tweet in 2018, Bauer implied that the Houston Astros baseballs were doctored to increase spin rates.
Bauer also tweeted in that year that he could increase his turning point on his four-seam speed ball by 400 rpm if he used pine. Last season, his fast-paced four-speed fastball increased by 400 rpm, leading the majors into the turning point. He finishes the 60-game campaign with an ERA of 1.73 and wins the National League Cy Young Award.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel on March 25 in response to the memo, Bauer questioned whether the league could accurately determine whether a pitcher applied a foreign substance to a baseball, criticizing the league’s attempt.
‘They will be able to go back after the game and if you tested positive – or if your baseball tested positive on a foreign substance – they will be able to suspend you or discipline you or whatever. may be, ”Bauer said in the video. “I have a problem with that.”
Times author Bill Shaikin contributed to this story.