Kenny Rogers Roasters - Did He Add Some Gravy to His Pitches?

I think he has something, I mean, this is just too shady of a response from everybody involved to be just dirt and rosin. Plus, ESPN has documented the same discoloration on his hand in multiple games in the past, clearly a continuing problem.

Last time I checked dirt didn't look oily and stain your skin. I think Kenny got away with something, but even if he did, they made him clean his hands after the first inning and he was still dominant for another 7 innings. I don't think you can take too much away from him.

True, dirt or no dirt, he actually pitched better once it was off of his hand. I just don't know why players think they can cheat the system, you will be caught more times than not, and does it really help that much?

I was having some problems with the sportsfrog link. Could just be on my end. Anyways, here is a photo of the "dirt." Sorry Frog, if this is repetitive.

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061022&content_id=1720924&vkey=ps2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Baseball (and probably all sports for that matter) will always have cheating problems - it's the nature of competition. For all the hooplah about steroids, there are so many ways in which players aim to better their performance, and there's no clear line defining what's right and what's wrong. For instance, Brian Roberts is known to use special contact lenses that help him see better at night. Even Tommy John surgery technically helps a player improve their speed. The question is, how does a league define fair boundaries, or should they in the first place?

It was probably just some cameraman's blood. No biggie.

:) Now it all makes sense. I think that pitch deserves a formal name...I mean, if a spitball can exist, maybe we need a bloodball, type-o+-ball, slasherball, or something of that nature.

Paparazzi Ball?

The Transfusion.

This is bull.....he pitched better AFTER the stuff was gone

That's right, he did, as the article and headline state. It's quite impressive regardless. There are rumors that he's been spotted with goop on his hand in the past. Whether he did it intentionally or not, the debate is certainly valid.

You are absouletely right he did much better so just leave the guy alone

What are you? His publicist? Since when is Kenny Rogers someone you should feel sorry or make apologies for? Yeah he pitched well after the first inning but he also had the spot on his in the ALCS. That shit wouldn't fly in a high school game, let alone the World Series. I'm by no means convicting him. But if he is 100% innocent, he's still a 41 or so year old veteran, don't you think he should know that an oily stain on your pitching hand make cause somewhat of a stir, especially in the World Series, especially when you're in the middle of pitching 23 straight scoreless innings? At the bare minimum, it's at least a topic for discussion.

screw Rogers, he's a quality jerk if I ever saw one.

Here's a bullpen coach saying "It was pinetar":
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/jon_heyman/10/23/scoop.rogers/index.html

Yeah, that as a great article.

It's another one of those things nobody wants to touch b/c it'll blow open a whole big issue the league has basically ignored for years, like juicing.

My .02 on this is tht LaRussa was just being his usual self, an aggressive manager, trying to do anything he could to shake a guy who he knows is hot. As has been observed here and elsewhere, guys try to get an edge anywhere and everywhere they can in baseball.

A 41-year old pitcher knows what is on his hand, yeah. But is he going to be the first one to step out and say "yup, its pinetar. and guess what -- about 100 other guys are using it too, or similar substances, and every manager and coach in the league knows it"...? Nah... hard to imagine. Not even the umpires want to deal with this.

"It was observed as dirt". Indeed.

Go Giants!!