Perry Tells NYT Rogers' Used Pine Tar
HALL OF FAMER: IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE
In today's New York Times, legendary spitballer Gaylord Perry says he has no doubt the browm smudge on Kenny Rogers' hand was the mark of a deceiving southpaw.
Perry is to nefarious pitching what Snoop Dogg is to weed. If anyone would be an expert to what the mysterious substance on Rogers' hand it's the portly portsider.
He told the Times' Jack Curry that he has no doubt that the brown smudge was pine tar and noted its effectiveness in cold weather which has been prevalent in Rogers' three postseason starts.
What's troubling about the article is the mocking tone of the Southerners comments. At times he sounds like a deranged old man. In one instance he seems to be encouraging every American youth with a wispy fastball and a mitt to join the dark side of cheating.
“I’m proud of him, man,” Perry said. “He did it to them. Good for him. Now you’ll have a thousand high school kids using pine tar, too.”
There's one important point that Perry makes, though.
The effectiveness of pine tar and rosin on a baseball is unknown. What made Perry's histrionics on the mound so effective was not throwing a doctored baseball, but when, or if.
Tony LaRussa took the bait Sunday night and now Rogers next start--a Game 6 in Detroit--could be the pivotal game of this series. Will he be throwing with pine tar or not? Cardinals are thinking about it now instead of playing this World Series.
In today's New York Times, legendary spitballer Gaylord Perry says he has no doubt the browm smudge on Kenny Rogers' hand was the mark of a deceiving southpaw.
Perry is to nefarious pitching what Snoop Dogg is to weed. If anyone would be an expert to what the mysterious substance on Rogers' hand it's the portly portsider.
He told the Times' Jack Curry that he has no doubt that the brown smudge was pine tar and noted its effectiveness in cold weather which has been prevalent in Rogers' three postseason starts.
What's troubling about the article is the mocking tone of the Southerners comments. At times he sounds like a deranged old man. In one instance he seems to be encouraging every American youth with a wispy fastball and a mitt to join the dark side of cheating.
“I’m proud of him, man,” Perry said. “He did it to them. Good for him. Now you’ll have a thousand high school kids using pine tar, too.”
There's one important point that Perry makes, though.
The effectiveness of pine tar and rosin on a baseball is unknown. What made Perry's histrionics on the mound so effective was not throwing a doctored baseball, but when, or if.
Tony LaRussa took the bait Sunday night and now Rogers next start--a Game 6 in Detroit--could be the pivotal game of this series. Will he be throwing with pine tar or not? Cardinals are thinking about it now instead of playing this World Series.
