Sticky Substances: Detrimental to Baseball

As an avid fan of baseball, I have noticed that this year especially, pitchers have looked as commanding as ever. Baseball has not even reached the halfway point in the season, yet the record for no-hitters in a full season is 7, and already there have been six no-hitters! Wondering why there were so many dominating pitchers on the scene these days, it may be in large part due to the discovery of new substances. These grip enhancing substances are applied by pitchers onto the baseball increasing the spin rate, making the baseballs even more difficult to hit. In a sport where a 33% hit rate is considered elite, now that pitchers have access to substances that give more of an advantage than before, I have to ask: is this fair? After decades, the unwritten rule of doctoring baseballs is finally gaining mainstream attention from not only Major League Baseball (MLB) officials, but the world. Although the use of substances to enhance grip for pitchers is not new to major league baseball, this is the first time that it is being addressed on such a high level. With the average spin rate on baseballs dropping to a season low after MLB announced punishments for pitchers caught doctoring baseballs, it seems evident that pitchers were enhancing their performances through the use of foreign substances. As for the card market, this is a bad look for any cards of pitchers. Even though many people do not collect pitchers in general, the fact that is is coming out that nearly all pitchers have been cheating the whole time causes some questions. How good are the pitchers we are investing in? Was it all just a fluke? Those are some questions that investors and buyers might take into question with all the recent drama about pitchers using sticky substances to enhance their performances. With MLB reporting to announce a major rule change in the upcoming days, it is a positive sign to put the game on a path to become a more fair and balanced sport.

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