My coaching staff was talking about the pine tar incident and one of the coaches stated that he is surprised more HS kids don't do it. Have you guys experienced any HS kids that you know of or suspect use pine tar or a foreign substance? Just so we get this out there, my pitchers DO NOT in any way shape or form do it.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Pine tar doesn't make the ball move. It's used for grip. Had Pineida not been so "in your face" with the Red Sox they wouldn't have said anything. Their own pitchers do it. All MLB teams ask is be a little discreet. It takes grease, tooth paste, etc. or scuff marks to make a ball move. I never understood why high school pitchers ask for the new ball.
Ha Ha, I agree with you about why pitchers ask for a new ball. I had a pitcher ask for a new ball the other day and I swear he said, "The seam is torn." I told him when he came in the dugout, "Do you realize how much movement you would get and how difficult it would have been for the hitters to hit that ball hard." He just stared at me.
When I was in high school I wanted the ball that was just returned from being fouled off into the parking lot and bounced several times across the hardtop.
Pine tar doesn't make the ball move. It's used for grip. Had Pineida not been so "in your face" with the Red Sox they wouldn't have said anything. Their own pitchers do it. All MLB teams ask is be a little discreet. It takes grease, tooth paste, etc. or scuff marks to make a ball move. I never understood why high school pitchers ask for the new ball.
What pine tar does do, however, is the same thing a tear or scuff on the ball does. It produces turbulence. Definitely agree on the second. I used to have to remind my kids that if they get their hands on a scuffed up, damaged ball, DON'T give it back until someone pries it out of your hands.
Go this update at our last rules interpretation meeting....knew it was ok for softball, but it was news to me ts approved for baseball...
NFHS APPROVES GORILLA GOLD FOR
BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PITCHERS
Resin-based grip enhancer can be kept in pocket
Lewiston, Idaho (January 26, 2014) The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has included Gorilla Gold Grip Enhancer, the world’s leading producer and marketer of resin-tackified grip towels, as an approved drying agent that can be kept in a pitcher’s pocket.
The approval aligns the organization with the majority of softball governing bodies including the NCAA, the American Softball Association (ASA), the International Softball Federation (ISF), as well as others. The NFHS has also approved Gorilla Gold for use by baseball pitchers.
“We have determined that this product meets the specification in the rules,“ Theresia Wynns, Director of Sports and Officials Education for NFHS said. “The GG towel may be kept in the pocket. The pitching hand needs to be wiped off before taking the ball from the glove,” she added.
In the current ruling, pitchers cannot have residue on the ball. Like rosin, Gorilla Gold does not affect the ball, only the fingers or hands to which the drying agent is first applied.
According to Wynns, “The NFHS does not endorse Gorilla Gold, but would attest to the approval of a pitcher using the product.”
How can pine tar not help if everybody in MLB using it or another substance. Besides, if pine tar helps the grip, then how can it not affect the tight spin on the curve vs a bad grip and hanging one. I don't buy into that pine tar don't help throw a better pitch. It has to. Otherwise, nobody ould use it.
