The Lunatic Fringe

Obviously, there’s differences in how steroids and pine tar can affect games, and especially in how they affect the users (which is supposedly the reason why steroids are banned), but that’s not the point I’m trying to make here.

The point is, people get up in arms about some kinds of “cheating,” and they pretty much act with a shrug at other kinds.

It seems that Pine Tar is baseball’s equivalent to marijuana: No one really gives a crap if you use it, unless you start being a douchebag about it.  And that seems to be Michael Pineda’s real crime: he got “caught”, had no punishment come his way, so he kept doing it.

And you wonder why some people in baseball are so cavalier with the rules?

Look, I get that pine tar is used for a good, helpful reason on those cold nights.  I’m sure the supply at Candlestick Park was replenished often by Mike Murphy.

But if it’s okay to do, put that in the rules!  It got done, if ever so complicatedly, with pitchers being allowed to go to their mouths.  It can be done with pine tar.  Just get it done!