Did Rogers cheat?

[Brutalis]

With the stuff on his thumb?

[JamStone]

Probably. That first inning was the Cardinals' best scoring chance on him though. After he cleaned off that stuff, he was unhittable. They probably should have asked him to keep it on.

[timvp]

Even if he did cheat, it's karma for McGwire ingesting gallons of steroids while the Cardinals ignored it and raked in the millions.

[MajorMike]

Even if he did cheat, it's karma for McGwire ingesting gallons of steroids while the Cardinals ignored it and raked in the millions.

Actually he did roids with the A's and publically did Androgen (which wasn't illegal) with the Cards Plus the Cards never went anywhere with Big Mac.

What I like most about this little thing, is how the media can't get enough of it. If the Tigers win... it will be tainted whether he cheated or not, because the media won't let it go.

[DarkReign]

I dont know. It was the 1st inning. Had his performance after he washed it off been shoddy, this would be a bigger deal.

But the fact that he just casually went 8 with 2 hits kind of silences alot of the drama.

[Vizzini]

Lord knows what it is. It could be pine tar, but if the umpire, who has been around for awhile, and stood about a foot from Rogers didn't have a problem, and St. Louis isn't complaining vocally, and the head supervisor of officials doesn't have a problem, then it is just a story for the media and the fans to keep themselves interested during the travel day. He did go another 7 innings w/o having anything on his hand, and only gave up one more hit. I think it is getting over blown just for the simple fact that Kenny Rogers isn't a rookie who just made his debut. If he was going to cheat, he would've made whatever substance he was using a little more inconspicuos IMO.

[Borosai]

I'm not a fan of either team...hell, I don't even watch baseball, but it's pretty obvious the guy did not have dirt on his hand. All you have to do is look at the pictures on ESPN's site...he has the exact same stuff on the exact same spot on the exact same hand. Yeah, I'm sure he got some greasy looking dirt on his hand both times...makes sense.

Now being realistic, the guy cheated and got away with it. If they had inspected it and found it to be pine tar or whatever, he would have been tossed, which would have clearly changed the course of the game...maybe they win anyway, but it still matters. He did well after cleaning it off his hand, but who's to say he didn't hide it somewhere else. Anyway, nothing was done about it at the time, so the win is in the books. But you can be sure he will be watched very closely next time.

[FromWayDowntown]

It strikes me as a major non-story.

[Extra Stout]

This is a non-issue. Tony LaRussa saw the discoloration on Rogers' thumb, and brought it to the attention of the umpiring crew. They observed Rogers and said that he did not have a foreign substance on his hand. He cleaned off his hand and continued.

In order to argue that Rogers was cheating, you must either argue as well that the umpires lacked the competence to recognize an illegal foreign substance, or that they are part of some conspiracy. The latter would help to explain the black helicopters flying over Comerica Park, though.

[Extra Stout]

that was just because nbadan was in attendance
That settles it. Kenny Rogers is a neo-con.

[kris]

Actually he did roids with the A's and publically did Androgen (which wasn't illegal) with the Cards Plus the Cards never went anywhere with Big Mac.

What I like most about this little thing, is how the media can't get enough of it. If the Tigers win... it will be tainted whether he cheated or not, because the media won't let it go.

Yes, we all know what McGwire claims he was on with the Cardinals.

Whatever Rogers is using he seems to like using it over and over. And whatever he is using he feels the need to lie about whether or not someone told him to wipe it off.

[Brutalis]

I guess like the TV said if the Cards are not making a big deal about it why should anyone else... seems like a dead hot topic..

[leemajors]

patrick and olbermann had an interesting discussion. olberman thought it was a tincture of some sort to let him feel his hand a little better in the cold - lots of pitchers do it and larussa doesn't want to open a can of worms like that - leyland could easily claim reyes or someone else was doctoring the ball in some way. all pitchers do something, whether it's picking at the seams of the baseball with a nail or going gaylord perry on it.

[JamStone]

In professional sports, if you're not cheating, you're not trying.

[Zunni]

Baseball is probably the cheatin'ist sport of them all. Sign stealing, ball doctoring, bat corking. It's a long season, and a slow game. They have lots of time to think.

[whottt]

This whole controversy works to Kenny's advantage...anything that helps him get into the hitters heads and makes them guess even more than usual plays right into his hands...that's exactly the type of situation that Kenny makes use of to be his most effective....guile, trickery, deception and confusion.

He's been around long enough and gone from flamethrower to crafty lefty junkballer...he knows all the tricks, has all the tricks, and will use this situation to his advantage.

And Kenny is an oldschool grade A asshole that is not worried in the slightest about what anyone thinks of him...and all this showes his teamates is how much he wants to win, they'll rally around him...and it's not like he's worried about blowing his HOF chances.

Even though he was the first left handed pitcher in the history of the game to throw a perfect game(at the ballpark in Arlington no less).

[tlongII]

I think Rogers definitely had pine tar on his hand in the first inning. Not a big deal in my opinion though. St. Louis should have said something to the ump during the first inning to try and shake Rogers up.

[Spurminator]

It's too bad there had to be a day off between Games 2 and 3.

[T Park]

just wait till after today.

Supposed to rain "heavily" wednesday and thursday.

Yippee :rolleyes

[sa_butta]

Everytime I read or hear about this it makes me think of this...

Major League
Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn: "You put snot on the ball?"

Eddie Harris: "I haven't got an arm like yours. I got to put anything on it I can find. Someday you will too."

[Spurminator]

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/1294/dirtgategf3.gif

Overkill much?

[Melmart1]

Overkill for sure, but in their defense, there IS only one baseball series going on right now.

[Spurminator]

Good point. I suppose it is better than the usual "How will Steinbrenner shake up the Yankees in the offseason" story.

[Melmart1]

That will be coming as soon as this series is over.

[Jimcs50]

what about the innings after the stuff was washed off???

This is much to do about nothing, if you want my opinion.

[Spurminator]

That will be coming as soon as this series is over.

Hell, it happened during the LCS...

[Burn531]

Is it really cheating when the TV announcers catch you?

[sa_butta]

what about the innings after the stuff was washed off???

This is much to do about nothing, if you want my opinion.Thats the way I see it too, It was one inning. Were they going to win the game in that inning the way he pitched the rest of the game? Stuff on hand or no stuff on hand the guy has been murder on the mound.

[tlongII]

Rogers pitched great, but LaRussa should have complained during the inning while he was pitching rather than waiting until he got off the mound. History has shown that Rogers can be rattled and that was a perfect opportunity.

[johngateswhiteley]

what about the innings after the stuff was washed off???

This is much to do about nothing, if you want my opinion.

exactly. wtf cares...he actually pitched better after he cleaned his hand off. this has got to be the most annoying baseball story of the playoffs thus far.