Cubs, Tommy Hottovy ‘supportive’ of MLB sticky stuff crackdown

Cubs offer support of sticky crackdown: ‘We’re ready for it’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The Cubs and Cardinals, opponents this past weekend at Wrigley Field, both know something about spots on hats.

A few weeks ago, Joe West, the crew chief for a game between the Cardinals and White Sox, had St. Louis pitcher Giovanny Gallegos swap out a hat with a dark mark on the brim. Days later, Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel preemptively talked to West about the light mark on his own game-worn cap. 

Lets go check the guys that are sitting there going to their glove every day with filthy stuff coming out, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said to local reporters after Gallegos hat was confiscated, not some guy before hes even stepped on the mound with a spot on his hat. Thats how you want to start policing this?

The Cubs, at least publicly, have been more laissez-faire about Kimbrel cleaning a spot off his hat (remember, rosin is legal) and the subject in general.

If thats the type of thing MLB wants, Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said, noting that Kimbrel is confident his routine is within bounds, then well do it. And no questions asked, cool, were done. You want him to wear a new hat? Hell wear a new hat.

As the league prepares to crack down on pitchers using foreign substances, the Cubs message has remained consistent.

We feel confident about what we do here, Hottovy said. Whatever MLB decides theyre going to rule this is what you can use, this is what you cant use, this is how were going to monitor it, track it, all those things — we are fully supportive of whatever they want to do. And quite frankly, were ready for it.

ESPN reported Saturday that MLB was putting the final touches on a memo outlining its foreign substances rule, and that enforcement would include in-game checks. NBC Sports Chicago confirmed this weekend that teams had not yet received direction on how the foreign substance crackdown would proceed.  

Im on the pitching side, and I think its great for baseball, Cubs pitching, catching and strategy coach Mike Borzello said of enforcing the foreign substance rule.

Under MLBs current rules, doctoring the baseball is punishable by ejection and automatic 10-game suspension. But in a longstanding unspoken agreement, teams have shied away from calling out opposing pitchers for using foreign substances. The exceptions are in-your-face obvious infractions think Michael Pineda with pine tar smeared across his neck on a cold night in 2014.

Since at least 2018, now-Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer has been trying to call attention to how sticky foreign substances can boost spin rate. And its not just sunscreen and rosin mixtures or pine tar out there now, but also more manufactured substances like Spider Tack. The league hasnt threatened a crackdown until this season.

I want to compete on a fair playing field, Bauer told Los Angeles reporters after his fastballs spin rate dropped in a start last week. I think everyone wants to compete on a fair playing field. So, if theyre serious about actually doing something about the rule thats on the books, then thats all Ive wanted for four years.  

MLBs new focus on sticky stuff coincides with its efforts to up in-game action. The commissioners office brought in Theo Epstein, former Cubs president of baseball operations, as a consultant before experimenting with rules changes in the minor leagues this season.

MLB is testing things like banning the shift and regulating pickoff attempts in the minors, trying to restore balance to a game thats seen pitchers disproportionately benefit from recent technological advances.

To me, before they make significant changes, they should enforce all the rules on the books, said Jed Hoyer, current Cubs president of baseball operations. I think that much is obvious.

Gordon Wittenmyer contributed to the reporting of this story.

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