Get a Grip

Source: www.fangraphs.com --- Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Can MLB find a more uniform way for pitchers to develop a satisfactory grip? (via Jason Alley & Michelle Jay ) Consider the brief lifespan of a Baseball in the majors: After a cursory glance from an umpire and some coddling from the pitcher, the Baseball sees a handful of pitches before it is retired. This brief appearance belies the amount of preparation that takes place to get a Baseball into game-ready condition for its oh-so-short career. Much has been written about the use of Lena Blackburne Original Baseball Rubbing Mud for preparing baseballs for a game. The mystique surrounding the process of rubbing this magic mud onto new baseballs dovetails nicely with romantic aspects of the sport, even if we aren’t gripping those baseballs ourselves, while also having a practical element. A new and shiny Baseball is an affront to a pitcher; rubbing up a Baseball allows the pitcher to be a bit more deceptive by making the ball more difficult to see. But more importantly, it adds a gritty, tacky quality that gives the pitcher an easier grip for control of the ball. But let’s be honest: The inconsistencies and unpredictability behind this longstanding tradition also add to our frustration. The timing of the application and the amount that is applied varies enormously from ballpark to ballpark. This is noticeable both in terms of the appearance of the ball, which has implications in a hitter’s ability to see the ball, and the feel of th ...

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