Vandy Pitcher JD Thompson (Cheater)

[05_never_again]

Sign stealing, and tipping pitches is one thing, but altering the ball in ways that it moves differently than it would if you didn’t, is an issue.

It's about as scandalous as driving 63 in a 55. Do you watch a lot of baseball?

 

[wmcovol]

Big difference was everybody knew what Gaylord was doing from day one. Was kind of like trying to find the "trick" a magician used.

He passed away a few years ago, but if you never got to hear Gaylord speak at a public event and get started on all his tricks-you missed out.

Gaylord spoke at an event I attended once. He was great. He admitted to greasing up the ball but said later he’d go through the motions to intimidate batters as much as he loaded one up. The perception, he said, was often as effective.

Most pitchers, toward the end of their careers, work for advantages. Whitey Ford, Don Drysdale, etc all tried something.

 

[VolMarine1371]

It's about as scandalous as driving 63 in a 55. Do you watch a lot of baseball?

Yes, I watch a lot of baseball. I can’t count on 1 hand how many games I have actually missed since Vitello has been the HC. I started really paying close attention to college baseball in Todd Raleigh last year as HC. I also watch most Braves games as long as I’m not doing anything important. But, what’s that’s matter? Illegal is illegal!

 

[Counter Trey]

It has been a part of the game for 150 years. As catcher, I always wished they've legalized the spitter and made the knuckle ball illegal. During the splitter craze of the eighties the majority of them were actually spitters.

That's just not true. Somebody who knows what they're looking at can tell the difference between a splitter and a spitter. The "majority" of guys who threw the split-fingered fastball were NOT throwing a spitball. Just dumb.

 

[VolTull]

It has been a part of the game for 150 years. As catcher, I always wished they've legalized the spitter and made the knuckle ball illegal. During the splitter craze of the eighties the majority of them were actually spitters.

You caught. Hm.

Don't believe it.

 

[rikberry31]

That's just not true. Somebody who knows what they're looking at can tell the difference between a splitter and a spitter. The "majority" of guys who threw the split-fingered fastball were NOT throwing a spitball. Just dumb.

I hate to break it to you but I caught a pitcher in college and everyone thought he was throwing this amazing splitter. He was throwing a "dry" spitter. He would put Ivory dish soap on his pant leg. He would go to his mouth and "dry" it off on his pant leg. He got the Ivory on his first two fingers and grip the ball on the smooth of the horseshoe. It would come out of his hand tumbling just like a splitter and was consistent as heck. By the time the ball got to the plate it was as dry are your grandaddy's crusty bald head. He learned from an alumni who was a major leaguer.
But I am just dumb