After turning a blind eye for years, MLB last week informed team owners that it plans on enforcing rules to curb pitchers’ application of foreign substances on baseballs in the coming weeks. The decision is spurred by use amongst major league baseball players, which is viewed as a significant reason for offensive struggles this season.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and catcher Will Smith said Friday that the team hasn’t heard from the league on the matter.
“I guess you see it across the league where some guys are blatantly using it,” Smith said. “But as far as it goes for me, I mean, I don't know. It doesn't really affect me that much, I feel like, as a hitter. So, yeah, it'd be interesting to see what they do with it.”
“I think that, certainly, Major League Baseball is trying to clean some things up,” Roberts said. "I'm just not as educated in how much of an enhancement it is. I really am not. So I think that, at first look, it probably will affect performance.
Dave Roberts overall is not concerned about the over MLB plan going forward.
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