[Lefty Noob]

That's what some people are saying after the Detroit pitcher tossed a gem to beat St. Louis, 3-1, yesterday. The debate this morning stems from a substance that was on Rogers hand in the first inning, which was caught and broadcast by Fox TV cameras.

Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports has a great column about the incident.

Just consider the following:

1. During the top of the first inning, St. Louis Cardinals hitters complained to manager Tony La Russa that there was funny movement on Rogers' pitches.

2. La Russa then took the complaint to the umpires, although he didn't formally request an inspection of the Detroit Tigers' starting pitcher.

3. Home-plate umpire Alfonso Marquez, according to supervisor Steve Palermo, then noticed that Rogers had "a noticeable dirt mark of some sort on his left hand," which, if it was determined he was using intentionally to mark the ball to cause funny movement, would be cause for ejection.

4. So Marquez had a conversation with Rogers and, according to Palermo, said, "Kenny, that dirt thing that you've got on your hand, if you'll do me a favor and just take it off."

5. Rogers, according to Palermo, then washed his hands.

And then he went on to pitch seven more scoreless innings – running his postseason streak to 23 – to lead the Tigers to a 3-1 victory that evened the series as it heads to St. Louis for three games starting Tuesday.

So, if a baseball player in the middle of an out-of-nowhere, almost-unbelievable run of dominance is accused of maybe fudging things and the ump notices something fishy, the proper response is: "do me a favor" and "wash your hands."

Seriously, really, that's it? Wash your hands? As a favor?

What do you guys think? Was Kenny Rogers cheating? Did baseball turn a blind eye to a possible infraction?

[snooker]

Whether he had dirt or not , Did it effect his pitching afterwards ? What will they say after he wash his hand ? That the soap that he used to wash his hands made his pitches look funny as well ? I could see if afterwards he didn't have the same effects with his pitches that maybe he had cheated but the guy pitch a great game and he should get ALL the credit for it

BTW Remember what the yankee's players said about him too ? They never knew he could get his pitches in the 90ties range , I think they are just trying to get to him , Trying to throw him off somewhat , The guy right now is unstopable

[legend]

Kenny Rogers peed his pants on the big stage every time he went on it, except for this year. And even now, they don't dare pitch him on the road. Eventually, he had to come up big.

[snooker]

Originally Posted by legend

Eventually, he had to come up big.

Yeah but this is beyond big for a guy at his age

[ThePundit]

Well - that explains how a guy who has no business throwing 20 scoreless innings does.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

You say Cheated... I say part of the game... I mean Gaylord Perry is in the Hall of Fame is he not?...Where is the outcry?...Isn't what he did pitching more questionable then Rose's gambling...and equal to steroids?...and yet we rewarded him...why the doube standard?

White Ford use to carve up a baseball with a sharp edge on his wedding ring...another Hall of Famer...

So part of the game or cheating?...

[ThePundit]

The issue here is if LaRussa didn't have Mr. Rogers searched because he didn't want to embarass his good friend Leyland. Because if they would have found that pine tar on the mound, Rogers would have been thrown out.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by ThePundit

The issue here is if LaRussa didn't have Mr. Rogers searched because he didn't want to embarass his good friend Leyland. Because if they would have found that pine tar on the mound, Rogers would have been thrown out.

Doubt it...LaRussa wants to win...if he thought the guy was cheatin he would have jumped all over it...

[snooker]

Originally Posted by ThePundit

Well - that explains how a guy who has no business throwing 20 scoreless innings does.

Are you saying it can't be done ? Also what cause him to go 7 scoreless innings afterwards ?

[ThePundit]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Doubt it...LaRussa wants to win...if he thought the guy was cheatin he would have jumped all over it...

Gotham: LaRussa just admitted he didn't jump all over it because he didn't think it was the right etiquette. So in my opinion, he failed his team. This is not little league - this is the World Series.

And snookers. Not that it can't be done...But it a guy who has the worst ERA in post season history becomes Sandy Koufax and I see grease on his hand, well...it sort of casts a shadow of a doubt on him , doesn't it?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by ThePundit

Gotham: LaRussa just admitted he didn't jump all over it because he didn't think it was the right etiquette. So in my opinion, he failed his team. This is not little league - this is the World Series.

yep...I would fire him...he is out there to win period...and to not say something if he could is to fail your team.

[EmpireWF]

During the season, Joe Girardi forced the Umps to check Pedro Martinez and forced him to take off a shirt (because he had one long black sleeve and the other side was sleeveless). If La Russa didn't make a fuss because it "wasn't etiquette", and I was one of his players, I'd be pretty pissed.

[snooker]

Originally Posted by ThePundit

Gotham: LaRussa just admitted he didn't jump all over it because he didn't think it was the right etiquette. So in my opinion, he failed his team. This is not little league - this is the World Series.

And snookers. Not that it can't be done...But it a guy who has the worst ERA in post season history becomes Sandy Koufax and I see grease on his hand, well...it sort of casts a shadow of a doubt on him , doesn't it?

I wouldn't disagree if that was the whole facts but Its not like Rogers doesn't have a history in baseball , I'm just finding it if it is true ? Its not just LaRussa who is at fault but the whole MLB including the umps to allow it , I Just find it odd that the Yankee's and Oakland didn't notice anything wrong , Also the first inning was his worse , Until they can prove he done something that he shouldn't ? I say the guy pitched a good game

[flamnotspam]

I agree wholeheartedly with snooker here....he clearly hasn't been using this alleged pine tar all postseason or it would have been noticed before this, and he was watched pretty closely after the 1st inning so he clearly wasn't using it afterward. AND even if it was pine tar, and not mud as he claimed, could it really be considered cheating, since it didn't help his game at all? As snookers pointed out, the 1st inning was his worst (if you can call a single and a walk "worst") since the 1st inning he pitched against Oakland (which was also a one-hit, one-walk inning). I know all you Yankee fans want another reason to hate on Kenny Rogers, but I think this is not the opportunity you were looking for

[ThePundit]

But supposedly LaRussa noticed it from the AL chamionship series - so he knew about it coming in but still chose not to have Rogers checked.