Professional baseball players often coat their equipment in pine tar to help maximize their grip. They treat their bats, gloves, and even baseball helmets in the sticky tar mixture made from distilled pine wood.
AP The debate over pitchers using pine tar was raised once again when Michael Pineda of the New York Yankees was ejected after umpires found the sticky substance on his neck while pitching against the Boston Red Sox. Pine tar is used to get a better grip on the ball, but it is an illegal substance banned by MLB.
It’s called pine tar, a sticky substance players put on their bats to reduce slippage. The goop gets on their batting gloves and gets transferred to their helmets when they adjust them. Players who adjust their helmets constantly, like Cabrera, leave more gunk on their helmet.
MLB rules deem pine tar illegal; Section 6.02(c)(4) of the rulebook states: “The pitcher shall not apply a foreign substance of any kind to the ball.” Section 6.02(c)(7) adds, “The pitcher shall not have on his person, or in his possession, any foreign substance.”
Placing the sock on the end of the bat insures you can give them a sock while maintaining a safe distance. 2monkeysandafootball: A bat is useless in close quarter combat. Get a pump shot gun and non-lethal OR lethal rounds.
Major League Baseball pitchers cannot use pine tar to grip the ball before throwing it. No foreign substances are allowed on the baseball, and pine tar is considered a foreign substance.
Pitchers use the “sticky stuff”, like pine tar, to improve the grip and increase the ball rotation. With vaseline, it’s the other way around, the goal is to inhibit the rotation. Basically, it helps them throw one of the toughest pitches in baseball, the knuckleball.
Modern day pine tar is manufactured with increased purity to eliminate toxic phenol and carcinogenic components, which have been of concern in the past. Primary irritation is uncommon.
Pine tar is a tacky substance produced by the high temperature carbonization of pine wood (duh). Traditionally, it was used as a sealant for maritime purposes, but today it is also used in soaps, shampoos and treatments for certain skin conditions.
Wait, you asked, is there such a thing as a baseball thumb guard? Yes. Specifically, its a Pro Hitter’s Baseball Thumb Guard used for baseball batters. It’s purpose is to fill the gap between the oval shape of a cupped hand and the perfect cylinder of most wood bats.
Pine tar is a common material used to keep bats from slipping on the ground. Baseball players apply pine tar to their bats before each game in order to help them hold onto the ball better. The sticky substance also helps reduce vibration and provide stability for batting practice sessions and games.
The sticky, brown substance known as pine tar is produced through distillation of pine wood. Baseball players coat their bats – and sometimes their hands and helmets – in this sticky substance in the hopes of getting the best grip on their bats.
It’s not a fresh, clean pine forest scent, but a warm, dirty, grity scent associated with hard work and callused hands. What is pine tar? It’s a natural tar extracted from pine tree roots by heating or burning it in oxygen reduced atmosphere.
Pitchers’ use of pine tar and similar substances is regulated by Rule 3.01 (3.02) of the Official Baseball Rules. It unequivocally states that no player is allowed to intentionally discolor or damage the baseball by rubbing it with any foreign substance. The pine tar doctoring is also regulated by Rule 8.02(b).
If you get pine tar on your bat, the best way to remove it is by using soap and water. Make a wet bat with soapy water and then scrub the tar off of the bat with the help of your hands. Rinse the bat with clear water after scrubbing to remove any remaining residue.
A History of Baseball Bat Colors
The first baseball bats were black because they were crafted from hickory wood, which is naturally black. Hickory was used for bats until the 1960s when maple bats became more popular.
NOTE 2: The use of pine tar or any other similar adhesive substance is prohibited at all levels of Little League Baseball and Softball. Use of these substances will result in the bat being declared illegal and removed from play. NOTE 3: Non-wood bats may develop dents from time to time.
Per Rule 14-3, players may use powders and/or drying or moisturizing agents to aid in gripping the club, so pine tar is fine.
This seems to meet the definition of “illegal pitch” in the MLB rulebook, which reads, “An ILLEGAL PITCH is (1) a pitch delivered to the batter when the pitcher does not have his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate; (2) a quick return pitch. An illegal pitch when runners are on base is a balk.”
Basically, there’s nothing stopping you from pitching underhand in a baseball game. There’s no mention of prohibiting this type of throwing the ball in any baseball rulebook. Even though you’ll likely never see an underhand pitch in baseball, it’s still perfectly legal.
A spitball (aka spitter, wet one, or unsanitary pitch) is a pitch in which the pitcher applies saliva to the baseball, either to change its aerodynamic properties or to reduce friction between his fingers and the ball.
BB Pine Tar gives fast temporary relief from itchy scalp, falling and thinning hair, and removes loose dandruff. Directions: Apply directly to scalp and work into scalp, massaging more on thinning areas and temples. For superb results use this product three times weekly.
Are Pine Cones Poisonous to Humans? No, pine cones aren’t toxic for humans. However, you may have some allergic reactions to pine cones. It’s best to take a few bites and wait to see if there are any reactions.
Shipping calculated at checkout. Pine tar has been a common ingredient in soap for hundreds of years. It’s perceived as an effective treatment for bacterial and fungal infections such as athlete’s foot and jock itch.