Saturday, October 30, 2010

MLB Baseball Pitcher’s Dirty Hat Results in Cheating Accusations 80hat

Texas Rangers Pitcher, Cliff Lee, is one of the fiercest pitchers in baseball these days. And his hat has become the target of plenty of controversy recently. The bill of his cap is smudged with white stuff, and some conspiracy theorists think he’s got some sort of concoction that gives him a little extra advantage from the mound. Most people are comfortable attributing the white stain to sweat and rosin.
Pitchers are allowed to have a rosin bag right behind the mound, and use it all they want for their hand, just not allowed to rub the ball in rosin. But some people even think the high amount of rosin and sweat on the bill of Lee’s hat is giving him that extra oomph he needs to have an unfair advantage against the batters. In a sarcastic response to the questions, Cliff Lee said:
It definitely makes me way better. I know that much. Without that hat, I don’t know if I could do it. I don’t know. It’s rosin is what it is. I go to the rosin bag quite a bit. I touch my hat in the same place over and over. And it just accumulates. I couldn’t pitch without it for sure.
Most people, including the Manager of the Yankees, are not bothered by the soiled hat. And if anyone should be concerned, it’s the Yankees… they are currently down 3-2 in the ALCS, one loss away from elimination from the playoffs. But they realize that Cliff Lee is just a terrific pitcher, and he’s not trying to gain the upper hand with his hat concoction.  The more naive sports watcher might say, “why doesn’t he just wear a clean hat each game?” But those who know how superstitious athletes are, know that you don’t demand someone to change their ritual! How many people have a lucky hat? Rally Cap? Remember Jerry Sloan’s lucky John Deere hat? If Cliff Lee wants to wear a dirty hat all season, more power to him. Heck, if he wants to wear a pink hard hat when he’s off the mound because he thinks it keeps his luck alive, that’s his prerogative!  Go Rangers! And go unique “good luck hats”!

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