Are the Houston Astros cheating again? Could it be?
Not to get your hopes up, but this suggested cheating scandal has since been debunked thanks to r/baseball. Some baseball fans noted the amount of pine tar on Jose Abreu's helmet and bat, thinking that perhaps he was getting away with an obvious violation. Abreu, of course, has struggled at times this season, though he did have one hit and a run in five at-bats in Game 3.
The entire reddit thread can be found here, and the video is attached below.
The argument here is that Abreu would be violating rule 3.02(c), which portends to the amount of pine tar which can be applied on any player's bat. Here is the rule itself:
"If pine tar extends past the 18-inch limitation, then the umpire, on his own initiative or if alerted by the opposing team, shall order the batter to use a different bat. The batter may use the bat later in the game only if the excess substance is removed. If no objections are raised prior to a bat's use, then a violation of Rule 3.02(c) on that play does not nullify any action or play on the field."
Did Jose Abreu, Houston Astros break MLB rules in Game 3?
If umpires had a problem with Jose Abreu's pine tar usage, he would've found out about that long ago. Chicago White Sox fans were quick to point out in the reddit thread above that Abreu has always loaded his helmet with pine tar. Essentially, this allows players to avoid going back to the on-deck circle to reapply if necessary. With the new pitch clock rules, this gives Abreu an advantage -- and as far as we know, not an illegal one.
As far as the amount of pine tar on Abreu's bat, that is something which would have to be directly challenged by either the umpire, or the opposing manager. The infamous 'Pine Tar Game', in which George Brett was called out after hitting a home run against the Yankees, only occurred because the rival manager asked the umpires to take a look at Brett's bat.
Unlike 'sticky stuff', which gives pitchers a distinct advantage on the mound when it comes to spin rate and increased grip, pine tar basically ensures the bat doesn't fly out of the batters' hands as he swings at a ferocious pace. Were an umpire or opposing manager to raise such a challenge -- especially at this point in the postseason -- it would cause chaos throughout the sport.
There's always a chance the rules committee chooses to prioritize pine tar usage one of these seasons, but now is not that time. Abreu's pine tar usage is the most amusing, but he is far from the only player who gains an advantage from it.
