MLB.com: Torre discusses substance on Peavy

The FOX image of an apparent foreign substance on the pitching hand of Jake Peavy after he'd throttled the Dodgers on Saturday had manager Joe Torre addressing the issue of cheating during his pregame session with the media on Sunday.

"Technology may be the worst thing that ever happened to the game," said Torre, a former broadcaster. "What are you going to do? Certainly, you keep in mind, maybe you undress him the next time, but I've never been a fan of that stuff. If it's not allowed, it should be checked. The kid has ability. Whatever was on his hand, I don't know what the substance is. It could be pine tar. We went through that with Kenny Rogers."
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Bud Black, Peavy's manager, provided a benign explanation: dirt.

"I think what happens is, when you play baseball, your hands get dirty," said Black. "He had dirty hands. Trying to keep his palms and fingers dry, you apply rosin and dirt. Rosin is a sticky substance, and as often as he goes to the rosin bag, as often as he goes to the dirt to sop up the moisture, your hands get dirty. I don't think there is anything to it. Modern cameras can pick up a dirty hand."

It looks like dirt to me. Then again, I'm the wrong guy to ask for an objective opinion because I absolutely love it when pitchers doctor the ball.

Unquestionably a cheater. They should make an example of him by handing down a season-long suspension. Amend the rules if necessary. There are children to think of here.

It's conceivable that it's just dirt off the balls. Your hand gets wet or sweaty, I'm sure it's possible to rub a fair amount of dirt off of a few dozen baseballs and onto where you're gripping it.

That said, about 9 to 1 it's pine tar.

Dirt + spit = mud, though, and having that on your fingers isn't so cool. Worth looking into, anywa.

Why? Doctoring the ball is cool, and it should be allowed in order to give pitchers more of a chance.

Wasn't there a pitcher who was using his girlfriend's dampness to slicker up the ball, visiting her in an area near the clubhouse between innings?

Maybe I just read that in a fictional Barely Legal story. Never mind.

Broke wins. Thread over.

Congressional hearings!!!!!

Wasn't there a pitcher who was using his girlfriend's dampness to slicker up the ball, visiting her in an area near the clubhouse between innings?

That doesn't even pass the smell test.

That doesn't even pass the smell test.

I love maguro sushi!

I didn't realize that the idea was to cover the all the fingers in pinetar. I thought it was just supposed to be the finger tips.

Knowing that, it is probably dirt. You don't want your whole hand covered in a sticky substance when you are throw to throw a ball with accuracy i would think.

Your finger tips, sure. Not the whole hand.

Make an example of him- have Bud Selig chop his hand off on national television.

This wouldn't happen if the NL had the DH.

Is he cheating? Is it just a coincidence that the 3 fingers that grip the ball have a mysterious substance on them? Or does Jake Peavy wipe with his pitching hand?

It was good enough for Three Finger Brown.

Wasn't there a pitcher who was using his girlfriend's dampness to slicker up the ball, visiting her in an area near the clubhouse between innings?

a) I've had it with these juicers.

b) Just call him the Sultan of Tw@t.

c) When the umpire found out, he gave her the thumb.

d) [Fill in your own Snappy Answer here.]

d) [Fill in your own Snappy Answer here.]

It was a shocker to find out cheating was going on in this establishment.

d) [Fill in your own Snappy Answer here.]

He really tainted the game.

edit: when you are throw trying to throw a ball with accuracy, i would think.

So would loose lips sink pitches?

I don't know, Peavy seems awfully young to have been at that party.

mlb.com "It's comical," Peavy said prior to the Padres' game Monday at AT&T;Park. "When they showed me the picture, I laughed. I've got no foreign substance on my hand -- period. I have got no problem saying that or being checked anytime."

Peavy said his hands were dirty because of a mix of dirt and rosin, the results of having thrown 116 pitches over nine innings. His manager, Bud Black, concurred.

"I think what happens is, when you play baseball, your hands get dirty," Black said Sunday. "He had dirty hands. Trying to keep his palms and fingers dry, you apply rosin and dirt. Rosin is a sticky substance, and as often as he goes to the rosin bag, as often as he goes to the dirt to sop up the moisture, your hands get dirty.