BOSTON -- At the outset of every series, major league officials and umpires usually meet with the managers and general managers of each team to review ground rules and other special circumstances, and to open communication before some of the biggest games of the year.
In the current context, there should be a particular request made of the managers: Please do not ask the umpires to check opposing pitchers for foreign substances. And this should be reiterated. Pretty please, with sugar and sprinkles on top.
Because everybody in the room will understand that most pitchers participating in the postseason probably use sunscreen or pine tar or something that violates baseball's rule against the use of foreign substances.