Major League Baseball’s desire to bring uniformity to even the darkest corners of its game frequently runs head-on into the unwritten rules and accepted practices of its players.
A defamation lawsuit brought by a middleman in this tango lays this conflict bare, ensnaring some of the biggest pitchers in the game.
In court filings opposing MLB and the Los Angeles Angels’ motion to dismiss his lawsuit, former Angels visiting clubhouse manager Brian “Bubba” Harkins revealed in specific detail the long-accepted pitchers’ use of foreign substances on baseballs to maintain a better grip, a practice rooted in safety but now facing greater scrutiny for its benefit in helping pitchers spin the baseball.