Oh Kenny

So that brown substance on his thumb is obviously there on purpose. Pitcher's know their hands like batter's know their bats. In all likelihood, it's pine-tar.

I'm watching WS game 2. Kenny's trick is when he blows on his fingers he has to cup his hand, his fingertips touch the pine-tar, and then he grips the ball for the pitch. Watching his demeanor, he looks suspicious, like he's trying to hide something.

Just because he supposedly washed it off does not mean it wasn't under his brim, or inside his glove. Oh, and the excuse that he was doing it because of the cold weather is bullshit. He was doing it during the regular season too. Some examples.

Now part of the reason this isn't a huge story (like 'roids) is two-fold. 1. La Russa didn't make a big deal out of it probably because some of his own pitchers do it (maybe with suntan lotion and/or shaving cream), or because of his friendship with Detroit manager Jim Leyland. 2. MLB has had enough of the steroids scandal, and doesn't want more negative publicity - especially during the WS (which is already getting extremely low TV ratings).