The Major League Baseball Commissioners Office reviewed available video and still photography from Mariano Rivera spitting toward a baseball in ALCS Game 3 and “found no evidence that Rivera spit on the ball,” a spokesman for the commissioner told the Post.
The initial reaction by the league had been that the video plus still pictures they have of the incident were inconclusive if Rivera actually spit on or near the ball. But after further review of what it had, the Commissioners Office determined that Rivera was not spitting directly on the ball.
On still pictures in MLB’s possession, it apparently looks as if Rivera is spitting near, but not on, the ball. Also, as even the league office is aware, Rivera is a player who spits constantly while in action.
Joe Girardi said today, “I just laughed. He has been throwing one pitch [the cutter] for a long time. The one thing about the spitter is it consistently does not go one way, like Mo’s all consistently goes one way. So I kind of laughed at it.
“It’s a dead story. I caught Mo for four years and I never saw him do anything.”
Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa, who did the same job for the Yankees from 2006-07, and was an Angels and Mariners coach before that, said, “I have never ever, ever heard anyone say anything about Mo doing something like that. That is totally bogus. If that was true I would have heard about it from somebody and I have never heard anything like that.”
Rivera threw strike one to Erick Aybar in the 10th inning then Aybar bunted the second pitch, and Rivera threw wildly to third to leave first and third with no out. So from the spitting on the ball until Aybar bunts, there is probably a minimum of a minute that elapses and the ball has been caught once by Jorge Posada and thrown back. Would the ball have retained enough of the liquid that Rivera allegedly was putting on it to impact its movement?
“Absolutely not (on Rivrea doctoring the ball). I would put my life on it that he didn’t do that stuff,” Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland said. “He’s been pitching for years and not one word has ever been mentioned.”
John Flaherty, who both caught Rivera and hit against him, said, “I have never heard anything like that.”
In Philadelphia, where the Dodgers are playing the Phillies, former Yankees manager Joe Torre said, “Well, it’s disappointing to have people make something of something that … I’ve been around him for 12 years. He’s top-notch for me.
“I didn’t see any of it, I just heard some people talk about it. Evidently he was off the mound, and that’s all legal stuff as long as you rememember it or wipe it or whatever. But as I say, I didn’t see the video. But Mariano Rivera is above and beyond for me. As I said, I can’t comment because I didn’t see it. But the individual for me is ace No. 1.”
Don Mattingly said, “”I know Mariano so well. The last thing he’s doing is throwing a spitball.
“Honestly, guys are using tar, resin, anything they can to get a better feel for the ball, and just moisture on your hands is nothing really.”
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The Commissioners Office was circumspect of the allegations from the beginning because:
1. The spit is coming from far away. There is no attempt by Rivera to hide what he is doing. He is facing toward the outfield, but in the playoffs that leaves him in the direct line of sight of at least three umpires. He is not rubbing the ball up or massaging it in his glove as is often the case when a ball is being doctored.
2. Between the regular season and postseason, Rivera has appeared in 999 games and nothing has ever emerged before linking Rivera to doctoring the ball. He has appeared in 82 postseason games when cameras, eyeballs and opponents are fixed on him constantly, and no evidence of this has previously emerged.
With Brian Costello