Rockies humidor system questioned...

[Upton]

In July, the voice of the Giants, Jon Miller, said in a KNBR interview that he had heard from people in the game that something fishy could be happening with the baseballs, which are to be humidified and used by both teams.

"I wasn't making accusations. I was saying there were people on the Giants and apparently other teams talking about something could be going on," Miller said Monday. "They thought the ball was carrying better and balls were harder and the ball sounded differently off the bats and that non-humidor balls could be slipped in the ball bag. How it could happen, I don't know."

Miller isn't alone in his comments.

Two Dodgers coaches questioned a reporter in San Francisco last week about the validity of the humidor process, suggesting the Rockies could use non-humidor balls if the process isn't monitored properly. A National League general manager (not Brian Sabean) said he suspects that the issue will be discussed in the offseason, perhaps at the GM meetings in November.

-------

MLB doesn't monitor the process in person, and Kahn said the umpires' attendant is a Rockies employee. So what's to prevent the Rockies from slipping in a non-humidor ball when the team needs a big rally?

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/20/SPC21FGRMA.DTL&feed=rss.giants#ixzz10Ad2s5NU


These accusations have been around for awhile now. MLB needs to look into this. They should at least monitor the humidor process and make sure everyone is playing with the same kind of ball. The Rockies have hit 102 HR at Coors compared to their opponents 67.

[trumad]

1. LOL---Nice timing...

With the Rockies breathing down the Giants necks, this story suddenly appears.

Perhaps the Denver papers should write about the Giants looking the other way for years as their star player was pumping himself up with Roids.

[KamaAina]

2. No can do.

Denver is a one-paper town since the Rocky Mountain News bit the dust. :-)

[El Supremo]

19. Hey! We still have...

The Denver Business Journal, Westword and the Aurora Sentinel.

[Upton]

4. These suspicions have been around..

they didn't just suddenly appear this year or this pennant race. In fact, from the beginning, the Rockies haven't exactly been forthcoming about the humidor system.

Suspicions began when the Rockies failed to notify MLB when first using their humidor in 2002, which was reported by the Denver Post, prompting Sandy Alderson of the rules committee to say, "The secretive nature was unfortunate."

And it's not just the Giants, the article clearly states the Dodgers have questions as well. We've seen that cheating is prevalent in sports, particularly in baseball. We hear, “if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying” or "it's only cheating if you get caught." Is it really so hard to entertain the possibility that the Rockies may be partaking in a little cheating themselves?

[El Supremo]

3. The humidor is a very poor conspiracy theory. Why don't you look at the schedule?

Home cookin' is the story behind Rockies' annual September surge

That's not "magic" going on in Denver, where the Rockies are making another crazy September run. There's something very real at play: The Rockies are exploiting yet another favorable schedule down the stretch.

If it seems as if the Rockies play an abundance of home games in September ever year, well, they do -- by a lot. For the fourth consecutive season, Colorado has more home games than road games from Sept. 1 to the end of the season. Given the uniqueness of Coors Field, with its huge outfield and thin air, the Rockies have one of the best home-field advantages in baseball. Give them expanded rosters, more home games and no rigorous road trips in a pennant race, and the Rockies have the pieces in place to manufacture their annual sprints to the finish....

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/09/17/rockies.crawford/index.html

[Upton]

6. I don't need to look at the schedule..

because "home cookin" Rockies style is exactly what this is about. There's no question the Rockies have a great home record, but are they getting a little help? Some of the other teams in MLB would like to know..

Why doesn't MLB fully monitor the humidor process? I don't think wanting questions like that to be answered is too much to ask..

Btw, since I brought this up the other day, I thought I would confirm that of Tulo's 14 HR in 15 days, 9 in 10 were hit at Coors. Not saying he necessarily had any help, he's a good hitter, but MLB needs to address this humidor issue.. Otherwise, any future Rockies home offensive accomplishments are going to continue to come under suspicion, much like before the humidor was even introduced. I should think you'd want it cleared up.

[El Supremo]

10. Sour Grapes

Read more: Rumors of Coors Field humidor cheating smells like sour grapes - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_16134456#ixzz10CMFPotO

And this from July:
http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_15486946

"...the game balls are given to the umpires to be rubbed down, leaving them out of the Rockies' control once the game starts. That punches a hole in Miller's argument."

[Upton]

11. Denver Post kissing Rockies butt..

but then what else would you expect? Both homers, er, writers assured us that Colorado would never do such a thing because Tracy and Rockies management have too much honor and integrity.. :rofl:

And the umpire rubbing down the baseballs proves nothing. It's not just about wet or dry. Baseballs can also be stored at different levels of humidity. The difference would be impossible for an umpire to detect by hand...but the way the respective baseballs react when hit or pitched would be profoundly different.

There needs to be some full time MLB employees involved in the humidifying process. A proper chain of custody needs to be established. I would think the Rockies would welcome something along those lines. Unless, of course, they have something to hide..

Btw, thanks for the link to the poll. I voted: Yes. I wouldn't put it past the Rockies to cheat in order to win.

[El Supremo]

13. Poll:

No. I don't believe the Rockies would cheat in that manner.
89.95 %
Yes. I wouldn't put it past the Rockies to cheat in order to win.
10.04 %

I guess you are like this guy:

[madinmaryland]

14. "balls are given to the umpires to be rubbed down"

IBTL!!1!!

[JonLP24]

5. I wouldn't mind

a proper chain of custody to make sure the balls are fair meaning they're all the same whether dry or humidorized(not sure what the right word is and I realize what I used is not a real word).

I'm not sure what the process is and who watches over it. I think the Rockies to opponent home run numbers are largely due to the fact they got Carlos Gonzales and Troy Tulowitzki. I doubt it is because they are switching the balls up (which there is no evidence the Rock Show has done).

[Upton]

8. Chain of custody is at the root of the suspicions...

right now, it seems to involve nothing but Rockies employees until the balls reach the umpire. Also, since you brought up the HR numbers, the Rockies have out homered their opponents 102-67 at Coors. However, on the road, their HR edge over the opposition drops to 61-53.

[Forkboy]

7. Not really interested in the Rockies balls.

[TZ]

12. LOL

Oh I dunno I find a discussion of humid,rocky and giant balls quite interesting...:rofl: :evilgrin:
Cue the Alec Baldwin SNL Schweddy Ball skit...

[Forkboy]

17. What are we gonna do with you?

:D

:hi:

[El Supremo]

20. Yum!

[Forkboy]

21. I've had nightmares like this.

[Yavin4]

9. I Keep My Balls In A Humidor

Makes them nice and moist.

[madinmaryland]

15. TMI.

[El Supremo]

16. Three Mile Island?

Melt down!

[madinmaryland]

18. That is not what happens when they get

wet and moist!!!