Wanta baseball lesson? ... Try Kenny Rogers' last three starts

[Bozita]

Pay attention when the professor takes the mound.

Every pitch is an adventure.

Damn near every batter is a victim.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

1. It's a sad day.....

...when "The Gambler" is the best pitcher in baseball right now. This guy used to register ERAs that looked like the price of a stiff Grey Goose martini at Ben Benson's in Midtown.......

[Auggie]

2. The guy is nearly 42 as well!

[bmbmd]

3. And he always plays fair...

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6088362

What exactly was on Kenny Rogers' left hand?

Was Rogers discoloring and/or defacing balls?

Why didn't the Cardinals' Tony La Russa, a manager who is always looking for an edge, raise more of a fuss?

Let's just say there are enough inconsistencies in everyone's stories to provide Bob Woodward with decent book material if he ever ventures away from politics and into sports.

Rogers said he had a "big clump of dirt on his hand," then amended it to "dirt and resin and all that stuff put together."

[LisaM]

4. And when he wiped it off, he pitched better

Jeff Weaver's hand, if you noted, was conspicuously hidden from view the whole time.

My guess is that he had something on his hand too, which is why the Cardinals chose not to complain about it. Anyway, if Rogers had something on his hand and they made him wipe it off, good, because he only got better as time went on.

I don't think the Cardinals even noticed it on their own anyway; it was Fox Sports.

[rinsd]

5. Classic MLB, why ruin a feel good story with the ugly details

The story over what was on his hand, what the umps did, what was determined etc is so freaking convoluted at this point that it invites itself to speculation. Rogers explanation helped fuel this by claiming the umps said nothing to him.

[GOPisEvil]

6. Bah! Damn Rogers!

Seriously though, he's been great. Where the hell has THAT been his whole career?

[DeeDeeNY]

7. He's been good, just not consistent

Rogers has pitched a perfect game in his career, so he does have the goods. But this appears to be the first time he hasn't caved under the pressure of pitching in important games.

[LisaM]

8. One theory is, he hasn't been worn down by the heat

Whether this is true or not I don't know, but they said some of his second half woes in Texas were due to pitching in the heat all summer. As far as the Yankees go, well, they've faded in the playoffs for 6 years now, so you can't blame Kenny!