Normally when someone follows up an accusation with “I can’t
prove anything, I can’t prove anything,” it’s a sign that they should not be
taken too seriously. Yet those charges hurled by former pitcher Jack Morris,
the five-time All Star and partner of former minor league journeyman reliever Dirk
Hayhurst in the Toronto Blue Jays’ broadcast booth, that Clay Buchholz is
doctoring his pitches has gained significant traction.
Buchholz has gotten off to a scorching start, 6-0 in his
first six starts thanks to a 1.01 ERA and 2.28 FIP. As recently as yesterday,
his increased command was being
cited
for his excellent start, but Hayhurst and Morris have declared that it is
not precision underlying his improvement, but baseball’s own pastime itself –
cheating.
Here is the tweet that launched a thousand words:
Let me just say that I am a Hayhurst fan – a Red Sox fan
first and foremost, but a Hayhurst fan all the same. I read “Bullpen Gospels”
and it is one of my favorite books. It says so in my profile. He is funny,
witty and can write pretty damn well. I have every intention of reading “Out of
My League,” in which Hayhurst details just how to doctor a pitch, “like
Buchholz can load up baseballs,” he tweeted unabashedly.
Hayhurst is convinced that Buchholz truly is doctoring his
pitches – evidence be damned! Morris backed up his partner’s allegations,
telling ESPN the following:
I found out because the guys on the video camera showed it to
me right after the game, I didn't see it during the game. They showed it to me
and said, “What do you think of this?” and I said, “Well, he's throwing a
spitter.“ ‘Cause that's what it is.
Buchholz denies
it, of course. Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe noted that nobody has checked
any ball in Buchholz’s six starts this season.
The indictment
stems from video the two radio announcers watched from the May 1st
matchup between the AL East rivals that shows Buchholz with a “glistening” left
forearm, rubbing two fingers from his right hand on it.
