Sticky Stuff

About a week ago the MLB established they would begin cracking down on pitchers and their use of foreign substances on the mound. The sticky concoction they were creating would increase the spin rate on balls, which is what many fans and analysts are leading to as the reasoning behind so many athletes pitching no-hitters this season.

While it seems like opposing team managers may be taking advantage of the fact they can request an inspection of pitchers, some have been bold enough to continue their use of the foreign substances and have begun paying the price.

Hector Santiago, Seattle Mariners pitcher, was ejected from the game against the White Sox after having his glove inspected. The ejection is also paired with a 10 game suspension. Following the game, Santiago clarified the substance in his glove was simply “rosin and sweat”. This has prompted Santiago and the team to appeal his suspension. However, seeing as this is a newly implemented crackdown in the major league, there’s no protocol set for appeals, which means his suspension will be pending until the league can figure out their next step.

NIL becomes NCAA official

Amid multiple state legislators passing the NIL bill into law, the NCAA has decided to go ahead and allow all student-athletes to pursue financial compensation based on name, image, and likeness deals.

As discussed last week, this rule change will most likely benefit the big names on the team. Players coming to mind from the TCU Football team would be Max Duggan, Trevius Tomlinson, Khari Colemen, Ochaun Mathis, and Quentin Johnston. Obviously, all players have a chance to market themselves for deals, but all around this is going to be a game-changer for many collegiate athletes as they now have a monetary motivator. The extrinsic motivation of becoming sought after by brands based on talent could potentially create more competition in the sports world.

While signing a deal with Nike would be a dream for most of these athletes, there are plenty of smaller market signings that could still bring in the big dollars. I would expect to see athletes running their own training camps, branding their social media, and even launching or endorsing small businesses in their area. The possibilities seem endless because they are. The only limitations set in place by the NCAA at this point is that athletes may not be compensated as a form of recruitment, or rewarded for their in-game performances.

I would expect to see more limitations set in the future as athletes and teams cross into blurry boundaries, but until then, get creative and go all out.