Rocco Baldelli had plenty of reason to be peeved during Saturday’s game between his Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees.
Domingo Germán was cruising for the Yankees, throwing three perfect innings for the home team. His glove was checked by the umpires — as is common practice — and it was clear the pitcher was told he had to wash his hands after the third. The following inning, it appears Germán was told, “I told you to wipe it off.”
It was a lengthy exchange and Baldelli came out to voice his frustration, which resulted in an ejection.
After the game it was determined the substance Germán was using was rosin, which is legal in Major League Baseball. Baldelli revealed to reporters that it wasn’t the fact that Germán was using Rosin, it was the fact he didn’t listen and should have been ejected.
“Obviously, everyone that was watching the game could see the same thing we were seeing,” Baldelli told reporters after the Twins’ 6-1 loss. “Their pitcher was warned or asked to clean his hand off of the rosin that was on his hand because sometimes if you do use rosin, it can get especially tacky. He was warned, he didn’t-fully comply I would say with the warning from what I was told, and was still allowed to keep pitching. I just don’t agree with that in principle. …”
Baldelli noted he was fine with Germán getting the courtesy of being told to wash off his hands, but it’s not sitting right with him that even after not doing what he was asked, was still allowed to stay in the game.
The New York Post’s Joel Sherman reported why Germán wasn’t ejected.
The Yankees certainly were given a gift, and Germán’s spin rates dipped after he finally washed the rosin off.
But what’s done is done and these two teams meet one more time Sunday to close out the series.
