Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson says he’s in possession of an “entire catalog of video” showing MLB pitchers cheating.
He made the claim in a Twitter exchange with former MLB pitcher Dallas Braden. Both were reacting to umpire Joe West asking a St. Louis Cardinals reliever to change his hat due to a dark spot on it, which could’ve been a substance to help the pitcher better grip the ball.
I agree. I have an entire catalog of video of these guys cheating it’s coming out.
— Josh Donaldson (@BringerOfRain20) May 27, 2021
West asked Giovanny Gallegos to change his hat, to which Cardinals manager Mike Shildt took exception and was quickly ejected. After the game, Shildt spoke of MLB’s “dirty little secret.”
“Why do I take exception to that? Because this is baseball’s dirty little secret, and it’s the wrong time and the wrong arena to expose it,” Shildt said. Gallegos wound up striking out Yermin Mercedes and Jose Abreu of the White Sox while wearing the fresh cap, but the word on baseball’s newest cheating scandal is out.
“Major League Baseball has got a very, very tough position here because there are people that are effectively — and not even trying to hide [it], essentially flipping the bird at the league with how they’re cheating in this game with concocted substances,” Shildt said.
According to the Washington Post, pitchers across the league are known for using sunscreen, sweat, rosin and “specially created substances that can increase spin rate and movement” of the baseball.
Donaldson tweeted: “Crazy idea here but I’m going to throw it out there. Stop cheating!!” The former AL MVP added: “I have an entire catalog of video of these guys cheating it’s coming out.”
Donaldson is hitting .236 with five home runs and 20 RBI this season, putting him on pace for 17 homers and 66 RBI, which would put him well below his 162-game career average of 34 homers and 99 RBI.
Gaining an edge by any means possible has long been normal in sports, but baseball’s issues are magnified due to the steroid era, as well as the 2019 season in which the baseballs were allegedly “juiced.” And now in 2021, pitchers are striking out batters at record rates, and news of widespread cheating might help explain the struggles hitters have had.
We’ll certainly know a bit more if Donaldson lets his “catalog of video” out into the wild.
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