World Series Game 1 Notes

Charles Krupa/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Two World Series events “grip” Red Sox 8-1 win.

1. The decision to overturn Dana DeMuth’s out call at second base was one that the majority of social media-ites felt had to be. Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell come out to “discuss’ DeMuth’s call after it appeared that St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Pete Kozma never maintained control over a toss from second baseman Matt Carpenter.

It’s clear that the ball went of the tip of Kozma’s glove and it wasn’t’ due to transferring the ball from glove to hand. The entire crew conferred and decided DeMuth was incorrect with his call. If you look at DeMuth, he appears to be looking at second base and not Kozma. In fact, DeMuth stated this was the case.

And, of course, there’s this…

The other point of “consent” didn’t occur until after the game.

2. There was a question raised by Cardinals minor league pitcher, Tyler Melling. Melling tweeted a question concerning if “Lester using a little Vaseline inside the glove tonight?” Deadspin has an image of what does appear to be a substance in Lester’s glove along with a gif produced by a Cards fan.

An MLB spokesman had this to say (per Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe)…

“We cannot draw any conclusions from this video. There were no complaints from the Cardinals, and the umpires never detected anything indicating a foreign substance throughout the game.”

According to Derrick Gould of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cards GM John Mozeliak states the club will not pursue the mater and referred to this as “a non-issue”.

Within the Deadspin piece is Melling’s tweet, but the tweet has since been removed.

What was the substance? Goold offers an explanation.

The color of the substance in the glove appeared to be closer to pine tar or rosin than Vaseline. Pitchers use both substances to get a better grip on the ball in cold weather. Pitchers who use a lot of rosin on their fingers often have a buildup on the brim of their cap.Baseball has rules against the application of foreign substances to the ball and pitchers are no longer allowed to go to their mouth with their fingers — except in cold weather. Rosin bags are provided by the home team and often left on the backside of the mound. Getting a grip on the ball in cold weather is allowed by baseball.

Yes, some substances are permitted.

3. Carlos Beltran, will he be a go for tonight’s game? While in pursuit of a David Ortiz fly ball in which he would rob Big Papi of a grand slam, Beltran collided with the right field wall. At the end of the half inning, Beltran was seen heading toward the clubhouse. X-rays and a CT were negative, but Beltran is considered a game time decision.

No Beltran creates offensive issues for the Cards. Lots of issues.

4. For those that believe baseball can’t draw a TV audience, there’s this…