HOUSTON — The World Series baseball is slicker than even the baseball used in the League Championship Series. That was the word from Astros ace Justin…
HOUSTON — The World Series baseball is slicker than even the baseball used in the League Championship Series. That was the word from Astros ace Justin Verlander on Sunday night before Game 5 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park.
Verlander has been adamant saying the baseball is harder, too. Baseball wants offense. Baseball gets what it wants. Tough luck, pitchers.
Commissioner Rob Manfred has insisted the baseball meets specifications and has not been changed. Verlander begs to differ. Welcome to Ball-gate.
“I know Mr. Manfred said the balls haven’t changed, but I think there’s enough information out there to say that’s not true,’’ Verlander said. “Whether he has the say-so or not, I don’t know.
“I think the main complaint is that the balls seem a little bit different in the postseason, and even from the postseason to the World Series balls. They’re a little slick. You just deal with it. But I don’t think it’s the case of one pitcher saying, ‘Hey, something is different here.’ I think as a whole everybody is saying, ‘Whoa, something is a little off here.’ ’’
A slicker baseball is harder to control, and the slider may not break as much. Yu Darvish noted to Sports Illustrated that the World Series baseball is much slicker. During his start in Game 3, Darvish tossed a number of balls out of play because he did not like the feel of them.
There have been 15 home runs hit in the first four games, the most ever hit in the first four games in a World Series, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
“So on one hand you can have somebody say that manufactures the ball, they’re not different,’’ Verlander said. “And on the other hand you can say that the people that have held a ball in their hand their entire life, saying it’s different, you value one over the other. You take your pick.
“Whether the balls are juiced or not, hey, I’m pitching with the same ball everybody else is pitching with. That’s a fair and even playing field.’’
Peter Woodfork, senior vice president of baseball operations for Major League Baseball, said World Series balls are tested at the time of manufacturing and are made from the same materials and to the same standards as regular-season baseballs.
“The only difference is the gold stamping on the baseballs,” he said.
Verlander has been an ace for a long time and knows the feel of the baseball. He has made 385 regular-season starts over his career and 20 postseason starts. He will start Game 6 in Los Angeles on Tuesday night against the Dodgers’ Rich Hill (FOX, 8:20 p.m). Verlander said there is a different feel to the grain of the baseball.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said all the talk of slick baseballs was “interesting.”
“It does seem like the balls are jumping more,’’ Roberts said. “And you look at the numbers. The pitchers talk about it feels different in their hand. The one component is the slickness and guys at different ballparks rub it up differently.
“Sort of feels the same to me. But it’s hard to argue the numbers. You know there’s more velocity. I know in Los Angeles it was hot. The ball was flying.’’
Baseball, of course, digs the long ball.
“I think it’s pretty clear,’’ Verlander said. “I think our commissioner said publicly they wanted more offense in the game.’’
The home run barrage was evident in the wild Game 2, a 7-6,11-inning Astros victory. The Astros and Dodgers combined for a World Series record eight home runs. Pretty slick.
Pitchers are going to have to deal with it.
