
Or perhaps he has incredibly unfortunate hygiene.
Michael Pineda has a no-hitter through four innings against the Red Sox! He also appears to have dunked his hand in maple syrup or ... something unmentionable. To Twitter!
A no-hitter through four innings! This is great for Michael Pineda... oh... pic.twitter.com/FziFVyYF8s
— NegativeDunkalectics (@negativedunks) April 11, 2014
pic.twitter.com/piobXw0x2Y"@I_bleed_red_sox looks obvious here
— Paul Cherubino (@bpbino44) April 11, 2014
#RedSox broadcasters @DonOrsillo and @Jerry_Remy talking about Pineda having pine tar on his hand. #Yankeespic.twitter.com/dvGIKzfPJH
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 11, 2014
What is on Michael Pineda's pitching hand??? #yankees#redsox@ESPNNYYankees@AndrewMarchand@Buster_ESPNpic.twitter.com/mokPjNxKV5
— Joey Santanello (@joeysantanello) April 11, 2014
That's enough to draw your own conclusions. Maybe the dude just likes fudge. I like fudge. If there's a fountain of it in the Yankees' dugout, it would take a strong man not to wave his hand through it as he went out to the mound. I'm not that strong. Don't judge him.
But it's probably pine tar, which pitchers have used since the invention of the pine tree to get a better grip on the ball, which in turn helps them throw tighter breaking balls. Kenny Rogers was famously busted in the 2006 ALCS. There might be an explanation ... but danged if those pictures don't seem damning.
When you realize how much pine tar looks like poop, it brings a different perspective to that George Brett video.