Get a detective on the case.
The mysterious incident of a ball that got stuck on St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina's chest protector continues to baffle members of the organization including reliever Brett Cecil, the man behind the pitch.
"I really don't have any explanation for it. I don't use any foreign substance to put on there," Cecil said, according to ESPN's Mark Saxon. "You guys saw Yadi spinning around and the ball didn't even come off.
"I think if I was throwing with something that sticky, I'd be throwing 45-foot dirtballs the whole game and that's not the case. I have no idea. I talked to Yadi. He has no idea. I can't explain it."
The odd play ended up hurting the Cardinals significantly, as Chicago Cubs outfielder Matt Szczur managed to get to first on the passed ball after striking out, which eventually led to a three-run home run from Kyle Schwarber.
Molina's story seems to back up Cecil's claim as the veteran backstop vehemently denied using any foreign substance on his chest protector, telling reporters after the game, "Do I put anything on my chest protector? No. That's a dumb question."
According to league rules, if a player applies a foreign substance to a baseball and is caught, they will be automatically ejected and are subject to a 10-game suspension. New York Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda was caught using pine tar in a start last year against the Boston Red Sox and later received an eight-game ban.
Cecil said he isn't worried about the league looking into the incident. Meanwhile, the Cardinals say they haven't been approached with concerns over the pitch.
"They're not going to find anything if they do," Cecil said.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
