90 plus. I had attributed the success to Varitek’s meticulous game prep, but a good portion might have been substance enhanced spin rate, and Cora is a convicted cheater.
The radio announcers the other day mentioned that Santana was overdue for a hit. I agree that he is overdue, but he is overdue for being DFA’d. I have had enough of this guy... especially as a lead off hitter.
And I am expecting that the pitcher inspections by the umpires will slow down the game even more. Are these going to be full pat downs with chemical swabs. Will they go to the mound with TSA employees?
How are the spin rates for Red Sox pitchers in the last couple of weeks as compared to the first 2 months of the season. That might provide fairly definitive evidence. Cora is a world class cheater. Spin rate was a big thing for the cheating Astros too.
It is a suspicion not an assumption, and maybe your assumption is incorrect. I read somewhere that the spin rate for the Red Sox staff increased this season more than most other teams. I wonder what those spin rates are now after the announcement of the crackdown.
I am old enough that I remember when pitchers used foreign substances to reduce friction and have the ball slip out of their hands. Bring back slippery elm.