MLB issued a memo to its clubs Friday outlining a further crackdown on sticky substances, a tacit admission that pitchers began cheating again late last season as they learned workarounds to the routine checks by umpires.
Beginning in spring training games this weekend and throughout the season, umpires will inspect a pitcher’s hand, top and bottom, when conducting random between-innings inspections. Umpires can still examine a pitcher’s hat, belt and glove, as was done last season starting in June.
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