RUNNING HEAD: CHEATING IN THE MLB 1

Cheating in the MLB

The University of Texas at El Paso

RWS 1302

Oscar A Reyes
 2

Introduction

Cheating has been and will always be part of sports whether we like it or not. Athletes

looking for advantages turn their head towards more unethical ways leaving the others at an

unfair playing field. Baseball is no stranger when the topic cheating comes in to place and the

MLB sure knows the amount of stress it puts on them, especially when the steroid era

happened. Specific techniques include using performance-enhancing drugs to doctoring a

baseball by either applying Vaseline or pine tar. In the article Restoring Integrity to Americas

Pastime: Moving Towards a More Normative Approach to Cheating in Baseball by Garrett R.

Broshuis, he argues that not all cheating is taken care of equally and by letting some techniques

fly by it takes away the purpose of baseball. In a RNN live discussion, news about Michael

Pineda (New York Yankees pitcher) being caught using pine tar during the game is reported.

They are faced to argue if There is too much cheating in baseball? since history has shown that

the MLB have tolerated baseball players whove been caught cheating as a result of the small

penalties they put on them. These two different genres will be analyzed to see how the

information for this specific topic is issued.

Structure and Delivery

With the article, Broshuis lays out the information by the usage of two main subtopics,

traditional cheating and new age cheating. Each subtopic has pretty lengthy sections with

worthwhile information scattered around the article, Examples of traditional cheating and

Penalties of new age cheating being a few. Included various statistics and incorporates MLB

rules in there for the audience to better understand the issue hes against. Into baseball or not,

someone would be able to enjoy reading and getting to his main point clearly, even gives out a
 3

couple pages just for a quick introduction to positivism and natural law, since those two ideas

help determine just how the MLB responds to cheating.

While the next genre is on a YouTube video, it derives from a RNN live talk show, the

argument being, Is there too much cheating in baseball? (Richard French, 2014), all the

information is giving straightforward, the three spokesmen having limited time to talk about it

(since at the end the main one proceeds on to a commercial break). With addition to the story of

Michael Pineda being caught using pine tar during the game, they show a clip (something an

article cant do) of the pitcher getting examined by the umpire, finding the pine tar on his neck

and later thrown out of the game. They even go on to say its the biggest pine tar incident in

baseball since 1983 when George Brett was ejected for putting too much pine tar on his bat while

playing a video of that incident.

Audience and Purpose

Broshuis looks to be attracting any sports fan, someone that his topic relates to cheating

in sports (like me) or even maybe someone who is debating on whether to risk it all by cheating.

Broshuis being an ex-Major League player and true to the sport shows along the article that he

does not agree, not even 1% with cheating of any sorts. He informs the audience on why both

traditional and new era cheating should be getting the same kinds of punishments. Broshuis

(2012) mentions, The near acceptance of traditional cheating as part of the game has led many

to no longer even consider it cheating (p. 17), just cause its something small doesnt mean it

can get ignored, cheating is cheating. Informs about the results of cheating but mostly wants to

remind the readers to not cheat or encourage it.

 4

The RNN being fully distributed in New York its obvious many people that live in that

state are their main audience. But since the video is on YouTube, its most likely a small clip

from the stations full length TV show, Richard French Live and the title being, Yanks' Pineda

Ejected for Pine Tar - Why is "Cheating" Tolerated in Baseball?, it seems to be targeting

baseball fans, maybe opening it up for discussions with that specific group. They all express their

opinions on the certain situations with the addition discussions about other cheating techniques,

at some point one spokesmen even persuades anybody (player) to at least use the technique

somewhere you have an advantage, saying Michael Pineda shouldve at least done it at Yankees

stadium (caught at Fenway Park, home of the Red Soxs).

Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Logos, Pathos

Like I had mentioned earlier Broshuis being an ex-MLB player right away establishes his

credibility. Being in the league for many years he had to see everything there is about cheating in

the diamond. Starting off with a story from his last year in the big leagues, he talks about how

one of his coaches asked him if he ever thought about cheating? Broshuis (2012) responds to his

story, I refused to cheat, and many of my other teammates refused to cheat as well. Yet some

succumbed to the dark side. Some pitchers altered the ball or applied a foreign substance to it; A

few hitters altered their bats; a couple of guys used steroids; still others undoubtedly invented

their own unknown, even crazier methods. Even the most honest of teammate occasionally caved

to the omnipresent temptation, such was the extent of the hypocrisy. (p. 2). This being on the

beginning of his article, any reader can trust him on what he says about cheating and possibly

follow his view of how perfect baseball would be without cheating.

While Broshuis does include statistics in some of his statements, he also uses logic to

support claims he has. Broshuis (2012) states To sum, the rate of detection and subsequent
 5

enforcement for traditional cheating is so low that it is virtually absent; thus traditional cheating

rampant. Moreover, the penalties assessed vary from a mere ejection to a short suspension of ten

games. These suspensions pale in comparison to penalties assessed for new age cheating in the

form of PEDs. (p. 14). Throughout the whole article, he compares the penalties given in

response of traditional and new age cheating and explains clearly why both need to be punished

equally.

Few emotional statements can be found in the article one being, It is about competing

against others of similar talents. It is about rewarding and recognizing athletic excellence. (p.

37). This statement might impact someone who their goal is to be widely recognized for their

achievements or even to any individual to realize that all these athletes work day and day out to

perfect their craft while some athletes decide to take the easy route and leave others at an unfair

playing field. Broshuis mentions the story of Jaime Moyer, a professional player refusing to

retire by continuing to play the game he loves in the minor leagues. Makes the readers appreciate

these kinds of players because they still love to compete and entertain the fans, the kind of player

fans or non-fans of the game should pay more attention to instead of the other modified

players.

At one point of the video, one of the three spokesmen asks what exactly does pine tar

do? (Richard French, 2014), one responds with its sticky its stick so a would help him grip

the ball better and b he could put more spin on the ball (Richard French, 2014), and finally the

last one responds no theoretically it does not change the way the ball moves and it just gives

you a grip and its made from the same basic substance that the rosin bag is which is perfectly

legal (Richard French, 2014). That one speakers establishes his credibility not only explaining it

more clearly but also adding some vocabulary in there for instance, theoretically leading the
 6

audience to have confidence in what he is saying. Arguing about the Michael Pineda situation

one spokesmen argues, explain this to me its professional baseball player right youre in the

locker room you know youre starting pitcher or whatever it is and you put this blab of pine tar

on your neck yes your colored skin like sort of like mine.and you dont think anyone is

going to see that? (Richard French, 2014). Not only will the audience think about what he said

but likely go back to the video and ask why would you do that? Especially in live TV where

every camera is watching you! Surprisingly it did have a part where it can get an individual pity,

The guy was desperate he was going to be the next big thing in baseball blew his arm out hes

coming back this is a big deal for him he got scared he did something stupid you feel sorry for

the kid on the other hand you cant teach intelligence (Richard French, 2014). Gets the viewer

to feel bad for him (especially if youre a Yankees fan), but at the same time now there is going

to be a punishment and hope the best for him.

Both the article and video did have ethos, logos, and pathos. Surprisingly, ways in which

both genres grabbed the audiences attention in similar fashions (similar information) despite

being two completely different genres.

Conclusion

Both genres did a great job of getting the information out and like I mentioned right now,

in similar ways. The article was more effective in getting its message across, using personal

experiences, stats and facts to back up his claims and uses ethos, logos, and pathos effectively.

Great sources of information from different views for audiences to better understand the cheating

ways that are currently happening in the Major-League Baseball and to take a stand for the future

of the game, education future players on what is right and wrong.

 7

References

Broshuis, G.R. (2012). Restoring Integrity to Americas Pastime: Moving Towards a More

Normative Approach to Cheating in Baseball. Texas reviews of entertainment and

sports law, 14(2), 119. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2194553

Richard French (2014, Apr 24). Yanks Pineda ejected for pine tar why is cheating tolerated

in baseball? Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=qbTLiDldDCw&index=4&list=FLoSeDk7ElHZfb5A fGCVqAvw