I have a romantic view of baseball, and it is always startling when confronted with the reality that baseball is a business first, and the national pastime second. It is, after all, a game. Games have rules, and rules are to be followed. I’ll boo Sosa because he corked his bat. I’m not fond of pitchers who throw at batters. This is baseball, not hockey. Courtesy and sportsmanship are supposed to count for something.

In yesterday’s game between the Nationals and the Angels, Washington manager Frank Robinson called for the umpires to check Brendan Donnelly’s glove for foreign substances. Lo and behold, pine tar. Illegal. Against the rules. Section 8.02(a)2 “[the pitcher may not] Apply a foreign substance of any kind to the ball.” It’s a pretty clear rule. Pine tar is a foreign substance. Tossing pine tar balls is illegal.

What did Donnely have to say?

“It’s not like I’m using it to doctor the ball,” said Donnelly, who faces a possible suspension. His glove was sent to the Commissioner’s Office for further review. “I want to know that I have a good grip on the ball and I’m not going to kill people.”

Even though it is essentially illegal, Donnelly admits to using pine tar occasionally to control the pitch in cold or sweaty conditions, but not to cheat.

Uh, transferring pine tar to the ball is illegal. Having it on your person, illegal. It’s cheating.

Play by the rules, and don’t whine and make excuses when you don’t and get caught. Keep my idealism for the game alive.

Addendum: Marco Scutaro had a big hit with two out in the bottom of the 9th to break a 2-2 tie with Mets. Nicely done Marco!