Pine Tar

The worst week of Jay Howell's career thudded to its low point yesterday in Game 3 of the National League playoffs, when the Dodgers reliever was ejected in the eighth inning for having pine tar in his glove. NL president A. Bartlett Giamatti said he would study the umpires' reports and the glove before making a decision on any possible suspension. Howell, who lost Game 1 of the series and then was called a "high school pitcher" in a newspaper column written by Mets pitcher David Cone, acknowledged having the pine tar in the heel of his glove.

Tonight, Joe Blanton's sharp command drew immediate attention from Tampa Bay's dugout. So, apparently, did the bill of his cap. As first reported by mlb.com, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon told home-plate umpire Tom Hallion after the second inning that he believed Blanton had pine tar on his hat. After the game, Maddon addressed the issue with the media. Asked if he noticed a dark spot on Blanton's cap, Maddon said: "We did notice, it was rather dark. I did bring it to their [umpires']

All the high drama of Major League Baseball reached the Keystone State Games in Wilkes-Barre. The so-called George Brett pine-tar rule was invoked Sunday in a game of high school ballplayers. The game determined the third and fourth places in a four-team scholastic male baseball championship. The West team, featuring Pittsburgh-area players, defeated the Southeast team, featuring Philadelphia- area players, 2-1, with the help of the rule. In so doing, the West team took a bronze prize.

St. Louis Cardinals reliever Julian Tavarez was ejected from the first game of last night's doubleheader with Pittsburgh for wearing a dirty hat. Crew chief Joe West conducted a lengthy inspection of the cap before the eighth inning before tossing Tavarez, who made a flamboyant exit. "He asked me if it was pine tar and it was like 'No, it's just a dirty hat,' " Tavarez said. "Every pitch I throw I touch my hat, just like a lot of guys. "I asked him if I could wear another hat and he said, 'No, you're out of the game.

Up until the eighth inning of Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda said he thought this year's playoffs had a chance to be among the most exciting ever. Up until, to put it another way, his best relief pitcher, Jay Howell, was found to have traces of pine tar on his glove and was ejected. That led to the announcement before Game 4 yesterday that Howell had been suspended for three days by NL president A. Bartlett Giamatti, meaning he won't be available to the Dodgers until Game 7, if there is a Game 7. Without Howell, who led the Dodgers with 21 saves, there might not be. And this year's NLCS could be remembered as one decided by executive fiat.

Julian Tavarez's baseball cap is dirty and grimy - but not illegal, according to the man who now owns it. Tavarez, a righthanded reliever for the St. Louis Cardinals, is appealing a 10-game suspension handed down Tuesday for having pine tar on the cap. Tavarez was ejected from a game on Aug. 20 and as he left the field he tossed the cap to a fan in a box seat behind the St. Louis dugout. Now Gene McNary, a former St. Louis County executive who is running again for the county's highest office, said the cap is guilty only of being filthy.

Payback time in Boston The Yankees, 6-0 since the all-star break, are used to rough treatment from Red Sox fans. But after the treatment the Red Sox received at the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, the vocal cords of the Fenway Park crowd should be especially loose tonight when the Yanks visit for a three-game series between the game's most heated rivals. Obviously, it was an AL crowd at Yankee Stadium for the All-Star Game. No matter. Boston's J.D. Drew was booed as he rounded the bases for a two-run homer.

The pine-tar feud was still simmering yesterday, but it didn't affect the ballgame last night in Anaheim. Texas castoff Ryan Drese made a sensational debut for the Washington Nationals, holding the Los Angeles Angels to two hits over eight innings in a 1-0 victory. Drese, claimed off waivers from the Rangers on June 10, struck out three and walked four. Brian Schneider homered off Bartolo Colon in the sixth inning to provide the only scoring. Reliever Chad Cordero worked out of his own bases-loaded, no-out situation in the ninth for his 18th consecutive save.

Cheater? Not him Bronson Arroyo of the Cincinnati Reds has denied accusations by the St. Louis Cardinals that he used pine tar to doctor the baseball and get a better grip on pitches. St. Louis manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan both told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in yesterday's editions that the stain on the bill of Arroyo's cap was pine tar that helped him better grip the ball during a 6-1 Reds victory Wednesday. "It [the stain] is from playing in every other park where there's so much mud on the balls that black stuff comes off on your fingers every time," Arroyo said.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Jay Howell was suspended for three days yesterday after being caught with pine tar in his glove during Saturday's Game 3 of the National League championship series. The decision by National League president A. Bartlett Giamatti angered the Dodgers, who continued to insist that their relief ace was using the sticky, resin-like substance to get a better grip on the ball in the cold, wet conditions. Howell said he would confer with Players Association officials about the possibility of an appeal.

Cheater? Not him Bronson Arroyo of the Cincinnati Reds has denied accusations by the St. Louis Cardinals that he used pine tar to doctor the baseball and get a better grip on pitches. St. Louis manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan both told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in yesterday's editions that the stain on the bill of Arroyo's cap was pine tar that helped him better grip the ball during a 6-1 Reds victory Wednesday. "It [the stain] is from playing in every other park where there's so much mud on the balls that black stuff comes off on your fingers every time," Arroyo said.

Last night, Joe Blanton's sharp command drew immediate attention from Tampa Bay's dugout. So, oddly enough, did the bill of his cap. As first reported by MLB.com, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon told home-plate umpire Tom Hallion after the second inning that he believed Blanton had pine tar on his hat. After the game, Maddon addressed the issue with the media. Asked if he noticed a dark spot on Blanton's cap, Maddon said: "We did notice, it was rather dark. I did bring it to their [umpires']

Tonight, Joe Blanton's sharp command drew immediate attention from Tampa Bay's dugout. So, apparently, did the bill of his cap. As first reported by mlb.com, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon told home-plate umpire Tom Hallion after the second inning that he believed Blanton had pine tar on his hat. After the game, Maddon addressed the issue with the media. Asked if he noticed a dark spot on Blanton's cap, Maddon said: "We did notice, it was rather dark. I did bring it to their [umpires']

Payback time in Boston The Yankees, 6-0 since the all-star break, are used to rough treatment from Red Sox fans. But after the treatment the Red Sox received at the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, the vocal cords of the Fenway Park crowd should be especially loose tonight when the Yanks visit for a three-game series between the game's most heated rivals. Obviously, it was an AL crowd at Yankee Stadium for the All-Star Game. No matter. Boston's J.D. Drew was booed as he rounded the bases for a two-run homer.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers steadfastly maintained that nothing more than dirt was on his pitching hand in Game 2 of the World Series on Sunday night. Dirt? That made Tony La Russa laugh. "I don't believe it was dirt," the St. Louis Cardinals' manager said between chuckles after an off-day workout at Busch Stadium yesterday. "Didn't look like dirt. " Rogers, whose 23 scoreless innings in this postseason are now being viewed with a jaundiced eye, stuck by his story as he arrived in the Tigers' clubhouse yesterday.

U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R., Ky.) has introduced legislation to force professional sports leagues to suspend players for two years for a first-time use of illegal drugs. Miami righthander Cesar Carrillo, the Padres' first-round pick in last month's draft, agreed to a contract with a $1.55 million signing bonus. The Pirates bought the contract of lefthander Zach Duke, whose 12 wins with Indianapolis lead all triple-A pitchers. The Nationals activated lefthanded pitcher Joey Eischen from the 60-day disabled list.

The pine-tar feud was still simmering yesterday, but it didn't affect the ballgame last night in Anaheim. Texas castoff Ryan Drese made a sensational debut for the Washington Nationals, holding the Los Angeles Angels to two hits over eight innings in a 1-0 victory. Drese, claimed off waivers from the Rangers on June 10, struck out three and walked four. Brian Schneider homered off Bartolo Colon in the sixth inning to provide the only scoring. Reliever Chad Cordero worked out of his own bases-loaded, no-out situation in the ninth for his 18th consecutive save.

Julian Tavarez's baseball cap is dirty and grimy - but not illegal, according to the man who now owns it. Tavarez, a righthanded reliever for the St. Louis Cardinals, is appealing a 10-game suspension handed down Tuesday for having pine tar on the cap. Tavarez was ejected from a game on Aug. 20 and as he left the field he tossed the cap to a fan in a box seat behind the St. Louis dugout. Now Gene McNary, a former St. Louis County executive who is running again for the county's highest office, said the cap is guilty only of being filthy.

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Julian Tavarez has been suspended 10 days for applying pine tar to baseballs during Friday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Major League Baseball vice president Bob Watson handed down the discipline, the longest in the majors this season. Tavarez will appeal the suspension, the Cardinals said. The righthander said his hat was just dirty because he touches it after every pitch. Houston Astros pitcher Andy Pettitte underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn tendon in his left elbow and should be ready for the start of spring training in February, the team said.

St. Louis Cardinals reliever Julian Tavarez keeps running into trouble with his grimy, dirt-smudged cap. For the first time this season, it got him ejected. Tavarez lasted one out in the Cardinals' 5-4 victory over visiting Pittsburgh in the opener of a day-night doubleheader yesterday. Umpire crew chief Joe West conducted a lengthy inspection of the cap before the eighth inning before tossing Tavarez, who made a flamboyant exit. First, Tavarez put his arm around home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa and suggested the two get a beer after the game.