The strange defect no baseball company can solve

[@Jordyb33123]

I’m genuinely loving this recent series Evan. I’ve loved settling in for my Sunday evening and starting with a light but interesting random topic I’d have never have thought that Evan has made fascinating ❤

[@evan]

Thank you! I've been working on some big vids from Germany for hopefully later this month :)

[@mercerthechimp9218]

I completely agree with this sentiment! I've been watching Evan's videos for quite a while now, and I recently introduced my partner to them. Now whenever she see me scrolling youtube for a video to watch she calls out when we see an Evan Edinger video and we watch it together! No matter what the topic we always enjoy it!

[@travcollier]

Evan's sense of "that's interesting" seems to line up with mine pretty well. High quality random is good

[@Anon54387]

@@evan That's the maddening part about baseball, it is almost impossible to hit a ball, one has to have reflexes like a cat.

[@kittynekocat]

I live in Japan where baseball is the most popular sport, so this video made me wonder what they use here. According to a somewhat biased sounding article I found: "NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) baseballs have come pre-tacked with a proprietary polymer substance that adds a layer of “tack” to the ball fresh out of the box."

[@Dunybrook]

I heard they just use sand, which works better and gives them a stronger grip.

[@Sleepysod]

Phew! Was about to ask the same question - thank you!

[@RachelJade70]

They used similar baseballs in the World Baseball Classic a couple years ago, and basically all of the MLB pitchers who used them said they loved them. Not sure why MLB isn't implementing that tbh

[@uranusjr]

@@RachelJade70 Because the hitters don’t particularly like them. Balls used by the NPB are (compared to the MLB) an advantage to pitching. Those balls are actually also a point of contention in Japan since it’s being argued for a while those extremely grippable balls are a significant reason why Japan has failed to steadily produce hitting talents compared to pitching.

[@RachelJade70]

@@uranusjr ah- thanks for the insight!

[@HippoOnABicycle]

Fun fact: Outside of US and Canada, baseball is also really big in Japan and Cuba. It's actually the most popular sport in both countries. In Cuba it was brought to the country by Cubans who had studied abroad at US colleges, and in Japan it was introduced by an American college professor teaching English at a college, who introduced it to his students and it spread from there.

[@jimbucket2996]

Fun fact: you forgot south Korea.

[@ernestoyepez5103]

Fun fact: this is incomplete. Béisbol (spanish) it's the most popular sport in Venezuela, Dominican Republic, and it's also very popular in Mexico and Colombia. In the pacific both Korea and Japan are also really popular

[@rederik99]

@@jimbucket2996 It's debated whether there are more football (soccer) fans or baseball fans in S.Korea. There are indications that baseball is second. But you're right, hugely popular.

[@Tinil0]

@@ernestoyepez5103 Fun fact: You still forgot Taiwan. Baseball is basically the national sport in Taiwan. It was introduced to them by the Japanese. It's one of the cultural differences with mainland china.

[@ernestoyepez5103]

@@Tinil0 yes Taiwan too. I am Venezuelan and here Baseball is quite a thing, it's part of of language and culture as other Caribbean countries.

[@Geekeh_UK]

It's kinda interesting when you consider that cricketers do the exact opposite, polishing the ball on one side between each bowl, to make one side shiny and put spin on the ball.

[@pcread]

Technically not spin (that's the effect of the seam hitting the ground), but swing, which is a swerve in the air due to pressure differences.

[@ChrisNoonetheFirst]

The major difference is that cricket isn't interesting

[@jbeattie02]

Didn’t a bowler get in trouble a few years back for roughing a cricket ball with sandpaper?

[@poolhall9632]

@@jbeattie02yep, he tucked his wingle and caught the cricket. best sport ever

[@pcread]

@@jbeattie02 Sandpapergate. Was a big scandal in the cricket world.

[@yezdnil]

That probably would be considered ball tampering in cricket. The ball must be pristine when new. The bowlers actually like new balls as it gives an advantage. They do rub them down the groin area but anything else is not permitted. Tampering includes deliberately roughing up the seams.

[@TristanBailey]

Agree, was making same thought. The time of the game gives you opportunities to “improve the ball”

[@SamuelGeist]

I really like how the condition of the ball and pitch over time changes how the game is played within the context of a single cricket match. Nothing against baseball, I enjoy baseball too. I just prefer cricket. :)

[@pandiculation194]

@@SamuelGeist never saw cricket in my life. Found a fiction drama on tv about match fixing. Learned the rules to understand the show. Later found the IPL. Fell in love with the game. I have never seen a test match only T20. I really like it but do not understand nuances and strategies in depth. Thank you for the insight about the bowling and ball conditions.

[@Nova-w2i]

Reminds me of all the things you do with new pointe shoes before you can finally dance in them

[@GeekGamer666]

Except not bashing it on things or hitting it with a hammer. 😂

[@makenzywheeler1676]

"When I'm in America I talk to people." 😂

[@SylviaRustyFae]

@@makenzywheeler1676 And make them question what is wrong with him as he raves about "secret mud" for baseballs

[@blacksquirrel4008]

Because in Britain you will terrify them, unless you’re in the North

[@makenzywheeler1676]

@blacksquirrel4008 I've been watching a lot of international content recently and I've heard a couple of people mention how Americans just talk to and smile at strangers. I never knew that wasn't something everyone did. It's funny the things you don't notice about where you live 😄

[@really-quite-exhausted]

The autumn colours of the trees in this video are gorgeous!! You mentioned autumn looks better in nj than the uk in a recent video and now i can see why.

[@elbowache]

It's worth noting that this was the worst year for foliage ever recorded as there was a record breaking draught. Normally it's easily twice as vibrant.

[@SadPandaFace]

NJ Autumns are really pretty... for the two weeks they last, then you get the ugly brown of dead leaves strewn across every surface imaginable and trees with no leaves left.

[@michaelgplayzz]

Look at Albany ny in fall

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

Rawlings makes the best baseballs. My father used to work at the Rawlings plant, lacing balls and gloves. It was hard on the vines in his legs and he left Rawlings when he was drafted into the military. A friend once followed the mud guy from his home to place where he gets the mud.

[@johnadriaan8561]

Get it together Evan! @5:43 "Clambering": scaling a hill, cliff etc. Clamo[u]ring: shouting loudly or insistently You meant the latter

[@QALibrary]

Oh why oh why did Manscape not ask to be a sponsor for this video - I feel robed

[@cassieoz1702]

Robed?

[@SylviaRustyFae]

@@cassieoz1702 Bcuz OP has to hide their hairy balls

[@rmonogue]

Im robed today. It’s snowy and cold and I’m wearing my robe over my clothes to stay warmer in the house. 😊

[@SylviaRustyFae]

@rmonogue Same situ here, tho im in my full body mousey PJs (same one as in my pfp actually heh); which i find too warm to wear outside of when its snowy and cold like rn :3

[@Chomp-Rock]

​@@cassieoz1702which is ironic, because using manscape requires you to be disrobed.

[@rebeccahawkins5956]

Loving your videos so much at the moment! Watched your channel for so many years and it’s amazing seeing your content keep getting better! You make my Sunday evenings dreading work the next day that more bearable ❤

[@Bozebo]

Good editing, Kim :)

[@SylviaRustyFae]

12:17 This person 100% thinks Evan is off his rocker

[@GreatCdn59]

absolutely 😂 they were like "........k? cool? Imma walk this way, now...."

[@evan]

Abso

[@makenzywheeler1676]

Good work Kim!

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Didn't know they put that much effort into Adult Rounders ;)

[@ramblerandy2397]

I played Rounders for my Junior/Middle school. We won the league twice.

[@Dunybrook]

Is that like soccer but for adults?

[@katehaynes5735]

Rounders is where they say baseball came from. Loved it since I was a kid!

[@MikeD8318]

Rounders is played by women this is Male Rounders

[@thechumpsbeendumped.7797]

@@Dunybrook Football is the most played and watched game in the world, and not just by kids.

[@TheHungryTransitFan]

Great work Kim (and Evan), love the editing and storytelling style! Greetings from South Jersey!

[@drchunkalicious]

1:10 Incorrect. Got my glove and lucky baseball upstairs. I concede I am unusual, though.

[@ElNeroDiablo]

Fun little dive in to the story of baseball mud in the US. And good work Kim!

[@nevasimsek1]

Just got the email that approved my citizenship. Immediatley after letting family know I clicked on your channel to write a comment. It was great to have your videos keep me company during this entire process which sometimes feels very annoying and alone. Thank you for sharing your journey into Britishness with us.

[@Irishharper]

Love this Evan... how as an American did I not know about the mud...lol Loved the editing by the way... As a long time viewer, I love how you keep switching it up and keep your channel fresh and interesting... Sending best wishes from Connecticut (until I get back to Gloucestershire.)...Oh and more with Heather please...

[@kinjiru731]

This was genuinely one of the most fascinating videos I've watched in a long time. And yes, the editing was very good. Well done, Kim.

[@atlanticx100]

Well done Kim

[@gizmomypet4359]

They do similar things to cricket balls to make it swing (turn)

[@simonmeadows7961]

Interesting use of 'similar'. It's completely different. Ball tampering is strictly forbidden and is considered a serious form of cheating. Instead, players may act to *preserve* the condition of the ball, but they opt to do this only to one side, while letting the other side rough up naturally over the course of the innings. During COVID, the regulations were changed so that saliva could no longer be used and now sweat is the only substance allowed to be rubbed into the leather. P.S. Swing relates to fast bowling while turn refers to spin bowling.

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

@@simonmeadows7961 Ball tampering is strictly forbidden in baseball too. The umpire will often inspect the ball in play for condition and replace those that get too roughed up. Some pitchers illegally carry something in their pocket or glove to scuff up the ball, or hide petroleum jelly to wipe a smudge on the ball to throw it off balance.

[@w4yne_1]

I never thought Evan Edinger would do a topic about balls. oh you live and learn lol

[@mdpenny42]

Compared to some "beauty treatments", $100 per tub is probably a steal.

[@immortality3096]

please take this as a compliment! Can we have Tom Scott? No, we have Tom Scott at home! Tom Scott at home:...

[@Yupppi]

What a fantastic safety regulation. "If you're dangerous, just keep being dangerous. But no new dangerous."

[@K-o-R]

I wonder how many takes this needed 😂 "If you've ever watched any professional baseba--" No. No, I have not. And yet, I am fascinated by this video. "Clambering for it" Clamouring is the word, though they were probably clambering all over each other at the same time!

[@TheEmpire822]

At the beginning of the video you showed a clip of pitchers rubbing down baseballs while they are on the mound with both hands, but that’s not usually for cleaning a ball or anything like that, I know you guys have herd of the issue in mlb with the “sticky stuff” whatever that maybe but what a lot of people don’t know is how a pitcher really uses it. But what I’ve seen a lot of guys do and get away with is put their “sticky stuff” just on the palm, or more even towards the bottom of your palm but put it on their glove hand, because you don’t want to put a ton on your throwing hand and get caught, or put it in your glove or put it anywhere that’s super noticeable and you don’t want to put it on the ball directly either, you want to put it on a spot where you can go to it whenever you need and get what you need and not have to much, so that’s why they rub the ball down, especially when they get a new one, they can manipulate that to get just the right amount of “sticky stuff” on the ball and not get to much and also not raise suspicion for everyone else, cause everyone does it but that’s my opinion on why the pitchers do that on the mound, your absolutely right tho about the mud tho it is super important

[@MattColbo]

0:21 such an Evan moment

[@maxmueller550]

Hi Evan, love the video! There's a couple things I wanted to touch on a few things that you possibly got a little mixed up on. -Ray Chapman was likely not killed by a spit ball. Another way during that period that pitchers would get an edge was not just substances, but also physically making the ball darker in order to make it harder to see. Witnesses say that Chapman did not react to the pitch that killed him indicating that he never saw the baseball. In the wake of the death the league put rules into effect they would replace the ball being used if it started to get too dark or scuffed. This rule also banned all foreign substances including spit. -It is true that this is the only death of a player in a game, but in 2003 Orioles pitcher Steve Belcher collapsed and died during a spring training conditioning drill. Belcher was effectively starving himself and only taking ephedra pills. He died from multiple organ failure after his internal temperature reached 108°. Keep making great videos!

[@Kahoneki]

blessed be thou when evan uploads

[@sudazima]

at some point they made a soccer/football ball that was perfectly round, but something with so little air resistance actually becomes unstable and the ball would go everywhere so they went back to not quite perfectly round balls.

[@thezackast2752]

Yeah the South Africa world cup had an almost round ball and it messed up a lot of goalies

[@KingAlanI]

Like how golf balls purposely have those dimples? (Ironically imperfections making for better aerodynamics)

[@philiptaylor7902]

How many takes to deliver all that with a straight face Evan?

[@HelenRosemarySmith]

This is interesting! And I do like the editing - great job! Would you be able to put your editor in the description?

[@Dunybrook]

Apparently, pitchers also still use rosin to make their balls sticker too even those this is sometimes abused. It's a dirty game.

[@mr.sa7anserv606]

MLB cracked down on players wearing sunscreen since they used that too.

[@patrickh3895]

Hell yeah! Another Evan/Baseball video!

[@richardgreen3160]

I'm a Brit and I have a baseball next to me right now.

[@tuxcatjodi]

Interesting 😊 and great job editing, Kim

[@Betsy1403]

This was a load of balls.

[@povukpovuk4853]

I had noticed editing has improved (sorry Even) over the last few months great content as well. Your videos discussing Frozen Custard makes me want an ice cream machine.

[@bobbybooshay8641]

I grew up in south Jersey. The mud is exactly the same everywhere in the marshes. You can get that mud almost everywhere along the coast.

[@maxximumb]

Evan, you missed the ball on sponsorship this time. You should have gone with Manscaped. No end of end of ball puns there.

[@evan]

They’ve reached out to me many times, but their requirements were too strict and lowball in offer. I’m a bit choosey even if the brand fits haha

[@maxximumb]

@@evan I'm glad to see you don't roll over for any old pitch. Thanks for the video, I gLoved it.

[@TheOwlman]

13:13 Except the series is named after a magazine, rather than the world itself. To be fair, there are some people in the UK who play it but you ain't conquered the world. Yet. 🤣

[@astropunk972]

What is interesting is there is an agreed upon standard for synthetic balls. NPB (Japanese Professional Baseball) have been doing this for YEARS and most MLB players who used those balls have loved them. There are several articles interviewing players on why they love them. There is something about the process either MLB is doing or Rawlings, that is causing inconsistency in the formula. Some say it is because MLB is too locked into Rawlings as a company to move away from them to whatever company NPB uses, or that the NPB Balls are so proprietary that it is hard to replicate. What ever the case is the solution has been found but it is hard to bring over to the US for some reason.

[@katierscott8771]

Interesting, cricket is another sport where the ball is important. A new ball behaves very differently to a used one, and maintaining it becomes a bit of an art. The bigger difference, however, is that the only thing they are allowed to put on the ball is sweat (pre-covid saliva was always used), and they are also allowed to polish the ball on their clothing and, if the outfield is wet, use a towel to dry it off as a wet ball it horrible to use.

[@ramblerandy2397]

Ok, I got into the weeds of this. Now tackle the vagaries of cricket balls. Terribly English, old man. 😊

[@luciamiola8970]

Evan this was engaging, insightful and interesting. Thanks!

[@x9x9x9x9x9]

The weird rituals and superstitions around baseball are funny. However the certain mud and all those rules make a lot of sense. Its crazy what a minor change, like type of mud, can have on a pitch. Even a tiny scuff on a ball can make a massive difference in spin rate.

[@TheMissWin]

I have no interest in baseball, or mud, but this was a super interesting video. Nice one Evan

[@stevenglowacki8576]

Maybe that hit-by-pitch was the only human death at an MLB game, but there definitely was a well-known avian fatality at a spring training game.

[@zeeamja1]

This is the longest thing I’ve seen anything about baseballl since 42.

[@steveboguslawski114]

Carl Mays was not a spitball pitcher. By 1920 the spitball had been outlawed, but it was a new rule and a group of pitchers who relied on that pitch were allowed to continue throwing it until they retired. Carl Mays was not on that list of pitchers. It is often assumed that the death of Ray Chapman was the reason for the spitball ban. But that is incorrect. The spitball ban was already in place. 1920 was a transition year, the first year of the ban, and players and teams were complaining about the rule. Before 1920 baseballs were only rarely removed from a game due to damage. They were replaced if they were lost, hit outside the ballpark, or if a fan refused to return a ball to the field of play. Damage would accumulate during a game, and pitchers helped inflict some of that intentionally. The cover would get dirty, stained, scuffed. A clever pitcher could use a scuff to increase the amount of curve or drop on the ball. The dirty baseballs were also more difficult for the batter to see. For some reason the scuffball was considered unsporting while the spitball was accepted, and the American League attempted to ban it a few years before the 1920 rule. However, it was virtually impossible to enforce unless you caught a pitcher in the act. Naturally scuffed balls were still a part of the game. The 1920 ban changed the game and caused much complaining. The complaints varied. Pitchers didn't like the slippery feel of a fresh ball. A fresh new ball was easier to see, more difficult for a pitcher to throw, and gave the team currently at bat a temporary advantage. Teams didn't like the expense of having to provide dozens of baseballs for a game instead a just a few. The home plate umpire was tasked with removing damaged and defaced baseballs from play, but he was almost certainly influenced by the complaints and the number of baseballs provided. It wasn't like today, when a ball will be tossed out for the slightest scuff. The death of Ray Chapman helped change that situation. Keeping a clean baseball in play was recognized as a matter of life and death. The resistance to clean fresh baseballs declined, but they were still slippery when new. That led to years of rules modifications to define what, if anything, a pitcher was allowed to do to improve his grip on the ball. Standardizing the way baseballs were rubbed up with a specific substance was the eventual solution. edit: The 1920 rule outlawed all "trick pitches", including the spitball, scuffball, shine ball, mudball and banned defacing the baseball in any way. For some reason the spitball was allowed to be used by a select group of pitchers who were already using it. The spitball was seen as a legitimate pitch, though unsanitary. The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 was the probable reason for including the spitball. No exceptions were made for the other pitches.

[@coasttocoast2011]

Baseball doesn’t really seem to be as big here in Australia, softball seems to be the preferred game (which I know they’re technically the same game but the balls are pretty different

[@daviddeane2923]

The field is smaller, shorter distances between bases, etc.

[@Azeria]

God I love baseball.

[@trcolavi]

OMG! I’ve been a baseball fan my whole life (Let’s go Mets) and I learned so much from this video…. Please don’t tell me you grew up. Phillies fan, being from south jersey and all…

[@RubesGoodBrainCoffee]

2:18 -- 'In the early days, players tried everything to solve this problem, from rubbing their balls with dirt and spit...' Me: How would that help? Oh! He means BASEballs.

[@patrikviera2007]

They should try sandpaper like the Aussie cricket team.

[@golden_gloo]

If I didn't know who Evan was and he randomly shouted over to me "This is where the magic mud is made" I'd just continue walking and ignore him lol.

[@sthomas6369]

Fallacy: "The grip every player has gotten used to since playing baseball". The special mud rub is only at the highest levels of baseball. At the amateur level, from what I've seen, if they rub balls up at all, it's with dirt from the field they're on. If it's a turf field, and they bother to rub them up, they'll just find a patch of dirt somewhere. How do I know? I've done it. Another baseball thing to look into: MLB balls are different than amateur level baseballs. Sure a Little League baseball is different (youth balls generally have higher seams). But MLB balls are different from college (NCAA) balls. My son plays college baseball, but works out an trains at a facility with pro players (minor leaguers mostly). They keep a special cache of MLB balls for the pro players and others aren't allowed to use them. However, my son has swung the exact same bat at the same bat speed (measured by a Blast Motion monitor) but with NCAA balls, the ball exit velocity is, on average, between 5-10mph slower than a swing against MLB balls. That's over a large number of swings. Physics says the balls must be different.

[@poolhall9632]

7:48 - doggo zoomin!

[@MadnessQuotient]

If the ball is unplayable when new, how do kids play? How does a player learn to grip the ball and perfect their pitch if they dont have access to the magic mud at junior levels?

[@evan]

Anyone can buy the small amount of mud :) but the grip truly becomes necessary at professional levels

[@cccccccccccccatman]

If I where you i would pray no one makes an out of context edit out of this video

[@backgroundnoise9310]

Great vid.

[@jamesleuthauser9336]

Nobody is as superstitious as either professional athletes or professional gamblers. But baseball players, specifically, are DIFFERENT even within that group lol

[@tomwilson88]

How was this advert not sponsored by manscaped or me undies, or something

[@Roobotics]

I wonder if orange pumice soap would be a close enough analog, it's of a creamy consistency and contains grit, as well removes slippery surface oils.

[@toomanyopinions8353]

I have the same question as other in the comments! What do they do in the minor leagues ? What about even lower down the chain?

[@evan]

Minor leagues do too!

[@toomanyopinions8353]

@ what kind of mud do they use then?

[@SylviaRustyFae]

@@toomanyopinions8353 They probs use the same mud, which means that Evans calcs may be a bit off, but i cant imagine minor league wud more than quadruple things at absolute most; so even still they probs make under 50k tops, even before considerin the costs of doin business

[@toomanyopinions8353]

@@evan what kind of mud do they use then?

[@toomanyopinions8353]

@@SylviaRustyFae raises so many questions. How far down the chain does this mud go? Surely kids aren’t working with slippery baseballs. What are little league teams using? What about school teams? It seems like the type of thing you would want to keep consistent all the way up/down the chain, since if the grip suddenly changed when someone entered minor leagues it would throw pitchers off and affect their ability to pitch well. (Considering, as Evan explained in the vid, just how much minuscule changes to the grip affect how the pitcher throws and therefore how the ball ends up flying and how it gets to the batter.). But if using the same “magic mud” went all the way down the chain that feels like something Evan would have mentioned. So what do they use instead?

[@Riokaii]

All these players arent using this special mud growing up or when playing in the minor leagues or at college etc. they could clearly just pick a different synethic consistent option and people would get used to it because they already have to get used to a change upon making it to the majors of the texture of this mud.

[@jamiefoerst]

I don't see why they can't just let pitchers choose weather to use muddy balls or synthetic balls.

[@shaneg9081]

Consistency. Without it, someone will always cry foul. "Oh, they only won because they used x ball and we used y ball, and that's unfair."

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

A Cricket fact for all you Americans. Compared to the 150ish balls used in a baseball game, a Cricket team will use only TWO. At the start of the game it's brand new, and the fielding team will work to 'break-in' the ball over the course of the match. They'll scuff the ball on the ground, then polish only one side. Adds a weird dimension to getting balls to curve and slide.

[@steveboguslawski114]

Baseball before 1920 was similar. A ball was replaced only if it was lost, or if it went into the seats and a naughty fan refused to give it back. Scuffing, shining, or discoloring a ball was allowed. I should say that it was done by some pitchers because it probably did break some rule that was rarely enforced or interpreted differently. It was called, alternately, the scuff ball or the shine ball. It was banned specifically as part of the 1920 rules change.

[@tylerbogaard375]

To be honest, I think if MLB really wants to try and get rid of the mud, it'll be easier to try and start making it the switch in younger leagues. It seems their big issue is getting current pitchers to get on board with the new non-mud baseballs. I think that's more likely not because of the actual grip but more because it's just different than what these guys have been used to using for decades. If you start getting all younger players used to the non-mud baseballs, eventually it'll be easier to get rid of the mud.

[@hgbugalou]

As someone from Mississippi, I guarantee we have the right kind of mud down here somewhere. 😂

[@MabDarogan2]

Weirdly specific

[@oldnjoyer]

as an editor, I love it

[@alwynemcintyre2184]

In the rest of the world where cricket is played, pretty sure the "magic" mud would be called ball tampering and illegal. In cricket polishing the ball is what you want.

[@jamesbeeching6138]

Good video Evan....However I think you need to do a similar video on cricket!! Lots more players have died in bowling accidents..Either hit in the head or struck in the heart❤❤!!😢😢😢😢...Also I think cricketers rub their balls a lot more than baseball players!! Shining one side over theater helps with spin and a magical thing called "reverse swing"!! And that is a huge number of balls to get through in a match...In a five day test usually only 4-5 new balls are used.....

[@darrylwagar4144]

Thanks for sharing

[@chelled.4622]

Evan on location! Loving the videos Evan (and Kim)

[@Tomonkey4]

Kim is your editor? Is THAT why I haven't been seeing any Make Some More Videos In December Maybe this year? (I'm kidding. I miss her videos, but I'm glad she's progressing well with her life.)

[@TheRodonji]

With baseball being in ways more popular in Japan I'm suprised that you did not mention that they pretty much have solved this problem. They do not rub the balls in mud and have a more taky ball from the start. This is also not something players have been using all their life. This very specific way to treat the balls only comes in to play when you are very high up the ladder in professional baseball. Before that it is kinda all over the place how the balls are treated and replaced.

[@ifxequalswhy]

Greetings from upper left USA! I loved this video! However, as a Dodgers fan, I did throw up a little bit in my mouth at 1:27 when you featured 'he who shall not be named' (initials TB). At least he wasn't in a Dodgers uniform. 🙈🙉🙊

[@route2070]

The rules mentioned in this video also apply to Minor League Baseball and in some or all independent leagues

[@alexhuxley3355]

Look up ball tampering in Cricket. Just as complicated.

[@wessexdruid7598]

More so..

[@bazil_b4567]

You just made this video for the ball puns, didn't you?

[@therealmattoid]

Apart from Tom Scott, there’s only one other person that could make a topic I have no interest in interesting, and that is Evan. Well done Sir. This was fascinating 👏

[@philiprowney]

'ball tampering' has been made illegal in cricket. Freddie Flintoff [ yeah, the Top Gear guy ] was caught with dirt in his pocket once, the shame! [ lol ] 'Why are cricketers always rubbing their balls?' ;-)

[@johng9399]

How in the world do you get through "nearly 150 balls used in every official game"? The mind boggles! '

[@bradreissig1683]

I used to spend many an afternoon rubbing up baseballs when I worked for a minor league team. There are a lot more teams (minor leagues, college teams and high school teams) that need to rub up balls. I’m pretty sure there is a lot of money in mud.

[@patbone7941]

There is in fact a Baseball & softball academy a few miles outside of London. Beaconsfield Rd, Farnham Royal, Slough SL2 3BP Maybe you could do a documentary on the cricket ball. How long it lasts in a match, if a ball is damaged or lost it is replaced by a similar old ball from previous cricket matches (so a team does not gain advantage with a new ball) the 3 countries that fabricate balls for international cricket (United Kingdom, Australia and India)

[@danacoleman4007]

9:32 ummm....no. they don't do that for baseballs at least up through the high school level. pitchers are on their own to figure out how to get a grip at least until they get to college.

[@invisibleman1734]

Why did he film the "sitting at a baseball diamond" shots in two different cities? I got a kick out of recognizing the park with the CN Tower in the background, then there's a Chicago Parks diamond sign in the next shot.

[@jamieandtherandomstuff]

And to think in cricket they're banned from rubbing dirt on their balls. Only sweat and saliva allowed, so spit balls still allowed.

[@Remmes]

I imagine a lot of it is in the people's head (too tacky vs not tacky enough) because change is scary to a lot of people and especially since it's been a tradition, however many aspect/material of the equipment has been changed since the start, at some point they should just change the mud and just.... stick with it.

[@57thorns]

I wonder if they ever tried a blind test? Just switch half the balls for a game and see if anyone notices.

[@TakanashiYuuji]

Thanks Kim!

[@nicoskefalas]

Not an American, nor I have ever even watched a minute of baseball but I enjoyed this video thoroughly! Great job Evan! 👏 Edit: Kim! Wonderful editing 😃

[@TristanBailey]

Surely it should be part of the game like cricket. That you always start with a new ball and over the game it changes.

[@pandiculation194]

Sand Blast them with Silica Sand. This is the magic and can be done in the factory. Mud fills the the spaces that make it slippery(air pockets and pimples) to increase the area gripped. The sandblast removes them. Silica sand is the key as they may have already tried this with real glass beads or nut shell. The mud they use now is unique in the fact that it has(a high level of) decaying material in it and has not converted to clay. Interesting enough it would be perfect for earth batteries. There is a process where as we have active molecules separating some heavier than others. Not wanting to mix the sciences, but it does make sense that they all use the same mud. Superstition is high when I recommend that clubs electrify their mud before the Rub, no Piff and coil, doath baseball make cowards of us all.