Orioles reset: Impact on O’s uncertain as debate over pitchers using sticky stuff roils on

Earlier this week, during his first and so-far only in-person media availability of the season, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde deferred to what will be an imminent memo from MLB on how the league will begin enforcing the long-standing rule on banning foreign substances from being applied to the baseball by pitchers.

He did so again Sunday, and said amid reports and research that show pitchers’ spin rates are declining across the game since MLB started threatening enforcement of that rule that he hasn’t seen any changes in any of his pitchers on that front.

The whole approach is reminiscent of when baseball spent most of spring training in 2020 talking about the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal…