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Did Bronson Arroyo cheat? Cardinals say he did

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 6:17 PM Thursday, October 1, 2009

CINCINNATI — Nothing like a little mud-slinging to spice up next season’s Cincinnati Reds-St. Louis Cardinals rivalry, which begins on Opening Day.

Most likely that game will be pitched by Bronson Arroyo for the Reds, part of the current controversy during which Cardinals manager Tony La Russa accused Arroyo and the Reds of cheating.

Reds manager Dusty Baker reacted harshly over the charges and said, “Where I come from, man, you call somebody a cheater, you better know what you’re talking about. That’s like calling somebody a liar, a snitch, a cheat or a thief. Those are strong words when you call somebody a cheater and I’m the man in charge over here.”

La Russa and Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan believe Arroyo used pine star to sticky-up baseballs that were slick Wednesday, Sept. 30, devoid of the Delaware mud that is normally rubbed on them before games.

St. Louis pitcher John Smoltz said the balls were too slick and La Russa said the balls did not have the mud on them.

Before Thursday’s 13-0 Cardinals victory, ignited by pitcher Chris Carpenter’s first career home run, a grand slam off Kip Wells in the second inning, and six RBIs, clubhouse attendant Mike Dillon, who rubs mud on the balls, stopped in La Russa’s office.

“I had nothing to do with those balls (Wednesday) and I’m the one who rubbed them up, but I had nothing to do with them. I don’t know what happened after they were over there but you look at them (Thursday) and they’ll be the same,” said Dillon.

La Russa showed Dillon two balls he saved from Wednesday and said, “Do they look rubbed up to you?”

Said Dillon, “No. I rubbed up the balls but they weren’t like that. That’s all I’m going to say. I’m telling you I don’t cheat. I don’t lie. I had nothing to do with it. Somehow the mud got off them.”

La Russa said, “I knew they were up to shenanigans. I appreciate you saying that.”

Of Arroyo, La Russa added, “The guy’s got pine tar all over his hat and our guy (Smoltz) is out there naked. We’ve got about six of those balls around here. That was pretty lousy. (Arroyo) found a little edge. You can’t let the starting pitcher influence how the balls are prepared for the game.”

Said Arroyo, “I pitch on the road, too, and I can’t tell you how many times I was unhappy with the way the balls are rubbed up. Every time I pitch in Milwaukee I can’t stand the way the balls are rubbed up. They can run out any kind of balls they want and I won’t walk five guys (as Smoltz did).”

Baker said he didn’t hear any complaints about Arroyo rubbing pine tar on the balls until a writer told him Thursday morning.

“If anybody should know about that it would be (Cardinals pitching coach) Dave Duncan and La Russa, maybe,” said Baker. “I remember they had Julian Tavarez over there and they threw his hat out of the game because it had pine tar on it.”

That was 2004 and Tavarez was suspended eight days for using pine tar (later reduced to four days). “And remember that left-handed relief pitcher they had?” Baker said. That would be Steve Kline, who wore the same hat all season and by season’s end it was no longer red but brownish black — the color of pine tar.

“That is all just stupid,” said Baker. “Nothing went on. News to me. I don’t believe in cheating.”

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