Angels Fans Cry Foul Over Mariano Rivera Spitball Video

In yet another October Classic controversy, eagle-eyed television viewers of the American League Championship Series caught a glimpse of what looked like Yankees closer Mariano Rivera spitting on a baseball before he pitched it, commonly referred to as a spitball. Mariano Rivera's apparent spitball is the subject of a popular YouTube video.

In the 10th inning of a 4-4 tie of a pivotal game three of the ALCS, closer Mariano Rivera came into the ballgame with a man on second base and no outs. The Mariano Rivera spitball video of the TBS broadcast shows Rivera with his back to the home-plate umpire, apparently checking to see if the second and third base umpires were looking at him, and casually dropping a spit right onto the baseball.

The spitball is one of the illegal tactics a pitcher can use to get an advantage over the batter, due to the spit giving the baseball extra movement on its way to the plate. Mariano Rivera only throws one type of pitch, a cut fastball, so a spitball would give him a little something extra.

Although Rivera was able to pitch his way out of the jam in the 10th inning without the Angels scoring, the question of whether or not it was a spitball ultimately did not matter, as the Angels would win in the 11th inning, with a walk-off double by catcher Jeff Mathis hit off of Yankees reliever Alfredo Aceves.

However, the story will not likely go away anytime soon, as amateur detectives examine the video footage still by still, like in the Angels fan blog, Halos Heaven. The video is also making the YouTube rounds, and may get some offseason life among disgruntled Anaheim residents if the Yankees beat the Angels in the ALCS.

Mariano Rivera is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and this likely will not affect his legacy, especially considering the Hall already has its share of spitballers, most notably Giants great Gaylord Perry. As a pitcher in the steroid era, Rivera should be just fine.

Additionally, the commissioner himself exonerated Mariano Rivera's spitball. According to a Los Angeles Times article, Bud Selig's office cleared Rivera of any wrongdoing, denying that the Yankees stopper spit on the baseball. However, Selig's edict does not clear Mariano Rivera in the court of public opinion.

Game 4 of the ALCS between the Angels and Yankees continues today at 7:57 p.m. EST, on the Fox Network.

Sources:
YouTube, "Rivera Spit Ball Yankees vs. Angels"
Halos Heaven, "Mariano Rivera caught doctoring the ball"
L.A. Times, "Mariano Rivera cleared of wrongdoing"
Game stats provided by Yahoo! Sports