Just two starts after a goopy substance ignited a Red Sox-Yankees controversy, Michael Pineda took the mound against Boston again - subtly, apparently, still not something he understands.

In the second inning, the righty appeared on the Fenway Park mound with pine tar smeared across his neck.  The Sox objected, the ump investigated - not that he needed to - and Pineda was tossed, setting off a firestorm of questions like "Wait, he did what?! Again?!", and  "Are you serious?!"

Today, Major League Baseball has handed the pitcher a ten game suspension.  He will miss one start.  Is that enough?  The contributors to NoTicketSports.com debated the issue, here's part of what we had to say.

Joe Bianchino: Let me start things off by expressing my amazement that we're even talking about this. Do you understand how absurdly flagrant your doctoring of the baseball must be for the Red Sox to call you out on it?  Bucholz just bathing in suspicious substances before every game.  Lester telling us the the NEON GREEN substance in his glove during the WORLD SERIES was rosin.  David Ortiz getting popped for steroids, telling everyone he'll get to the bottom of why and report later, then never speaking about it again.

Those are the guys who went, "Pineda, dial it back a bit, will you?"  Just outrageous.

Which is why, for me, 15 games would seem appropriate.  The MLB says ten games, the general attitude of baseball is apparently leans toward no games, but there needs to be some kind of stupid tax applied here. This is a matter of evolution.

Jeffrey Simpson Day: Hate, hate...hatehatehatehatehate.

Defending World Series champions Red Sox hate aside, Joseph, toward what end would your punishment be? The prevailing theory is that there are about five reasons to punish someone: Retribution, incapacitation, deterrence, rehabilitation, and restoration. Which would you be going for with your 15-game "stupid tax" suspension? Retribution for being stupid? Rehabilitation to get him to stop being stupid in the future?

Pierce Brix: There is stupid, and then there is Michael Pineda. Having a tumor sized glob of pine tar on your neck, in Boston, two starts after Red Sox Nation called you out on the same offense is like showing up drunk to your first court appointed AA meeting. I mean, like, hammered drunk. Someone is going to notice.

That said, he should be docked ten games, or the equivalent of two starts. That's what the rule book says, and if we didn't adhere to the letter of the law, we'd all be subject to anarchy...

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