What is Spider Tack, and why do MLB pitchers love to cheat by using it? [View all]

John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle / June 14, 2021

It’s about supercharged formulas that dramatically helped alter the balance of power between pitcher and hitter — we’ve come a long way from Gaylord Perry’s Vaseline and KY Jelly — and the most notable of these substances is an extremely sticky, web-like pasty material called Spider Tack.

Spider Tack was not developed for pitchers. The rosin-based chemical mixture was developed for power lifters to keep a tighter hold on Atlas stones when hoisting these globe-like mini-boulders (up to 353 pounds) in Strongman competitions.

Why do pitchers use Spider Tack?

It’s one of the most effective illegal substances, and it allows for improved grip and friction, which can markedly accelerate the spin rate of pitches.

Why is spin rate important?

The faster the spin, the more breaking pitches move and the more velocity pitchers get on their fastballs, which means more swings and misses, more strikeouts and more dominance.

LINK (AND PROBABLE PAYWALL): https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giants/article/What-is-Spider-Tack-and-why-do-MLB-pitchers-love-16247361.php

I guess we'll be hearing a lot about Spider Tack in the near future, as well as other commercially available products such as Pelican Grip Dip, Grip Boost, Tyrus Sticky Grip, Monkey Hands and Cramer Firm Grip. However the author notes even distilled soda such as Coca-Cola can be used—essentially anything with a tacky feeling.