Roger's finger 'stuff'

[LMan]

From the Detriot News:

ST. LOUIS -- Clean it up -- or else.

That was the message St. Louis manager Tony La Russa sent after FOX television cameras revealed some type of substance on the pitching hand of Detroit starter Kenny Rogers during the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Sunday.

La Russa could have gone further and not just issue his version of a warning. He could have asked the umpires to check Rogers with hopes that if the veteran left-hander indeed was doing something illegal, there could be a suspension for the rest of the series.

"I decided that I was not going to be part of the (garbage) where I was going to ask the umpire to go to the mound and undress the pitcher," La Russa said Monday during a workout day before Game 3 tonight at Busch Stadium. "I alerted (plate umpire Alfonso Marquez).

"I said, 'I hope it gets fixed. If it doesn't get fixed, then I'll take the next step.'

"I'm sure there are fans of ours and maybe teammates or whoever, people in the organization, that said, 'You should have gone to the mound.' (The umpires) have to get a request (from the manager). They don't act on their own.

"I said, 'I don't like this stuff, let's get it fixed. If it gets fixed, let's play the game.' It got fixed, in my opinion, and we never hit the guy."