Max Scherzer certainly made his feelings known.
And anyone on the field Wednesday will likely have “rosin and sweat” ringing through their ears.
The Mets co-ace was ejected from the team’s 5-3 win over the Dodgers after umpires determined he violated MLB’s mandate against foreign substances used by pitchers.
After multiple attempts, and examinations, to get Scherzer’s sticky hand resolved, crew chief Phil Cuzzi and home plate umpire Dan Bellino remained unsatisfied with what they deemed to be the stickiest hand of any pitcher they’ve examined since the rule was put in place.
Scherzer adamantly argued — both on the field with the umpires and after the game with the media — that his sticky hand was a result of rosin and sweat and that he didn’t break any rules.
He went as far as saying he “swears on my kids’ lives” that he wasn’t using anything illegal.
Scherzer was suspended for 10 games an hit with a $10K fine, The Post’s Jon Heyman reported Thursday evening.
He does not plan to appeal the decision.
Before he was tossed ahead of the bottom of the fourth inning, Scherzer could be seen animated on the field as he unsuccessfully tried to plead his case with the umpires.
Here’s everything he said in that argument, courtesy of lipreading by Jomboy media:
Warning: Graphic language
“That is rosin,” Scherzer began his argument with Cuzzi. “I’d tell you if it wasn’t rosin. Why would I let you f–king see it? Are you s–tting me? Why would I f–king … This is just rosin and sweat. Rosin and sweat. I promise.”
Bellino then responded to Scherzer while shaking his head and feeling Scherzer’s hand, although exactly what he said was indecipherable.
Whatever it was, it certainly didn’t please Scherzer.
“That is rosin and sweat,” Scherzer barked in return. “I promise you on my f–king life. That is literally rosin.”
That’s when Cuzzi chimed back in, although like Bellino, it wasn’t clear what he said to Scherzer. But it’s pretty obvious he was explaining to Scherzer that his hand was too sticky.
“It’s rosin and sweat,” Scherzer answered, looking a combination of enraged and perplexed. “I know. Why would I even do it? Why am I not good? Why? It’s rosin. I know. It’s rosin and sweat. I promise you on my life. I promise you. Danny [Bellino], I know, but it’s rosin.
Cuzzi and Bellino continued to feel and inspect Scherzer’s hand.
“This is nothing,” Scherzer continued. “It’s rosin and sweat. Don’t you know what rosin and sweat does? There’s no way. No no way. There’s no f–king…”
Before Scherzer could finish that last obscenity, Cuzzi motioned that Scherzer had been tossed from the game.
A seething Scherzer immediately threw his hands up in the air and turned around in anger, before turning back around to continue yelling at Cuzzi and Bellino.
At that point, manager Buck Showalter and Francisco Lindor began to hold Scherzer back.
“No way,” Scherzer said. “That’s rosin and sweat.”
Then, Scherzer could only express his feelings with Showalter, as Cuzzi and Bellino walked away.
“There’s no way, right?” Scherzer asked his manager.
Eventually, Scherzer made his way off the field.
