Did winner have dirty little secret?
DETROIT -- Kenny Rogers was dazzling again last night. But was he also cheating?
The 41-year-old lefthander continued his Joe Hardy-like October mastery at cold
Fox television made a big deal out of it during the broadcast. When Rogers pitched in the top of the first, video showed he had something smeared on the palm of his hand, just below the thumb. Umpires spoke with Rogers, and after the conversation the substance appeared to be gone.
What was it? Resin? Dirt? Pine tar? Bag Balm? Crisco? Vasoline? Vavoline?
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa would not discuss the matter after the game, but Tigers manager Jim Leyland said, "Tony went out and said a couple of his players said the ball was acting funny, and they made Kenny wash his hands, and he washed his hands, and came out [for] the second inning and he was pretty clean the rest of the way."
Rogers's version went like this: "It was a big clump of dirt, and I wiped it off. I didn't know it was there and they told me and I took it off, and it wasn't a big deal. It's dirt and resin and all that stuff put together. When it's moist, you're going to rub up the baseball and it was left on my hand when I rubbed them up."
Rogers denied the umpires said anything to him about the substance. He said, "I saw it and I went and wiped it off and then it was gone. I didn't think it was an issue."
Pitchers who are caught intentionally defacing or discoloring the baseball are subject to automatic ejection.
MLB umpiring supervisor Steve Palermo said, "There was absolutely no detection that Kenny Rogers put anything on the ball. This was not an inspection, this was an observation. The umpires were very proactive. They asked that Kenny just clean that dirt off so there wouldn't be any question as to him with any foreign substance or dirt or whatever it may have been on the ball."
It was 44 degrees (windchill factor of 33) when the game started and it was down to 37 by the seventh. In his pregame remarks, La Russa disputed the notion that a cold climate favors pitchers, saying, "The balls are so slippery you just can't get the right grip on them and pitchers lose that fine command."
Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, who won World Series games in three decades, agreed, saying, "The ball is slick and it's harder to throw your breaking ball. What is pitching? It's touch and feel."
So maybe Rogers used some substance to help him feel the baseball. Or maybe he just wanted to get into the heads of the Cardinals hitters. Whatever the formula, it worked. Rogers is a new man this autumn.
Before this season, Rogers had appeared in nine postseason games, compiling a record of 0-3 with an ERA of 8.85. He was best known for an unfortunate video, played more than the Rodney King tape, which showed him mauling a cameraman in Texas in 2005 (Rogers last night repeatedly refused to answer questions posed by Fort Worth reporters). Now, he is absolutely Koufaxian, moving into a ring of honor reserved for Babe Ruth, Whitey Ford, and Orel Hershiser.
Rogers's magical postseason started with 7 2/3 shutout innings in a 6-0 victory over the Yankees. Then came 7 1/3 shutout innings in a 3-0 victory over the A's in the American League Championship Series.
"For some reason he's on a mission," said Leyland. "He's one of those guys, the extra adrenaline works for him. That Yankee game really got him on a roll. It just got him pumped up like I've never seen a pitcher."
The streak continued last night. Rogers gave up an infield hit to Scott Rolen in the first and did not allow another hit until Yadier Molina led off the eighth with a clean single to right-center. In his only other World Series appearance, 10 years ago against the Braves while with the Yankees, Rogers was tattooed for five runs on five hits and two walks in just two innings.
"I think the longer you fail at something, the harder it is to turn that corner," Rogers said. "Without a doubt, I believe going out there and having success against that Yankee team was huge for me, huge for my confidence."
La Russa went out of his way to defuse Dirt-gate.
"Like I said, it's not important," insisted the Cardinals manager. "I wouldn't discuss it. When a guy pitches like that, as a team, we don't take things away from anybody."
Rogers is slated to pitch Game 6 (if necessary) at Comerica Saturday night. With a clear conscience and clean hands, no doubt.
Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. His e-mail address is dshaughnessy@globe.com. 
