Collins has no issue with Salvy improving grip

KANSAS CITY -- Mets manager Terry Collins and Royals manager Ned Yost each dismissed the first mini-controversy of the World Series -- the matter of Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez and pine tar.

Television cameras caught a close-up during Game 1 of Perez running the fingers on his throwing hand through a dark spot on his right shin guard. Video of that swipe was spread quickly via social media by fans.

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"They look for any stupid thing to bring up," Yost said. "It's not illegal for a catcher to get an extra grip. A pitcher [using a substance to get a better grip] is illegal. But Sal is not putting anything on the ball for the pitcher. He uses it for his own, he just taps it lightly so that he gets a better grip when he throws, which is completely legal."

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Collins also shrugged off the matter.

"I don't know if [Mets catcher] Travis [d'Arnaud] does it. He probably does," Collins said. "But I've seen throughout baseball, everywhere, you have it. Catchers, they've got to get a grip, too, especially on cold and damp nights. They need a grip on the baseball, so they use pine tar for themselves.

"You know what, it's so obvious, the umpires see it, too. And if it's that obvious, they would do something about it. But it's only really a concern with the pitchers. I don't think there's really enough to put on there that [a catcher] can wipe it on and throw the ball back to the pitcher to where it's going to affect how the pitcher throws the baseball."

Tuesday's cool and wet weather gave way to windy conditions before Game 2 on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET air time on FOX, 8 p.m. game time). Gripping the baseball would again be an issue.

Collins, however, wasn't concerned.

"I go back to my days in Albuquerque when it was cold and dry, and I had pitchers, you couldn't shake their hand because you couldn't get your hand away from them," Collins said. "The argument was, 'You can either do this, or you can let this wild sucker throw some balls at 95 miles an hour with no command.'

"I think any hitter would say, 'Let him have a little command on it, it's OK.'"