In a recent game between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels, Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen secured his 424th career save despite facing difficulties due to the quality of the baseballs. Jansen's comments after the game highlighted a growing concern among pitchers regarding the condition of the balls they use during play.

Jansen expressed his frustration, stating, "Any balls that came, I just threw it back until I found a good ball. It's just brutal." He added that the bullpen balls are better rubbed than the game balls, which he found embarrassing. Jansen, a veteran in the league, went on to say that the quality of baseballs has deteriorated over the course of his career.

It appears Jansen isn't alone in his critique, as he revealed that many of his teammates share the same sentiment. Despite the Red Sox's pitching staff performing well this season, Jansen's remarks imply that the issue with ball quality has persisted throughout the year.

This is not the first time this season that a pitcher has complained about the quality of baseballs. On April 5th, Tampa Bay Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks voiced his frustration after struggling with ball control during a game at Coors Field. Fairbanks described the balls as "horrible" and acknowledged his own responsibility for not adjusting to the quality issues.

The concern over baseball quality is not a new issue in Major League Baseball. However, players like Fairbanks and Jansen are not commenting on the aerodynamic properties of the balls, but rather the gripping ability. If this issue is widespread throughout the league, it could potentially affect the performance of pitchers and make for interesting games.

It remains to be seen how Major League Baseball will address this issue. With the league's policy surrounding grip-enhancing substances also coming under scrutiny, the combination of ball quality concerns and substance regulations could have an impact on the outcomes of games this season. As more pitchers voice their experiences, it will be interesting to see if the league takes action to address their concerns.