Manfred putting the pitchers under pressure, but is he under pressure too in another respect?

Deadspin reports this morning that both the Astros AND the Dodgers are speaking up about the juiced baseballs.

In this case, it's specifically to address the fact that the baseballs are seen as too slippery to grip a slider.  Hence, the sliders aren't that good, and Joe Buck is seeing them getting SMOKED!! (Especially happy if it's Houston Astros who are doing it, right, Joe?)

You know, it's obvious that, at least at certain points in this World Series, the balls have been juiced to increase home runs -- and that leads to the whole T-Mobile #HR4HR business.

It explains Yu Darvish lasting an inning and two-thirds with four runs.

Kenley Jansen has had a couple loose sliders get jacked.

Verlander got nailed a couple times...

It's clear, and specifically for this World Series (partially #HR4HR, and I also think it's to guarantee "certain results") that the balls have been tampered with.

But, after Game 4, is it for Houston to win?  Has the public blowback to the Gurriel suspension actually forced a re-think on this series?

Laz Diaz is a veteran umpire, and called balls and strikes.

For the first time since Game 1, though, he called a pretty even zone.  There were a few pitches out of the zone, but called both ways in that regard.  FOX definitely was trying to get at Rich Hill when he didn't give up any hits for 4+, and pushed the no-hitter jinx until he gave up the home run for 1-0 to Houston in the 6th, when he was immediately pulled.

I think it's still clear that White Right FOX had no problem with Gurriel's comments -- but, that said, MLB has taken a major public-relations hit here, and Game 4 was quite different than Games 2 and 3 as a result.

Now the big Game 1 pitchers (Kershaw and Keuchel) go in Game 5.  Could be a very Chinese-interesting night tonight.