The new CBA requires players to hide their smokeless tobacco

There are so many details of the new collective bargaining agreement spinning out this afternoon in various reports and tweets that it’s probably useful to have a link to a full outline of the new deal. Here is that outline, courtesy of MLB.com.

One of the interesting items: a nod to the recent push, signed on by U.S. Senators and public health officials, to have baseball ban smokeless tobacco use among players. But it was just a nod. It won’t be banned entirely, but baseball is wanting to get it out of sight as much as it can without actually taking it out of players’ mouths:

Players, managers, and coaches will be prohibited from using smokeless tobacco during televised interviews and Club appearances. In addition, at any time when fans are permitted in the ballpark, players, managers and coaches must conceal tobacco products (including packages and tins), and may not carry tobacco products in their uniforms or on their bodies. Individuals who violate the policy will be subject to discipline. The parties also agreed upon an extensive program of education and public outreach regarding the dangers of smokeless tobacco.

So you can still dip, just don’t have the can in your back pocket. Which is basically the exact opposite of the rule from my high school in West Virginia. They didn’t enforce it that much though. I’ll be curious to see how much MLB enforces this new rule.