Yankees star Gerrit Cole responds to ball-doctoring scandal issue in 2021: "I don't quite know how to answer that to be honest" 

Amid ball-doctoring accusations last off-season, Gerrit Cole showed very little remorse for his actions during an interview last season. Cole said that he wasn’t too concerned about MLB’s crackdown on doctored baseballs. He was also quoted as saying it was a custom passed down from one generation to another.

"here's gerrit cole's response when asked point blank if he has ever used spider tack, one of the sticky substances baseball is looking to crack down on" - Matthew Roberson, Twitter

Here’s how Cole responded when he was quizzed about whether he ever used spider tack, a sticky substance MLB is looking to crack down on.

"I don't," Cole started before a long pause. "I don't know if, uh ... I don't quite know how to answer that to be honest."

"There are customs and practices that have been passed down from older players to younger players from the last generation of players to this generation of players," Cole continued.

"I think there are some things that are certainly out of bounds in that regard. I've stood pretty firm in terms of that, in terms of the communication between our peers and what not.”

Cole not admitted to using spider tack during his interview only adds more fuel to the fire in what was a massive controversy in MLB.

“Get Spider Tack out of the game and I don’t care about anything else. Spider Tack is there to have on your glove for when you need that slider or heater to really rip,” an anonymous MLB pitcher was quoted by The Athletic.

Cole came under the radar when he and his former Astros teammate Justin Verlander were accused of ball-doctoring by Angels clubhouse manager Bubba Harkins.

"Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer were among the pitchers claimed in a lawsuit to have used illegal ball-doctoring substances by a former visiting Angels clubhouse manager" - Sports Illustrated via Twitter

While the MLB continues its good work of cracking down on illegal substances and foreign substances on the balls used in games, Cole said he was “not too concerned” about the change.

MLB is going as far as to start enforcing long bans for anyone involved in changing the conditions of baseball.

Gerrit Cole and his wife share a passion for food

Cole is married to Amy Crawford, a former UCLA softball player and San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford's sister. The pair have a son together and reside in Greenwich, Connecticut.

"Gerrit Cole going baby in one arm while cooking with the other is such a power move" - Talkin' Yanks, Twitter

Cole and his wife regularly blog about their favorite food recipes. Cole is an avid cook. He is also a great musician. He plays the piano and guitar. He can also read sheet music fluently.