The new sticky substance rule enforced by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has objectively not been off to a good start.

Max Scherzer and Sergio Romo started stripping down on the field while throwing their hat, glove and belt to the ground. Fans have booed almost every time a pitcher has been stopped to be checked for any sticky substance and it' made a complete mockery of the game.

Don't try telling that to Rob Manfred though. Via Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic, the commissioner has a far different take.

“My view is the first two days have gone very well,” Manfred told The Athletic. “We've had no ejections [for foreign substances], players in general have been extremely cooperative, the inspections have taken place quickly and between innings. Frankly, the data suggests that we are making progress with respect to the issues [in spin rate] that caused us to undertake the effort in the first place.” – Rob Manfred.

While Rob Manfred is right about the spin rate being down, it's yet to be seen if this new rule will have an effect on pitcher's being injured. Some, like Rays ace Tyler Glasnow, has mentioned how tightly he has to grip the ball now and how sore his arm felt after a recent start without being able to use anything to help with grip.

Via ESPN.com :

“I switched my fastball grip and my curveball grip,” an animated Glasnow said on a videoconference with reporters. “I had to put my fastball deeper into my hand and grip it way harder. Instead of holding my curveball at the tip of my fingers, I had to dig it deeper into my hand.

“I'm choking the s— out of all my pitches.” – Tyler Glasnow.

Rob Manfred saying all is well so far is laughable. What isn't funny is how bad this has all made the game of baseball look.