I just wanted to see if other owners of the Vicious Reactive Pearl have seen the same thing.  The pin on my Vicious Pearl sticks out significantly above the surface of the ball (i.e., the pin is not flush with the ball surface), which is not really a problem since I don't track over the pin.  However, the pin is now becoming soft and discolored to the point where I can make indentations on the pin with my fingernail.  Also, faint gray lines (like small cracks) have begun to appear in the pin material.  Is this a manufacturing defect?  Or did I do something wrong when I cleaned it (using Track's Clean 'n Polish)?  Will this affect the ball's performance?  What material is used for the pin?  I really like the ball's reaction and I would hate to have to replace it.