Glare off of a glove??????

[dportz]

The pitcher was wearing a black Rawlings glove. On the back of the glove is the manufacture's tag and the tread is a very shinny gold. It faces the batter just prior to the pitch..... I had a batter complain that it was "too shinny" and distracting...........

What should I do????

Anyone else ever hear this???? I think that the batter was just trying to throw the pitcher off, but I also can see that against a very neutral background like his uniform it maybe distracting.

Dean

[Kyle_Stevens]

I don't have my rule book in front of me but I think this would be up to judgment of the umpire whether it is distracting. The NFHS rule book talks about the color of a pitchers glove but I don't think there is anything about glares off of gloves.

This could ba situation where the offense was trying to get the upper hand on the defense.

[LMSANS]

That's your judgement.

[Umpire in Chief]

That's your judgement.

Absolutely. I have never seen white or gray on a pitchers glove either. Errr, that is, until the opposing coach brings it to my attention.

I believe I've seen the glove your speaking of and it is a bit distracting, but I don't see a distinct advantage it gives the pitcher over a batter. It would have to be pretty distracting for me to ask for the removal of the glove.

[mn_ump]

I had a team (not just one batter) complain about the logo on the compression sleeve that pitchers are wearing these days. I had the pitcher turn the sleeve inside out between innings. He ended up throwing a two-hitter.

Remember when Roger Clemens was pitching for the Yankees and had a glove with a huge ornamental logo for his 300th win a few years ago? The glove was removed from the game because the logo was distracting the batters. Seems the scoreboard reminding everybody that he was going for #300 wasn't a distraction at all.