Spitball Ejection

[Jeremy_UEFL]

Well I think this might be rare.

H/S game. Bottom 3. VT F1 had done something very odd from his windup that I had no previously seen while in the A position. He had brought his face forward and his glove toward his face. However, I could not tell what he had done, but it looked very peculiar to me, but I thought I may had just been seeing something. Inning goes on, he again is doing his same regular windup, so i thought nothing of it. In between innings

HT coach comes to me and says he could have sworn that he saw VT F1 spit into his glove on the ball on one pitch that was a ball to the backstop. Now, this was the same pitch I had seen VT F1 do the odd thing in his windup. So, not that I let coaches influence me, but I thought there was something to it because it was the same pitch I thought I had something odd on.

Next inning (B4), I'm in the A position, 2nd pitch of the inning...clear as day the windup was again slightly different than the first pitch and from what he had been doing normally, but exactly like he had done the previous inning on the pitch in question. I saw the saliva from his mouth spit into the glove on the ball. I immediately called time, ran in and asked for the baseball and to see his glove. Sure enough I saw saliva on the ball and the glove. Pitcher tries to tell me it isn't that big of a deal. My PU had previously warned him twice and his coach to get under control, as he had been demonstrative after a few of my partners ball/strikes call. After he had told me it isn't a big deal, I said "it is and you are gone."

FED Rule 6-2-1-b...clear as day. It does say may eject the offender, but this is pure cheating. This coupled with my partners warnings were more than enough reason to eject. In fact, I would have ejected if he had not done anything earlier in the game. This is simply cheating. No excuse for it.

[Mike Prince]

Good EJ. I agree, I also think it is rare.

[cyclonehokiece]

Before 1920, not rare. But everyone now knows the spitball is illegal and dangerous. And whoever taught it to him didn't mention that you have to hide it from the umpire.

[Guest]

A pitcher going to his mouth and then forgetting to wipe his hand on his pants is a spitball where you do not eject and just have the pitcher change baseballs.

When he starts spitting on the ball like this, then you run him.

[OHUMP]

Good EJ I also agree this type of spitball no warning needed.

[BalkHawk]

he made it easy; and you caught him dead red-handed, smoking gun, cookie jar, cliché goes here.

I hope I would dump him, then jog the slobbery glove and ball to his manager and kindly ask him to dry the ball for the next pitcher. Then I would get on my scooter and pop a fat wheelie, go eat three dozen oysters, then to the Trop where I would catch a visitor home run and and hit Longo on the relay to tag him out at third. That day was awesome.

[Jocko]

Then fly off into the sunset on your pegasus steed with Lady Godiva riding shotgun holding your beer

[Thunderheads]

this has been a discussion here in Detroit since that video come up with Jose Valverde ...which is very apparent he's spitting on the ball.

Yes, this is illegal, and yes, EJ-able .....but let me pose the question:

Honeslty, ...what's the difference between doing this, and wiping your hand on the back of your sweaty neck or arm and wiping the ball down?

CAVEAT: I'm not condoning anything, my question is for fun ....

[Umpire in Chief]

Last year on MLB Network there was a discussion on spitting and licking. Mitch Williams said on TV his trick was to lick his index and middle finger and wipe his pinky and ring finger.

I also agree with Thunder there are many ways around, or even legal equivalents.

[johnnyg08]

Textbook example of why warnings simply do not work.

To get the out or the advantage on one play followed by a warning is giving the defense a huge advantage.

[Stan W.]

A pitcher going to his mouth and then forgetting to wipe his hand on his pants is a spitball where you do not eject and just have the pitcher change baseballs.

When he starts spitting on the ball like this, then you run him.

exactly..............not wiping is the proper use of "may" eject......spitting on tha ball is a definitive ej....

[Majordave]

I often see pitchers, while off the rubber, lick their fingers and wipe but not do a great job. Intentional? I'm not sure. If batters aren't being plunked and no one is bitching, I don't care. So long as they make the effort to appear they are wiping it's okay by me. I don't pick boogers and if no one is asking me to do anything about it, I just monitor. So far, not one coach at any level has ever asked me to do anything about it. Sometimes I wish they could get better at getting people out, even if it means "moist" balls but...........If wishes were horses.....

My two cents.

[umpire78]

After he had told me it isn't a big deal, I said "it is and you are gone."

FED Rule 6-2-1-b...clear as day. It does say may eject the offender, but this is pure cheating. This coupled with my partners warnings were more than enough reason to eject. In fact, I would have ejected if he had not done anything earlier in the game. This is simply cheating. No excuse for it.

Good job, Jeremy. You did the right thing by ejecting him. It's not a "big deal" if THEY are doing it, but let the other team try it and suddenly, it IS a big deal. Sorry, but you can't have it both ways.

I can't stand cheaters, either. It is our job to enforce the rules fairly and cheaters, when caught, pay the price.