Deliberately removing glove

[Daryl H. Long]

CoachJM

Immediately after the play was over I called time and awarded the batter the bases. The pitcher claimed the ball was stuck but when I had first baseman open up the pitcher's mitt it was not stuck.

Maybe it was stuck but I am only saying that upon inspection it was not stuck. No evidence to suport pitcher's claim.

(I liken it to the following situation: Long fly ball hit to outfield fence. F9 raises hand that ball is stuck in the fence. Batter runs the bases for inside the park home run. Base umpire hustles out to inspect but when he gets there the ball is laying on the ground and easily picked up. Unfortunately play stands and umpire cannot invoke lodged ball rule.)