Situation #1: Thrown Glove

          The penalty for touching a batted ball with a thrown glove, detached equipment, or any part of the uniform detached from its proper place is 3 bases. The key is whether or not the glove, detached equipment, or detached uniform item actually touched the ball. If the ball is not touched, there is no penalty.

            In this first play, the shortstop’s glove touched the ball. At that moment, the umpire should point to the glove and declare, “Detached equipment!” The ball remains in play. Once the play ends and the runner has not advanced at least 3 bases, the umpire shall call “Time” and enforce the penalty. In this case, at the time the glove struck the ball, the batter-runner had not reached first base. Therefore, the proper award would be third base

        In this second example, the glove does not make contact with the ball. The umpire shall make no signal, either physical or verbal. The ball remains alive and in play just as if nothing had happened.