Ferrer avoids any punishment after "Red Hot" found on arm

When Jose A. Ferrer entered from the bullpen in the top of the eighth Monday night and stopped near the infield to be inspected by first base umpire Phil Cuzzi, there was no reason for any observer to pay attention. This was standard practice for any relief pitcher who enters the game, with umpires checking for any evidence of illegal substances on his glove, cap or body.

But when Cuzzi called over the entire umpiring crew, and when Nationals manager Davey Martinez came out of the dugout to find out what was going on, this suddenly became a potential controversy. Was there something wrong with Ferrer’s glove? Was he using “sticky stuff” and about to be ejected and subject to suspension by Major League Baseball?

No, he was not. After a long meeting of all the involved parties, Ferrer was allowed to pitch, and he wound up recording the final four outs of the game for the Nats without incident.

So, what happened? Ferrer accidentally had a legal ointment on his forearm but was allowed to wipe it off without any punishment.

Like many pitchers, Ferrer uses Red Hot ointment, which keeps the shoulder muscle warm, when he pitches, according to Martinez this afternoon. But when Cuzzi noticed the 24-year-old left-hander’s forearm was unusually shiny, he got suspicious and had the entire crew take a look at it in case something illegal was going on.

“He puts Red Hot on his arm, typically on the shoulder. And for some reason, he had it all over the place,” said Martinez, who didn’t hold a postgame press conference Monday because he wasn’t feeling well. “It’s against the rules. We had to convince the umpires to let him wipe it off.”

A confused Ferrer tried to explain that he regularly uses the ointment, but Martinez had to explain to the umpires he doesn’t regularly use it that far down his arm. Martinez told plate umpire Dan Bellino to smell Ferrer’s arm. Bellino did and immediately replied: “Oh yeah, it’s Red Hot.”

Martinez asked if it was OK for Ferrer to wipe the excess stuff off with a towel, and the umpires agreed. Ferrer proceeded to pitch without incident, a sigh of relief for all involved.

“I told him: ‘You’ve got to be careful,’” Martinez said. “‘Next time, they won’t be so nice.’”

This isn’t the first time Ferrer has been looked at carefully by umpires. During an exhibition game this spring, now-retired umpire Angel Hernandez tried to tell the lefty the glove he was using was illegal because it was two-toned. Ferrer was allowed to pitch with it that night, but he has used a legal glove since to avoid any more controversy.

“He argued about that, too,” Martinez said. “I said you cannot do that. It’s got to be one solid color.”