After being the first to be thrown out by MLB for using sticky substances, Hector Santiago, a Mariners pitcher, shares his story. (0:36).Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that Hector Santiago, a Seattle Mariners pitcher, has been suspended for ten games and given a $500 fine.The league's crackdown on foreign substance-using pitchers has resulted in the league's first suspension of the 33-year old left-hander.Santiago appealed the suspension handed by Michael Hill, MLB senior vice president. He is eligible to play Tuesday against Toronto Blue Jays. The suspension is deemed final and the Mariners won't be allowed to fill the spot on his roster.Santiago was the first player to be removed under Major League Baseball's new foreign substance protocols. He was kicked out of Sunday's 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.Santiago later admitted that he had used rosin on the glove side. This is in violation to the foreign-substance rule. Sources said that the glove was sent to New York. However, it wasn't necessary for further inspection as the suspension and ejection are solely based upon the report by the umpires of having found a foreign substance.It was rosin, and rosin is behind pitcher's mound so it's not alien. It isn't a foreign substance," Scott Servais, Mariners manager, said Tuesday. "So, I am surprised to some extent. But I do understand what Major League Baseball wants to do. They want to level the playing field and why they did this in the middle.MLB rules stipulate that the umpire is the "sole judge" in determining whether any part of the foreign-substance rule was violated.Santiago was being removed from the game when he was being ejected in the fifth inning. As per the tradition, the umpires checked Santiago for foreign substances on their way to the dugout. They then threw him out after feeling something sticky in his glove.Santiago began the season at Triple-A. He made his big league debut with the Mariners in June 1. He is currently 1-1 and has a 2.65 ERA through nine games.Servais stated that Santiago was a pitcher he respected and encouraged. He also said that Santiago had been a good friend to him."When we do the right thing, it's following the rule and then lo! something like this happens," Servais stated. "It is currently going through the appeals process. We'll wait to see what happens from there."This report was contributed by The Associated Press.
