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The rule forbids placing foreign substances on the ball, and doesn't mention the cap or uniform. So a dirty cap doesn't automatically mean that the player is putting foreign substances on the ball. The umpire would have to become suspicious because the pitcher is placing his hand on his cap before each pitch or because the ball contains a foreign substance on its surface.

Opposing teams sometimes complain about dirty caps or black spots on caps when they are defeated by pitchers. The response by Bronson Arroyo to Tony LaRussa's complaint last season is fairly typical of the response given by pitchers. He said that the dirt is residue from the mud used to prepare the balls before the game, which is transferred from his hands to the cap, and builds up over time. Arroyo said that different ballparks use dirtier mud than others, and the dirt increases more after he has pitched at certain ballparks. As for a complaint of putting his hands on the bill of his cap too often, Arroyo said, "I have a lot of quirks in my pitching habits, what can I do about that?" Arroyo said he would use a brand new cap the next time he pitches against the Cardinals (that may just be sarcasm). Oddly enough, LaRussa later changed his complaint to a startling charge that insufficient mud was used to prepare the balls used by Smoltz.

Managers do bring matters like this to the attention of the umpires during the World Series. Joe Madden noticed a black spot on Joe Blanton's cap last World Series and, prior to the game, he asked the umpires to watch him closely. The umpires found nothing suspicious about Blanton's actions or ball movement during the game.

Earlier in the playoffs this year, a web site showed Fox Sports footage which appeared to indicate that Mariano Rivera was spitting on the ball. MLB investigated the claim and said that still photographs from different angles showed that Rivera spit past the ball but not on it. MLB said it also reviewed video of other games involving Rivera to substantiate their conclusion. So, if you believe MLB and Bob Watson, they do investigate allegations.