Did Jose Valverde throw a spitball at the Reds? (USA TODAY)

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By Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY

Updated 3h 58m ago

CAPTION

By Frank Victores, US PRESSWIRE

When baseball's inevitable expansion of instant replay arrives, it will likely include reviews of fair and foul balls, and caught or trapped balls.

Perhaps it may want to add a clause to review pitchers spitting into gloves.

During Sunday night's nationally-televised Tigers-Reds game, Detroit closer Jose Valverde certainly appeared to spit into his glove - with the ball housed inside - before grabbing some dirt and gripping the ball before 1-2 pitch to Cincinnati's Devin Mesoraco.

The enclosed videos - in super-slo-mo and regular speed - appear to show as much, and would seem to require some explanation from Valverde.

He could always fall back on the "I was just hoping for a better grip on a sweaty night" defense. The subsequent pitch also was a fastball; while everyone loves a little more movement on their heater, it would seem a greater benefit would be derived if a ball were doctored on a breaking pitch.

And perhaps the best twist to it all: The accompanying videos were disseminated by none other than Dallas Latos. That would be the wife of Reds pitcher Mat Latos.

Nice work, Dallas. It's too bad she has an obvious conflict of interest, because when the replay apocalypse arrives, she'd make one heck of a Mike Pereira.