Baseball’s Player Relations Committee erred when it...

Baseball’s Player Relations Committee erred when it dismissed arbitrator Thomas Roberts of Los Angeles in the middle of a hearing, another arbitrator ruled.

Richard Bloch, a Washington arbitator, “found it was difficult to conclude that an arbitrator who started working on a case should not be permitted to finish hearing it,” The New York Times quoted Barry Rona, executive director of the Players Relations Committee, as saying. Roberts was dismissed Aug. 5 while he was hearing the players’ grievance against the owners’ alleged free-agent conspiracy.

Rona said it was unclear whether Roberts, who is on vacation, would want to resume the hearing himself.