August 23, 2014

Good Protest

The Blue Jays lead the Rays 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, but the game is being played under protest. Earlier in the game, Mark Buehrle attempt to pick off Wil Myers, but the umpire called him safe on an obviously bad call. With Buehrle on the rubber and the next batter in the box, the Blue Jays called for a review, which was granted. Here’s rule D1:

Except as otherwise set forth in Sections II.D.2-4 below, to be timely, a Manager must exercise his challenge (by verbal communication to the appropriate Umpire), or the Crew Chief must initiate Replay Review (if applicable pursuant to Section II.C above) before the commencement of the next play or pitch. Such challenge or request will be considered timely only if the Umpire acknowledges that communication within the time period specified above. For purposes of these Regulations, the next “play” shall commence when the pitcher is on the rubber preparing to start his delivery and the batter has entered the batter’s box (unless the defensive team initiates an appeal play in which case any call made during the play prior to the appeal still may be subject to Replay Review). A challenge to a play that ends the game must be invoked immediately upon the conclusion of the play, and both Clubs shall remain in their dugouts until the Replay Official issues his decision. No substitutions or pitching changes may take place while the Umpires are in the process of invoking Replay Review.

In replay I saw, the pitcher was clearly on the rubber and the batter clearly in the box. We might have two protests upheld in one week! Of course, if this happens, a call replay got right might result in a win for a team due to a bad call.

2 thoughts on “Good Protest

  1. pft

    It seems ridiculous to replay the game on a technicality, especially as they got the call right

    ReplyReply
  2. Val

    Additionally:
    If the Crew Chief determines that a Club’s invocation of a Manager’s Challenge is untimely, the play shall not be reviewed, the Umpire’s call shall stand, and the Club shall not be charged with a challenge. The Crew Chief shall have the final authority to determine whether a Manager’s Challenge is timely. The judgment of the Crew Chief regarding the timeliness of a Manager’s Challenge shall be final and binding on both Clubs, and shall not be reviewable by Replay Review or otherwise.

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