Friday, August 3, 2012

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Playing Under Protest

Tonight's Los Angels Angels of Anaheim-Chicago White Sox game is being played under protest by the Angels filed by Manager Mike Scioscia. In the bottom of the first, with three on and none out, Paul Konerko grounded into a force out, Angels third baseman Alberto Callaspo to catcher Chris Iannetta. White Sox R3 Alejandro De Aza out at home. R2 Kevin Youkilis to 3rd. R1  Adam Dunn to 2nd. BR Paul Konerko to 1st. On the throw from Iannetta at home to first baseman Albert Pujols, the ball was thrown wide, pulling Pujols off first base. Scioscia argued that Konerko was out of the 45 foot running lane to fair territory side, but Konerko was ruled safe. After arguments with 1B Umpire Paul Nauert and HP Umpire Lance Barrett and multiple umpire consultations, the call stood. Scioscia then lodged a formal protest, to which the call to the press box was made during the half inning. Crew Chief Dana DeMuth directed Barrett to note the protest on the lineup card. According to the official reasoning by the Angels for the protest, they contend that Konerko was out of the 45 foot running lane.

The Angels have 24 hours to file a follow up and full report with the league office for the protest to be considered. Judgement calls made by umpires are not calls that can be protested and be upheld by the league office. Only protests that are the result of a misapplication of a rule may be upheld. Unless the Angels' protest has more to it than the official explanation given, the protest will be denied, since whether Konerko was in or not in the running lane is a judgement call.

Update: Following the conclusion of the game, Scioscia spoke about the protest. Scioscia said, "I know we're filing it with the league and I think it's a very clear case in our favor. The umpire set the parameter and told us that Konerko was running well inside the line. All of the umpires agreed with that. The dispute was not, 'Was he running inside the box or outside the box?' They all said he was running well inside the line. He was inside the line, which makes it a virtual impossibility for him not to affect the throw from Iannetta and puts him in the lane of Iannetta trying to throw to first base very clearly. It's quite obvious. They put him there. They said he was inside the line, which puts him in jeopardy, which affects the throwing lane of our catcher. They're the ones who set those parameters. Once they set those parameters, Konerko is out."

The Angels ultimately lost the contest to the White Sox, 8-6, in ten innings on an Alex Rios walk-off home run.

Wrap: Angels at White Sox 8/3/12 
News: Angels play Friday's contest versus White Sox under protest
Opinion: Umpires Get it Right: Mike Scioscia's Angels will Lose Protest over Call vs. CWS
Video: Scioscia argues, protests game
Relevant Rules:

Official Baseball Rule 6.05 (k) states:
In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball
is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or
inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing
interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is
dead; except that he may run outside (to the right of) the three-foot line or inside (to
the left of) the foul line to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball;
and OBR 6.05 (k) Comment states:
The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a batter-runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.
It is both a judgement call as to the location of the batter-runner and whether that batter-runner interfered with the throw of the fielder.

OBR Rule 4.19 states:
Each league shall adopt rules governing procedure for protesting a game, when a manager claims that an umpire’s decision is in violation of these rules. No protest shall ever be permitted on judgment decisions by the umpire. In all protested games, the decision of the League President shall be final. Even if it is held that the protested decision violated the rules, no replay of the game will be ordered unless in the opinion of theLeague President the violation adversely affected the protesting team’s chances of winning the game.
and OBR Rule 4.19 Comment states:
Whenever a manager protests a game because of alleged misapplication of the rules the protest will not be recognized unless the umpires are notified at the time the play under protest occurs and before the next pitch, play or attempted play. A protest arising on a game-ending play may be filed until 12 noon the following day with the league office.
The protest must involve a misapplication of the rules, not a judgement call and the call must have adversely affected the protesting team's chances to win the game. The protest must be made prior to the next playing action (pitch, play or attempted play).

OBR Rule 10.01(b)(3) states:
If the game is protested or suspended, the official scorer shall make a note of the exact situation at the time of the protest or suspension, including the score, the number of outs, the position of any runners, the ball-and-strike count on the batter, the lineups of both teams and the players who have been removed from the game for each team.

 and OBR Rule 10.01(b)(3) Comment states:
It is important that a suspended game resume with exactly the same situation as existed at the time of suspension. If a protested game is ordered replayed from the point of protest, the game must be resumed with exactly the situation that existed just before the
protested play.
At the time the protest was lodged, the Angels were leading 1-0 in the bottom of the 1st with one out and the bases loaded.