No protests allowed in MLB?

[Mudisfun]

Was reading an article this morning where the Mets were going to protest a game due to an interpreter heading to the mound to speak with a pitcher without a coach or manager. This is expressly disallowed in MLB as they are required to bring a coach with them but apparently MLB no longer allowed protests. Not that it matters, but I did not know about this change:

OBR 7.04 Protesting Games

Protesting a game shall never be permitted, regardless of whether such complaint is based on judgment decisions by the umpire or an allegation that an umpire misapplied these rules or otherwise rendered a decision in violation of these rules.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/guess-mlb-teams-t-play-003019235.html

 

[Rich Ives]

The 2019 rules are the rules posted on the MLB site. They do NOT include this wording.  If there's a newer rule book MLB hasn't posted it.

[flyingron]

It changed in the 2021 rules.   It's been covered by the sports press.   I found the link for the new rules (why MLB still has the old one, I do not know)...

 

https://pressbox.athletics.com/Publications/MLB Media Guides/MLB Publications/2021 Official Baseball Rules.pdf

 

 

[stkjock]

3 hours ago, Rich Ives said:

The 2019 rules are the rules posted on the MLB site. They do NOT include this wording.  If there's a newer rule book MLB hasn't posted it.

yes, as flyingron posted, it's a '21 change and the book hasn't been released. 

[Recontra]

Just thinking with my fingertips. Maybe what they're trying to accomplish is to eventually get managers to immediately appeal not just the facts (what actually happened or didn't happen), but also the application of the Rules the umpire used to judge those facts. If a possible erroneous Rule application could be "video" reviewed, there might never be a need for a protest to be decided post game. But just like government trying to solve problems with more centralized oversight, the likely result will be even more video reviews and slower games. Protests are rare anyway. Just curious what the basis for the Rule modification is, and the "harm" to the game they are attempting to correct.

[MadMax]

5 minutes ago, Recontra said:

But just like government trying to solve problems with more centralized oversight, the likely result will be even more video reviews and slower games. Protests are rare anyway.

My opinion is that this is due to COVID-management, and that it is (or would be) an absolute nightmare in attempting to reschedule a game to be continued at a later time / date / venue. 

The whole reason for the Protest was a rightful recourse for a club to appeal to the League office, first via telegraph, then via telephone, then via wireless communications... now we have modern network communications, where the League office can (or should be able to) react to a Protest virtually in real time! It may seem incredibly awkward to have to coordinate a Ruling via a network connection, and thereby delay or slow the game down, but its lasting affect is much less than having to complete the present game and then potentially reschedule, restart, and continue the game from the point of protest at a later time/date/location. 

[umpstu]

1 hour ago, MadMax said:

My opinion is that this is due to COVID-management, and that it is (or would be) an absolute nightmare in attempting to reschedule a game to be continued at a later time / date / venue. 

The whole reason for the Protest was a rightful recourse for a club to appeal to the League office, first via telegraph, then via telephone, then via wireless communications... now we have modern network communications, where the League office can (or should be able to) react to a Protest virtually in real time! It may seem incredibly awkward to have to coordinate a Ruling via a network connection, and thereby delay or slow the game down, but its lasting affect is much less than having to complete the present game and then potentially reschedule, restart, and continue the game from the point of protest at a later time/date/location. 

Good point.

[Recontra]

I think you're probably right, Max! Good insight.

[flyingron]

Perhaps they feel (though I disagree) that replay has obviated the need for a further level of protest.