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Personally
I like the way our Rec League handles protests (we do only allow eligibility protests, not rule application protests, but that's not what I'm talking about.
For our Rec League, the "offended" coach shall notify the umpires prior to the last pitch of the game their intent to protest (again, eligibility only in our league). The umpire will note this on the official game report. The protesting team then has 48 hours (2 business days) to produce the protest fee and file an official protest ($25). If the protest gets upheld, fee is returned (game is a forfeit win for their team).
The same basic system could be used for rec league play on protests (won't work for tourney play).
In Rec League/Travel League play I would prefer the protests to include misapplication of the rules. The same procedure would be used including the 2 business days and the fee. The umpire would be notified at the time of the protest that the team intends to protest. He would then write all information down from the time of the protested play (batter, count, out, lineup, ect). Play would then continue then the coach would have the time to produce the fee and the official protest to the league office.
The league office then could decide on a ruling based on league rules and sponsoring organization rules. If the protest is upheld, they could rule the game replayed from the POI or not to replay it (if it was a 15 run mercy and the protesting team lost, they may choose not to replay).
This type system lessens the frivolous protests, but at the same time still allows for leagues to have a protesting system in place.
Obviously this would not work in tourney play. In tourney play, there has to be onsite protests and timely resolution so the event can continue.
Now with the fee. To be honest I have a problem with very high fees for protests. I think a fee of $25 is fair enough to prevent unwarranted protests, but still allow the real protests to continue.
As a track coach, I was involved in three protests during my career at the state meet ($100 each). We had to protest the disqualification of a relay team for an exchange outside the zone (rule was misapplied, we won that protest), for incorrectly assigning lanes to the semi-finalists in a sprint event (we lost that protest on a technicality-too late). We also had to protest a misapplication of the rules in the shot put, and a mistakenly set up event area (we got screwed on that protest). In all three cases were correct on the ruling. We got an apology letter from the state association on the two that we lost after contacting them when the protest was denied.
I will never have a problem with a coach protesting the misapplication of the rules because I've been on the opposite side, provided it was done in a proper manner.
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