Batter interference?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

The process for a protest, as I have been taught, is once the mgr has said he is playing the game under protest, the umpires should get together and discuss the ruling on the field, if they decide to not change it, then the UIC (home plate umpire) makes a notation in the score book about the nature of the protest and game situation at the time.

The umpires should accept any protest given to them, regardless of whether they feel its a valid protest or not. I once had a manager file a protest because the light on the snack bar didn't come on when it was supposed to, which was how the games at this field were called for darkness.

In every universe not Little League, you are correct. In LL, you don't play on after a protest. You twiddle thumbs until the person above gives a ruling, and then some more if the manager insists on pushing it up another level, et cetera ad infinitum.

[RPatrino]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

In every universe not Little League, you are correct. In LL, you don't play on after a protest. You twiddle thumbs until the person above gives a ruling, and then some more if the manager insists on pushing it up another level, et cetera ad infinitum.

That is the protest procedure for LL Tournament play, All-Stars, Regionals, etc. The process I am talking about is for regular season play. Two distinct procedures. The game can be 'played under protest', which is not a decision the umpires get to make. The manager can decide to file it or not file it, but it makes no difference to the game itself.

[nopachunts]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

That is the protest procedure for LL Tournament play, All-Stars, Regionals, etc. The process I am talking about is for regular season play. Two distinct procedures. The game can be 'played under protest', which is not a decision the umpires get to make. The manager can decide to file it or not file it, but it makes no difference to the game itself.

Both of the LL that I call for want a protestable situation settled BEFORE the game continues. Both Little Leagues have a BOD member on-site during regular season games and try to resolve the matter before the game is played under protest. It's much easier to stop the clock and take 5-10 minutes to resolve the situation than to re-start the game later if a protest is upheld.

[RPatrino]

In the leagues I worked with in California, the protest is noted in the score book and the game continues. The manager then files the protest with the league and a protest committee rules on it. My experience has been that the vast majority of LL BOD's have no knowledge of rules, and would be of no help in deciding a protest.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

That is the protest procedure for LL Tournament play, All-Stars, Regionals, etc. The process I am talking about is for regular season play. Two distinct procedures. The game can be 'played under protest', which is not a decision the umpires get to make. The manager can decide to file it or not file it, but it makes no difference to the game itself.

OK, so why were you saying they should have logged the protest and kept playing in the game we're talking about here?

[RPatrino]

Let me try this again:

In LL All Stars and above, a protest is lodged with the game UIC, UIC confers with his/her crew to attempt to resolve, if they can't resolve then UIC confers with the TD who calls "LL HQ" to get a ruling on the play. The umpires don't decide if the protest is valid.

In regular season, the protest procedure is per local league rules.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

Let me try this again:

In LL All Stars and above, a protest is lodged with the game UIC, UIC confers with his/her crew to attempt to resolve, if they can't resolve then UIC confers with the TD who calls "LL HQ" to get a ruling on the play. The umpires don't decide if the protest is valid.

In regular season, the protest procedure is per local league rules.

We understand what you are saying. The question is why bring up irrelevant information?

[RPatrino]

Originally Posted by Matt

We understand what you are saying. The question is why bring up irrelevant information?

You may understand, but not everyone does. What, in your opinion, is the irrelevant information? The original post was talking about an umpire not accepting a protest in LL tourny play.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

You may understand, but not everyone does. What, in your opinion, is the irrelevant information? The original post was talking about an umpire not accepting a protest in LL tourny play.

Your post about taking a protest using the non-tournament procedure.

[RPatrino]

Pardon me. I was using it to contrast tourny vs non-tourny. You may disregard if you wish.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

Pardon me. I was using it to contrast tourny vs non-tourny. You may disregard if you wish.

How can you contrast something you don't mention until someone asks what your point was?

[RPatrino]

I'm sorry, but this is no longer fun...bye bye....

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

In regular season, the protest procedure is per local league rules.

Actually, the regular season procedure you described is by LL rule 4.19. A protest report is to be filed by both the offended manager and the game UIC, and then the protest committee meets and resolves the issue.

I can't imagine a BOD member on duty at the game being given that responsibility. In my old local league, many of the BOD members knew very little about baseball (secretary, player agent, treasurer, concession stand manager, equipment manager, field maintenance manager, etc.) Asking them to resolve a protest would not take five to ten minutes. They would immediately try to call me (when I was league UIC) and chances are I'd be umpiring on another field. Then they would try to find the rule in the book and have no clue what the wording in the book actually meant, IF they found the rule in the first place. Finally they would just say Screw It and suck their thumb in the corner.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Manny A

I can't imagine a BOD member on duty at the game being given that responsibility.

Agreed completely. BOD members at my field MIGHT be the UIC, or the league pres (ex UIC who knows the rules) ... or it could be the Team Mom President or the Treasurer... needed volunteers but certainly not someone I want tooling around the rulebook.

[Sgt Siler]

The basis for my original post was to clarify who should have been called out, the runner or the batter. Mr. Booth advised if the catcher drops the ball he becomes an OP and 7.11 applies, so calling the runner out was proper. Thank you. As stated I was not at the game (in Mexico fishing) and was told of the play and protest by others. The reason for my post was to clarify the call, not the protest. Hark Dulai is the UIC for the league hosting the tourney. His brother was the protesting manager. Hark was nothing more than a fan at that game. He replied to this post, clarifying information I had gotten wrong, including the catcher dropping the ball. Instead of taking the corrected information Hark gets bombarded because as a IUC he should "back the blue", among other things. I have since learned more information and yes the PU blew the call and yes the tourney officials dropped the ball (there was an attempt to protest).

I am a little league umpire, no more-no less. It has been suggested by several High School coaches that I join a High School Association. I have been told I have the talent to work much higher levels. Even though it is good on the ego that others think highly of my skills, being retired law enforcement with a passion to travel the world with fly rods in hand, I do not "live" umpiring like many on the board. Even though I do not live umpiring, I worked over 100 games this year and want to be the best I can be. I will soon be taking the position of our Dist UIC. When I discovered this web site I thought it would be a great avenue to get answers to questions I may have. My friend Hark Dulai is an outstanding little league UIC and HS umpire, working his way towards college ball. When he replies to this post to clarify the details he gets kicked in the teeth.

I hoped this site would be a venue for people like me to reach out to others, who have much more training, experience and knowledge. Instead I see a bunch of roosters in a ring trying to prove who has the sharpest spurs. I will hopefully find another site where it's members are not so critical of each other. I am now deleting this site from my Favorites, heading to my man cave to tie some flies for an up coming trip to Brazil. Good luck to you all.