Preventing a no-win situation?

[PDad]

Heard this happened last weekend at 14U NQ in Canton, OH...
SD Thunder coach smartly files a protest in a close game when he is told by PU he has to change pitchers on his third conference. Protest is later deemed valid before the game is over, but the game is still played out and the protest becomes moot because the Thunder wins the game in ITB.

If you're the opposing coach and you know the protest will be upheld, is there anything you can do to prevent your team from being in a no-win situation while the game is played out?

[broadband]

Just because a protest is upheld, doesn't mean that team automatically wins the game.

ASA Rule 9-7-B

When a protest is determined to be valid because of the misinterpretation of a playing rule, the decision will be corrected and the game shall be replayed from the point at which the incorrect decision was made.

I believe all other organizations follow this same rule.

Although the way you wrote your post, you made it sound like the coach protested his own team, but I'm making the assumption that he protested the other team for 3rd appearance of the pitcher. Was the protest being placed on a play that had just happened before the next pitch, play, players left field, or was it in the previous inning. Seems like you have some of the issue missing...

[Iluvblue]

sounded pretty clear to me.

Coach calls time, goes to mound/circle for the 3rd time in the game. The umpire makes him remove his pitcher as he thinks you only get 3 conferences, in reality on the NEXT trip he would need to remove pitchers. So the coach protests the game at that point as he should never have been forced to remove his pitcher.

I think the question is what can you as the opposing coach do, when a protest is filed and you know 100% that the protest is going to be upheld.
I think you can do nothing. It is not like the umpire is going to listen to either coach... they dont know anything.

[PDad]

sounded pretty clear to me.

Coach calls time, goes to mound/circle for the 3rd time in the game. The umpire makes him remove his pitcher as he thinks you only get 3 conferences, in reality on the NEXT trip he would need to remove pitchers. So the coach protests the game at that point as he should never have been forced to remove his pitcher.

I think the question is what can you as the opposing coach do, when a protest is filed and you know 100% that the protest is going to be upheld.
I think you can do nothing. It is not like the umpire is going to listen to either coach... they dont know anything.

Thanks ILB - you got what I meant exactly.

It sucks that the other team can get 2 chances to win the game - once while playing out the game with the incorrect decision and, if needed, again when replaying it from the point of the incorrect decision - when your team did nothing to create the situation and you're left having to win both instances of the game in order to advance.

[broadband]

sounded pretty clear to me.

Coach calls time, goes to mound/circle for the 3rd time in the game. The umpire makes him remove his pitcher as he thinks you only get 3 conferences, in reality on the NEXT trip he would need to remove pitchers. So the coach protests the game at that point as he should never have been forced to remove his pitcher.

I think the question is what can you as the opposing coach do, when a protest is filed and you know 100% that the protest is going to be upheld.
I think you can do nothing. It is not like the umpire is going to listen to either coach... they dont know anything.

Thanks ILB - you got what I meant exactly.

It sucks that the other team can get 2 chances to win the game - once while playing out the game with the incorrect decision and, if needed, again when replaying it from the point of the incorrect decision - when your team did nothing to create the situation and you're left having to win both instances of the game in order to advance.

I understand what you meant now. However, 2 chances to win the game? Not sure that I agree with that statement since if the game is restarted from the point of the protest, then both teams still have the same opportunity to win. Guess its how you look at it...

[PDad]

It sucks that the other team can get 2 chances to win the game - once while playing out the game with the incorrect decision and, if needed, again when replaying it from the point of the incorrect decision - when your team did nothing to create the situation and you're left having to win both instances of the game in order to advance.

I understand what you meant now. However, 2 chances to win the game? Not sure that I agree with that statement since if the game is restarted from the point of the protest, then both teams still have the same opportunity to win. Guess its how you look at it...

The game is not restarted if the protesting team wins the initial game with the incorrect decision.

Chance #1 - Initial game with the incorrect decision. Protest is moot if protesting team wins the game (i.e. game is not restarted).

Chance #2 - Restarted game with the correction.

[Iluvblue]

Curious, did the coach as HP blue to go confer with his partner. I cant imagine BOTH umpires did not know this rule. This is BASIC stuff. Any umpire that screws this up should forfeit his pay.

I bet he would learn the rules much faster:)

[PDad]

Curious, did the coach ask HP blue to go confer with his partner.

I wasn't there and don't have any more details than what I've relayed. I'll bet the SD Thunder coach was very happy to be able to file a protest he knew would be upheld and did nothing to prevent it. It happened in the 5th inning of a very close game.

I heard many of the local Ohio fans thought the protest was a bush move and at least some of the Ohio coaches respected it and/or learned a valuable lesson from it.

I cant imagine BOTH umpires did not know this rule. This is BASIC stuff. Any umpire that screws this up should forfeit his pay.

Kinda evokes Wade's trademark line - "I don't know what it was, but it wasn't umpiring."

[vcblue]

This is why in So Cal all protest are handled immediately. Clock is stopped. UIC is found. UIC and ASA Commissioner at each site have the finial word. Play continues.

[FastpitchUSA]

Amen.