Yankee's Sunday Protest Denied

The Yanks got word before the start of yesterday’s game that they wont be heading back to Florida anytime soon, unless they’re playing the Rays. MLB president and chief operating officer Bob DuPuy denied the Yankee protest regarding an illegal fielding substitution the Marlins made on Sunday. Here’s the story Panic divx from the Yankee website:

The Hunger divx The protest dates to the top of the eighth inning on Sunday, when Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez made an improper substitution.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Marlins pinch-hit outfielder Alejandro De Aza for pitcher Renyel Pinto, who was batting ninth. When the inning ended, Gonzalez informed home-plate umpire Tim Timmons of the changes. De Aza was to remain in the game and play left field in place of Chris Coghlan. Reliever Leo Nunez entered the game, and he was positioned in Coghlan’s leadoff spot.

However, when the eighth inning started, Coghlan was in left field. Nunez threw one pitch to Derek Jeter, a called strike. At that point, Girardi brought to the attention of the umpires that Coghlan was supposed to be out of the game, with De Aza in left field.

There’s no question the Marlins made an illegal substitution, the question is what happens next. According to the Baseball Rule Book, it’s not that big of a deal.

Working in favor of the Marlins was Rule 3.05, which states:

“If an improper substitution is made for the pitcher, the umpire shall direct the proper pitcher to return to the game until the provisions of this rule are fulfilled. If the improper pitcher is permitted to pitch, any play that results is legal. The improper pitcher becomes the proper pitcher as soon as he makes his first pitch to the batter, or as soon as any runner is put out.”

Additionally, the Rule 3.05 (c) comment reads: “If a manager attempts to remove a pitcher in violation of Rule 3.05 (c) the umpire shall notify the manager of the offending club that it cannot be done. If, by chance, the umpire-in-chief has, through oversight, announced the incoming improper pitcher, he should still correct the situation before the improper pitcher pitches. Once the improper pitcher delivers a pitch, he becomes the proper pitcher.”

So the onus is put on the umpires to recognize and correct the situation, and even if a play occurs, it still stands. Them’s the rules, folks.