Rays protest game against Blue Jays

A controversial ruling in the fourth inning of a Rays game may lead to the second upheld protest in the last 28 years, just days after the first.

by Nick Bond

Aug 24, 2014, 11:30 AM UTC

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Just days after the first upheld protest since 1986, Major League Baseball may have another serious candidate on their hands: a controversial decision by umpire Bob Davidson to allow a replay challenge in the fourth inning of Tampa's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon believes the decision was a clear violation of the rules regarding replay challenges.

“I’d be really surprised if the protest is not upheld,” Maddon told ESPN.

The reason for Maddon’s confidence comes from his interpretation of MLB’s replay rules, which state that any challenge must be made before the next play or pitch. The next play or pitch begins “when the pitcher is on the rubber preparing to start his delivery and the batter has entered the batter’s box.” Though there’s an important caveat to that rule, which is that the crew chief has “the final authority to determine whether a manager’s challenge is timely.”

And it's this clause that has Bob Davidson believing his ruling will ultimately by upheld. As Davidson told reporters, "(Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar) was just about getting in, but I'm looking at (Blue Jays manager John) Gibbons and he's coming out and he's not a speed merchant, and I thought, it's on time. We want to get the play correct. That's what we're out here for."

The Rays would go onto lose the game 5-4 in the 10 innings, but Maddon hopes to for a second chance sometime in the near future. “It was inappropriate for Bob to do what he did and permit that to happen,” Maddon said. “I’m trusting that they’re going to interpret the rule properly and get us back to that point in the game.”