Orioles’ Protest of Game 1 Is Denied

Gene Budig, president of the American League, denied the Baltimore Orioles’ protest of Game 1, and the ruling executive council voted unanimously to support that decision.

The Orioles lost that game to the New York Yankees, 5-4, in 11 innings after Derek Jeter tied the score, 4-4, on a leadoff homer in the eighth, the hit on which umpire Rich Garcia ruled that there was no fan interference but later said he had watched the replay and realized he’d made a mistake.

The Orioles, in their protest, asked that the game be replayed from the bottom of the eighth, insisting that Garcia’s admission of a mistake was basis for overturning a judgment call under the rules.

They also asked acting Commissioner Bud Selig to intercede in the “best interest of baseball.”

However, in his denial, Budig wrote, “It is not relevant that umpire Garcia admitted or was quoted as admitting that he called the play incorrectly. In the case of a judgment call, postgame statements or quotations attributed to umpires by the press cannot form the basis for overturning the result of a game and replaying it from a certain point. Apart from the chilling effect it would have on umpires, such a rule would create havoc for all involved.”

Said Selig, in a statement, “The best-interests power of the commissioner do not apply in this case. It is not intended to be used to circumvent the on-field judgment of the umpires or the express authority of the league presidents to decide game-related protests. This is consistent with precedents throughout baseball history in which judgments made by umpires on the field have been given deference.”

Of the denial, Oriole Assistant General Manager Kevin Malone said, “We were hoping it would go in our favor but knew it was a longshot. We’re hopeful our response will help prevent something like this from happening again.”