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In a game between the Chicago White Sox and the San Francisco Giants on 8/13/2014, the White Sox manager was ejected for arguing the application of the newly-clarified rule that a catcher may not block the plate while awaiting a throw (ie, without the ball).

Had this game been protested, who would have heard the protest? Normally a game is protested to the League President, but in an inter-league game, is that the home team's President, the Commissioner of Baseball, or someone else?

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There are no league presidents. It was discontinued more than 10 years ago. All baseballs are now embossed with Commissioner.

So it does go to commissioners office.

History of Officials

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    Thanks for the answer. Good answer but doesn't actually answer the question of who hears appeals - the rules seem to still indicate the league presidents. Is there anywhere that indicates that particular element has changed to the commissioner or a particular officer?
    – Joe ♦
    Aug 18, 2014 at 13:37
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Rule 2.00 in the official rules of Major League Baseball defines "The League President" as:

THE LEAGUE PRESIDENT is the league official charged with enforcing these Rules, fining or suspending any player, manager, coach or umpire for violation of these Rules, resolving any disputes involving these Rules or determining any protested games.

Rule 2.00 (League President) Comment: With respect to the Major Leagues, the functions of the League President pursuant to these Rules shall be carried out by the designees of the Commissioner of Baseball. The Commissioner may designate different officials to carry out different functions of a League President pursuant to these Rules.

So the Commissioner or his designees would handle anything like that.

Source: MLB rules - http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/definition_terms_2.jsp

NOTE: Just like in other sports, the MLB rules are designed to be used for all kinds of leagues, not just the professional ones. Minor league teams and club leagues usually follow these rules (mostly) and have their own presidents, hence the use of the term throughout the rules even though the American League and National League no longer have their own presidents.

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  • Hmm, that's a bit more clear - i'll accept this in a day or two if nobody has anything more specific to protests.
    – Joe ♦
    Aug 18, 2014 at 17:22
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    What more specifics would you like? It does say in the definition "or determining any protested games".
    – Duncan
    Aug 18, 2014 at 17:57
  • More specific as in if there is a specific officer who hears protests (be it the Commissioner himself or a particular designee).
    – Joe ♦
    Aug 18, 2014 at 17:59
  • @Joe The commissioner's office hears the league protests. The commissioner himself may decide on a protest, or he may delegate it to another person. In most cases it would be Joe Torre who is the Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations. They just granted a protest yesterday that the Giants filed because of the malfunction of the Cubs tarp during a rain delay.
    – diggers3
    Aug 21, 2014 at 20:38

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