PROTESTS

GENERAL

A decision based on an umpire’s judgment shall offer no basis for protest.

The Home and Visiting Team must each assign two Protest Committee members to decide on protests in Provincial League games. In order for a protest to be lodged, the protesting team must notify the umpire of the request to protest the decision/call before the next pitch, play, or attempted play. If the umpire agrees the protest is legal, the protesting team must provide $100 in cash to the Official Scorekeeper to officially launch the protest. The Protest Committee (4 members) will then be summoned and will hear the protest. The Committee will remove themselves from the area of play to discuss the protest and make a decision (through a majority vote) utilizing the rules of play for Baseball Canada/Baseball Alberta.

If the Committee cannot reach a majority vote on the protest, the Official Scorekeeper will then put all 4 names and their vote on separate pieces of paper and place in a hat, drawing out 3 names. The majority of the votes will then be decided by those 3 names drawn and will be accepted as the Protest Committee decision. If the protest is upheld (protesting team wins the protest), the protesting team will be given their $100 cash back, and the game will resume from the point of stoppage with the new decision taking effect.

If the protest is not upheld (protesting team loses the protest), the $100 will be sent into Baseball Alberta with a copy of the protest report and the game will resume from the point of the stoppage. The Protest Committee must then ensure that the Protest Report is completed and left with the Official Scorekeeper (to be sent in by the Hosting Coordinator with the Game Summary Report to Baseball Alberta). Protest Committee members should be objective individuals with good knowledge of the game of baseball.

PROTESTS – PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

UPDATED FOR 2026

Composition of Protest Committee: 

The host site shall appoint at least three members to the Protest Committee. The Tournament Chairperson and two members shall deal with all protests and disputes arising in a Provincial Championship, and their ruling shall be final and binding.

The Umpire Crew Chief of the Provincial Championship shall be notified, at the time of the alleged infraction, that a protest is being lodged.

Procedure:

When an incident occurs, the protesting team must inform the umpires that they are lodging a protest before the next pitch, play or attempted play is made. No protests may be made on a judgement call. 

To be heard, the protest must be accompanied by a cash deposit of $200. If the protesting team wins the protest the cash deposit will be reimbursed. 

The umpires shall suspend play and inform the manager of the opposing team and the Umpire Crew Chief that a protest has been lodged. 

The Protest Committee, the head coaches of each team and the umpires shall go to a private area away from the teams, spectators and other persons. 

The Protest Committee shall hear and question in the following order: 

• The game umpires, shall explain they play and their decision

• The protecting Head Coach shall state their protest

• The opposing Head Coach (if necessary) shall provide their perspective

The Protest Committee shall have the power to exclude any of these individuals while talking to any of the others. 

Decision:

The Protest Committee shall then discuss the protest in private. Before ruling on the protest, the Protest committee may confer with any person whom they believe may help assist them reach a decision. 

The Protest Committee shall rule on the protest and the Tournament Chairperson will inform the teams of the decision.

The umpires shall put the decision into effect and order the resumption of play from the point of suspension. No further argument or comment on the pretest shall be entertained. The decision of the Protest Committee shall be final. There shall be no appeal to any other body.