The Angels knew it was a long shot, and it was. Monday they learned that their protest of Friday's game against the Chicago White Sox was denied by Major League Baseball.
Joe Torre, executive vice president for baseball operations, turned down the Angels' formal protest, although no explanation was given in the official release.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia protested the game after the first-inning play in which catcher Chris Iannetta threw wide to first on an attempt to throw out Chicago's Paul Konerko. Scioscia claimed Konerko ran the last 45 yards inside the baseline, which he said the umpires did not dispute.
But crew chief Dana DeMuth upheld the call, saying later, "Konerko in no way interfered with the play – the catcher threw wild," according to the Los Angeles Times.
Torre's decision to uphold the call likely resulted because it was a judgment call by the umpires, which cannot be overturned.
In other news, the Cleveland Indians claimed right-handed pitcher Fabio Martinez off the Angels' Class A Inland Emire roster. Martinez, 22, had an 0-5 record and 10.72 ERA in eight games, all starts, for Inland Empire.
