By Leif Skodnick
World Baseball Network
Not only are the Tiburones de La Guaira and Leones de Caracas dueling on the diamond in the Liga Venezolano Beisbol Profesional championship series, they’re dueling off of it too.
Carlos Rodriguez, a Venezuelan baseball commentator, reported that Tiburones de La Guaira protested Leones’ use of Mexican pitcher David Gutierrez in the third inning of game two of the series. Tiburones alleged that Leones had five non-Venezuelan players on the roster when they added American Braulio Torres-Perez, and they then put Gutierrez on the restricted list. Leones countered with a protest of their own, arguing that Tiburones play music once the Caracas pitcher has started his motion.
The LVBP requires that players on the restricted list be inactive for 10 days, and that players be added to the roster by 6 p.m. local time on January 20. Tiburones argued that Torres-Perez was added after the deadline, and that Gutierrez was activated in fewer than 10 days after being placed on the restricted list.
On Friday morning, the LVBP announced that Tiburones’ protest was overruled, and that the results of the second game would stand.
Regarding Leones’ protest, Rodriguez noted that LVBP rules state that if fans display banners, form musical bands or bring musical instruments, they must refrain from interrupting while the game is in progress.
No ruling has been made on Leones’ complaint yet.
In addition to the league championship, the winner of the series goes to the 2023 Caribbean Series, which is being hosted in Caracas and La Guaira, giving the winner of the series a true home-field advantage in Caribbean baseball’s biggest event.