Los Angeles Angels Charter Plane Makes Emergency Landing At LAX; Rule 29 Specifies Team Restocking Procedure In Case Of Catastrophe

ESPN reports that on June 1st, 2011, the Los Angeles Angels charter plane flown by Delta Airlines diverted from its intended destination at Orange County's John Wayne Airport and made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport instead because of a mechanical problem. The landing proved to be uneventful and there were no injuries; the 61 people aboard were bussed to Orange County. The situation was a possible hydraulics problem impairing the landing gear. The landing gear apparently had to be lowered mechanically.

Angels first baseman Russell Branyan said that the pilot did an outstanding job. "These guys, they fly us all over the country, not enough can be said for them", Branyan said. Pitcher Rick Thompson tweeted "Glad to be on the ground save, pilot did a he'll of a job bringing the bird down!" KNBC Channel 4 news video embedded below:

View more videos at: http://www.nbclosangeles.com.

Naturally, this story generated questions about what would happen if a major league team was to be decimated by an aircraft mishap or other mass disaster. Major League Baseball has a contingency covering just such a tragedy; it's called Rule 29, the Major League Disaster Plan:

-- Disaster: If a common accident, illness, or event causes the death, dismemberment, or permanent disability from playing professional baseball of (1) at least five players on one team’s active, disables, or suspended list; or (2) at least six players whatsoever on any team, the team shall be a “disabled club”
-- Procedures: In such an event, the following procedures shall take place:
----- Mourning Period: Commissioner has discretion to postpone or cancel games for a period of mourning.
----- Continuation of season: In conjunction with the Players’ Association, the Commissioner may cancel the teams’ season, or may set a date to resume the season.
----- Restocking Draft: The Commissioner has the discretion to hold a Restocking Draft to restock the disabled team with players. Each club shall make five players from its active roster available for the draft. Each team’s list shall include at least one pitcher, one catcher, one infielder, one infielder (at the discretion of the Commissioner). If the club has less than three eligible catchers on its roster, that team need not make a catcher available. Subject to these rules, each team shall include in its list at least as many players with 60+ days of service time as the disabled club lost (up to five). Any player with no-trade rights may not be made available for a restocking draft. Unless those rights are waived. Each team shall warrant that each player it makes available is capable of playing immediately. The names of players on the restocking list shall be confidential. The disabled club may select as many players as it lost, but no more than one from each other team. In its discretion, the Commissioner may also award the disabled club additional selections in the Rule 4 or Rule 5 drafts.
-- Insurance: The Commissioner shall exercise best efforts to maintain appropriate insurance to ensure the financial rehabilitation of the disabled club.

An index to all the rules of MLB is accessible HERE.

The timing of the restocking draft would depend upon when the catastrophe occurred and the team's position in the standings. If the catastrophe occurred early in the season, the restocking draft would likely occur before play was resumed. But if the catastrophe occurred late in the season and the team was already out of contention, the commissioner would likely cancel the remainder of the team's season and delay the restocking draft until the off-season.

The question is what might happen if the catastrophe occurred late in the season and the team was still in contention or had already clinched a postseason berth.