Twins vs MFY - ALDS IST

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Yahoo's Jeff Passan on the playoff umpiring so far, focusing on MFYs-Twins.

Now, let�s get one thing straight: If Hunter Wendelstedt really did earn this postseason assignment based on merit � and MLB claims that it puts only the best umpires in the playoffs, though that�s rather dubious seeing as their anything but transparent with umpiring data � he should�ve been nowhere near this series. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire last season said Wendelstedt believes �he�s God as umpires go,� and that �he�s got a smart-ass mouth,� and that �he�s got an attitude,� and, for good measure, he had �a lot of problems with Hunter.� ... Here�s what can be said about the pitch to Berkman: It was a strike � in plain view, in slow motion and captured by the cameras of the Pitchf/x system that provides data on every pitch thrown today in the major leagues. Pitchf/x is the enemy of umpires because it holds them accountable and highlights their mistakes. And Thursday night, Hunter Wendelstedt made an unconscionable number of errors for a playoff umpire. The Berkman pitch was one of 31 wrong calls from Wendelstedt. Thirteen other times he called a ball on a pitch inside the strike zone, one of them on a cutter to Derek Jeter(notes) that literally was in the center of the strike zone, at the belt, halving the plate. And 17 times � most of them actually benefitting Pavano � Wendelstedt called a strike on a pitch outside the zone. This is not normal. It is not close.

[HahnSolo]

If an NFL or NBA official f**ed up that bad, he'd be nowhere near the field in the next game. Why can't MLB do that?

[Frayed Knot]

The call to Berkman was a strike; on the corner maybe, but a strike and he should have been out. But the bigger problem was Pavano giving up the leadoff walk to Posada in the AB preceding it and then the booming double to Berkman on the following pitch.
The Rays voiced similar complaints about a half-swing NOT called on Michael Young before he promptly HR'd on the next pitch (Maddon got ejected as did Gardenhire) and, surprise, the Reds were yapping about Halladay benefitting from a generous strike zone the previous evening.
And are the Braves also crying about the Posey steal of 2B?

Not surprising that all that complaining is coming from the four teams that not only lost but combined for about 9 hits over 36 innings.
Some of those calls were bad (Berkman), some were borderline (Young, Posey) but none were egregious and none were the main reason(s) why the teams lost.
And maybe Wendelstedt is an ass, but it seems to me that the cry for increased instant replay has become such a cause-celeb in some circles that many are seizing on a handful of borderline calls to make it seem as if umpiring is the main story over the first six games. It's not.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I have no idea what consitutes a checked-swing strike anymore, except that they seem (maybe I'm wrong) to call a lot more of them strikes than they used to. The "broken wrist" standard doesn't seem to be in effect, nor does the "broken plane" one. (And which plane are we talking about?)

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: I have no idea what consitutes a checked-swing strike anymore, except that they seem (maybe I'm wrong) to call a lot more of them strikes than they used to. The "broken wrist" standard doesn't seem to be in effect, nor does the "broken plane" one. (And which plane are we talking about?)

And the problem with that is it pretty much opens the door for umpires to favor guys, even subconsciously. At least with normal blown calls, we know they blow them, and we criticize them. If A-Rod signs the ump's kid's baseball before the game, does he get more leadway with check swings?

[Frayed Knot]

The official wording that the umps use is apparently "intent to swing" but that seems to me to be more arbitrary than anything. Every swing and non-swing alike starts out with intent.

Pitchers-turned-announcers (particularly Leiter) like to complain about how not one change to the game over the last two decades or so has benefitted the pitchers but the half-swing is absolutely called more often now than it ever was.
Btw, they also like to complain about modern stadiums while ignoring the fact that more than a few of them (Atl, NY (N), Sea, Det, SD, SF) are better pitchers parks than their predecessors, but that's a separate issue.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

There is literally NO useful definition of what constitutes a swing/checked swing in the MLB rulebook. Which is, y'know, maybe a bit of an oversight.

One point of disagreement, FK: even in real-time, the Posey call was NOT borderline. Hell, he recognized it; the kid turned red and practically giggled when asked about it at the postgame press conference. You can argue that it's not the primary reason that they lost-- Infante was a wrist twitch away from turning Ross' RBI hot-shot into an out, e.g.-- but it's a stretch to claim that wasn't a primary reason.

[Frayed Knot]

It was still a pretty close call (his toes weren't more than inches from the base and the tag was somewhat high) and I think his rather funky slide made it tough to call in live action. Nobody on the Braves complained. Hell, even Cox didn't squawk and he only argues on days when the sun comes up in the east.

But my main point was that it's no surprise that all the losing teams are finding fault with the umps when they really should be looking elsewhere.
Plus it seemed to me that, with a no-hitter, a two-hit shut-out, a Pettitte comeback game, the best team in the AL on the brink, etc. all in a two-day span, there were a number of media types over-selling the idea that the over-riding story in the playoffs so far was umpire incompetence. That, in my view, was because a number of them came into the week with that idea in their heads and are only too anxious to mold the facts to fit the pre-written story.

[Guest Kong76]

God the Twins just stink at this post-season thing.

[Fman99]

I don't normally like to use profanity, but, man, the Twins suck a dick.

[Guest Kong76]

I didn't fact check, someone told me today it was eleven
straight playoff losses ... tonight would be twelve?

That has to be, or approaching, some kind of record of suck.

[Fman99]

Kong76 wrote: I didn't fact check, someone told me today it was eleven straight playoff losses ... tonight would be twelve? That has to be, or approaching, some kind of record of suck.

They won game 1 against the MFYs in 2004 (Johan got the win) and then lost 3 straight in that ALDS. Followed by sweeps in the ALDS in 2006 against Oakland and last year against the Yanquis again. That plus the game 1-2 losses this year makes 11 straight, and 12 if they lose tonight.

Pathetic.

[Guest Kong76]

Thanks for the fact check!

[Guest themetfairy]

Fman99 wrote: I don't normally like to use profanity

This is the funniest thing I've read in ages

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Sad part is that as poorly as the Twins have fared in the post season during the past decade, they are at least in the postseason.
We lament how bad the Twins are, but they have made the playoffs 6 times in the past 10 seasons. The Mets with their monetary advantages have made the playoffs twice in that same span. The Twins have had 9 winning seasons since 2000, the Mets have had 6 winning and 5 losing seasons since 2000. Personally, I find the Twins almost annual postseason collapse against the Yankees maddening, but I truthfully find the Mets record far more pathetic and depressing.

[Frayed Knot]

So I think the deal is that we need this one to finish up on Sunday with a Rangers win. Otherwise Texas will be forced to spend Cliff Lee in game 5 and throw off their whole rotation for the Yanqui series while Sabathia sits around resting for his probable three starts out of seven if necessary.

Ergo I'm pulling for the Rangers but if they don't win today I'm switching my allegiance to Tampa in a game 5.

[metirish]

Oh dear me

SI_JonHeyman Jon Heyman girardi wont admit they tried for wild card. me: hes master strategist who played it right. avoiding cliff lee in alds was huge for #yanks

[ashie62]

Please Texas, please.

[G-Fafif]

They call them the Twins 'cause every one of their Octobers is identical.

[Frayed Knot]

G-Fafif wrote: They call them the Twins 'cause every one of their Octobers is identical.

In that case they ought to be called the quadruplets.