sportsjabber.net

Two games, two serious issues.

The first, on Sunday. The Milwaukee Brewers were playing the Minnesota Twins. In the 7th inning, Joe Mauer was hit by a pitch, however the umpire called it a foul ball. Mauer strutted down the line, only to be called back. The umpire was saying that he fouled the ball off, and not off the hand. The issue is not if he got hit or not, the issue is after saying it was foul, the manager for the Twins, Ron Gardenhire came out to argue. He went out, Mauer showed his hand, and somehow, the ump changed the call. Milwaukee’s manager Ken Macha immediately came out and tried to get an explanation. However, the overturned decision stuck, and Macha quietly left the field. With bases loaded, the very next pitch, and I do mean very next pitch, Justin Morneau took it deep into the right field bleachers.

Second, tonight. During the Mets and and Nationals game, Gary Sheffield took John Lannan deep into left field. Except, under the new rules, the manager of the Nationals came out and said that a fan interfered with the ball, and that it wasn’t in fact a home run. With this, the umpires are expected to come in and watch it on replay. The video on ESPN clearly shows the fan hitting it, it dropping down and should be called anything but a home run. To anyone who watched the replay/game, the ump’s come out and call it a home run.

In two days, MLB got the best and worst from people that argue and argue against replay. What should have happened in the Minnesota game was the ump go into the, well, where ever they go, and look.

In the Mets game, obviously they need some high def. WHAT in the world were they watching?

Two games, two plays that changed the game. And the people that are in charge of enforcing the rules clearly screwed up. I know that the Minnesota play is not able to be replayed. But, if you are going to have replay, have replay. If it’s contested, someone for god’s sake look at it. And more so, look at it with a good TV that doesn’t have rabbit ears and has some color to it.

In baseball where one play can change a game, anything should be looked at. For god’s sake, its already a slow game, adding 5 minutes isn’t going to kill anyone.

Also, shame on you Macha. You should have come unglued after the grand slam. You should have thrown bases, kicked chalk, shoot, even be like that minor league manager from last year that used the rosin bag as a grenade. To go back to the dugout, watch it go yard and do nothing is disappointing.

2 other things. Mr T as the 7th inning stretch singer? What, was everyone on the list of hopefuls busy? And lastly, oh to be a Ray’s fan. Up 10-0 and lose? Ouch