Bad Umpiring And Bad Whining

This year’s playoffs have reminded us once again that the quality of major league umpiring is unacceptably bad.   Obviously, Hunter Wendelstedt is a nepotism hire who has no business umpiring in the major leagues, let alone being behind the plate in a crucial playoff game.  I’m glad that many prominent sportswriters are pointing this out, and not retreating into nonsensical mush about “the human element” or whatever.

Having said that, when people actually start blaming bad calls for the Twins losing, I get off the bus.    It was bad enough last year, when they were legitimately screwed by the hapless Phil Cuzzi.   As I said at the time, Nathan’s whining about it was particularly unseemly, because if he had done his job Cuzzi’s ineptitude wouldn’t have been an issue.    (His attempt to shift blame may provide some clue as to why he’s 90% of the pitcher Rivera is in the regular season and .000001% of the pitcher Rivera is in the postseason.)   And even after the bad call the Twins had the bases loaded with none out against the back end of the Yankee bullpen and came up with bupkis, and the Yanks made up the run that Cuzzi probably cost them before the Twinkies retired a single batter in the 11th.    But this year it’s worse, because (unlike the Braves and Rays) the Twins have been the net beneficiaries of bad umpiring in the series.   Last night, Pavano may have been on balance the beneficiary of Wendelstedt Amateur Hour (and to his credit, he didn’t blame the umpire).   But the biggest blown call of the series was, of course, the fourth out the Twins received in the bottom of the ninth in game 1, which was almost as bad as the Cuzzi call and much worse than the blown call on Posey’s “steal.”

So the Yankees got a break last night — and they immediately took advantage.   (It’s also worth noting that Berkman illustrates a difference between the Yankees and Rays.    The Yankees filled a hole with a guy who had a 140 OPS+ just one year ago for no talent and not much money; the Rays decided to start the playoffs with a guy who frankly — and tragically — should have retired three years ago hitting fifth, with predictable results.)   The Twins got a huge break in Game 1 — and popped the first pitch up to the third baseman.    That’s why the Yankees are where they are and the Twins are where they are, and the bad umpiring is neither here nor there.