And Mark Teixeira with a walk-off foul ball.

that's baseball...the human factor....the twins had bases loaded and no outs in that inning...and they still choked...don't fault the umpire on that.

I really think Teixeira's home run was foul.. how did Cuzzi not see that

The bases wouldn't have been loaded if Mauer's ground rule double would have been called correctly. It would have been a completely different inning.

Stop being an apologist.

It is obvious with a name like Cuzzi that he was born and/or raised in New York. Of course he made a Yankees call, hello! MLB has an internal decree that the Yankees win the World Series, expect more of this.

Stupid stupid stupid. What will make it even more stupid is that the umpires will come out tomorrow and say that replays were inconclusive. What a joke. I just stopped watching the postseason. Good luck and who cares!?!

Hey K! The call wasn't made correctly! Mauer on second and two straight singles behind him. He scores and no force at home! That umpire was 20 feet away,kneeling down,looking down the line and looking straight at the ball! He should be fired.

Terrible call by Cuzzi. Terrible strike zone all night long from Chuck Meriwether. But Texeira's home run was CLEARLY a fair ball.

what a joke! Why have the extra umps if they can not make the only call he has all game correctly. Tex's home run was closer to being foul than Mauers.

Weak. Mauer would have scored on either one of the next base hits. The bases would not have been loaded and the Twins - at worst - would have been up 4-3 going to the bottom. Cuzzi should be fired for that.
I knew that the yankees had the highest payroll in the bigs. I Did not know that the payroll included umpires too.

Well, everyone talks about a Yankee mystique.

It's really that some of the umpires are will to manipulate the strike zone, and "accidentally" blow some calls in order to nudge them to victory.

That and $200 million will get you some victories.

Any team playing the Yankees has to battle not only their star-studded roster of billionaires, but probably a bunch of officials that are all too happy to push events in their favor.

Disgusting.

That was ridiculous.

Worst call ever!! The TWINS don't have the payroll to buy calls so the Yankee LUCK continues!

Twins should forfeit game three. No chance to win with the umps on our side too!

I like the Yankees but sure don't wanna see a win like that!!
Gotta make that call!!!

If this call had gone against the Yanks and resulted in the Twins winning... That ump would need around the clock protection. I hope that he gets reassigned to cleaning toilets.

Let's vote: What call was the worst:
1)First base in the Cardinals-Dodgers game
2)Mauer's 'foul' double
3) all balls and strikes

What?? Tex's Hr was foul? What friggin game were you watching? It wasn't even close! Typical anti-Yankee garbage. Make up some more bold face lies while you are at it why dont you.

It's easy to say Mauer would have scored on a single but how can you be sure when they had bases loaded, no out, and still couldn't get 1 run across?

And, by the way, wasn't Mauer on 2nd when Cuddyer hit a single? :-/

You can not have instant replay on fair / foul calls.

In this instance there would be no "harm" since the call would correct to a ground rule double...

but lets say that ball stays in play, is called foul, and then overturned in instant replay.

How would you determine whether it was a single or double, if there was a runner on third do you give him third, maybe he would have scored if he was fast.

You can simply never overturn a fair / foul call.

It was certainly a bad call, but it's simply conjecture to say that Minnesota would've won the game, or even that Mauer would have scored. Baseball is too dynamic of a game to make such simple projections. The sequence of pitches would've changed, the next batters might not have gotten hits, or to the same places. This is not an apologia, it's just fact. The sequence of events is chaotic.

Meanwhile, the inconsistent strike zone had Yankee strike outs and Twins walks on the same pitches, but there's not much commotion there. That stinks, but things like that happen all the time. To say that the umps have been bought by the evil Yankees who *gasp* spend money on their team, or make up nonsense about Teixeira's HR being foul, is absurd. The Twins stranded more than enough runners on base tonight to make up for any bad calls against them. That they didn't capitalize on that should concern them more than bad umpiring.

19thSon Don't play stupid with me! I shouldn't need to explain it to you!

Illninarch It's also conjecture to deny that Mauer wouldn't had scored and the Twins wouldn't had scored more runs with another out! But you go ahead and feel good about how they won. The rest of America saw it too!

Doesn't follow, Dan. You can't have instant replay on a ball down the line that stays in play for the reasons you name (although, really? Don't the umpires award bases based on what they think would've happened in all kind of other situations?), but of COURSE you can have instant replay on a ball that bounces out of play as that one did.

This game needs instant replay on every play for which it can possibly be implemented. And that needs to happen, like, five years ago.

To pretend the strike zone favored the Twins is moronic. The umpire was all over the place, but he was *consistently* all over the place. Meriwether routinely screwed over the hitters on both teams. And the TBS pitch tracker, which I don't believe is even close to showing the actual strike zone, doesn't help matters.

And chaotic as it may be, it's *almost* certain that Mauer would've scored on that play. Even if Kubel didn't get a hit (and there would be no reason at all for a lefty to pitch to Kubel differently with a guy on second), it very likely would've moved him over, and he would've scored when Cuddyer made contact.

I certainly don't agree with all these ridiculous Yankees conspiracy theories, but anyone that thinks that the score wouldn't have been at least 4-3 Twins going to the bottom of the inning is only fooling themselves. The Twins did a lot to rob themselves of the victory, no need for a blown call to add to it.

On top of it all I had to watch it on TBS. If I hear another "hot shot" my head is going to spin off my neck.

It is no secret to any baseball fan that the Yankees always have the intention of bankrolling the team into the World Series and the World Championship. The game still needs to be played between the lines, but having support from the men in blue to achieve that goal is unforgiveable. Records are what they are; the Yankees will always be catagorized as The Teams of Major League Baseball and also the New York Yankees!!!!

Ummmm, when you can't score with the bases juiced and no one out, it's a bit presumptuous to assume a run, isn't it?

BTW, while the complaint on the Mauer blown call is perfectly justified, crying about the strike zone can go either way. Melky Cabrera struck out on balls four and five. The strike zone sucked all around, for everyone.

Yes the umpire blew the call! and then the Twins blew the bases loaded opportunity!!! The Umpires didn't trip the guy going around second, it wasnt the umpires that made Joe Nathans ass pucker on the mound, acceptance is the first step to healing!!

Ummmmmm, it's not rocket science to know that with two singles after a lead off double (that was taken away) the Twins wouldn't have scored a run.

If Cabrera touchedthe ball while standing in fair territory, wouldn't it have been rule fair that way too, in addition to landing fair?

I think there is going to be a rule change after this season to make that reviewable. Thus, for the second year in a row, the Twins will get a rule changed that should have benefited them (coin flip.)

To whoever said that if that call was against the Yankees, he would need around the clock protection--that's a bad joke. Look up what happened to the ref who made the call against the Vikings against the Cowboys.

But they have the payroll to get the not hit batsman call against Detroit? Twins got what they deserved.

It will make the upcoming 3 game sweep over the Yankees all the more sweet- so no worries baseball fans.

Well, it makes up for the constant terrible strike calls at the plate for the Yankees and all of the pitches that were strikes but called balls in the Twins favor.

Sorry, it is only news when an umpire DOES NOT blow a call in the playoffs. It used to be that only the best umpires worked the post season, now it is done of a rotating basis. The only thing worst that this idea is the instant (10 to 15 minute) replay idea.

I saw the calls at home plate differently. Most of the bad calls by the plate umpire were in the Yanks' favor. And then that call on the Mauer hit! Why oh why wouldn't the other umps get with him like they do in every other sport and tell him they saw it correctly and the runner needs to be on second. No, baseball is that stodgy, stuck in the past old sport that prides itself on being wrong so much because of its heritage. Sick.

Are you that much of a moron? They do have instant replay on home runs and that one was even close to being foul.

blown call or not, if you are a great team you overcome situations like that to win a game... you find a way to win, thats why great teams are so great, and if having the bases loaded with no outs against a kid making his playoff debut isnt enough for you to succeed, you dont deserve to win... stop making excuses and get the job done...
did the umpires trip gomez in the 4th and tell nathan to groove one to arod in the 9th? no... 17 baserunners left on base is why you lost, not because of a blown call that DIDNT cost the team an out...

and if you think the twins would have definately gotten two singles if mauer did get credited with a double, you clearly have no concept of how sports work and obviously have never played the game on a high level

The call was disgraceful, cuzzi they need a umpire in Xbox. There you could put your binoculars and bifocals on and replay till you get it right. cuzzi keep up the good work ,you and your kids will never have to work again.

I really think you need to see it again or get some glasses cause its really not even close.

Let me get you a crying towel with that. You are pathetic

What bothered me as much as the umpires wrong call on the "foul ball" were the fans in the stadium who were waving the Japanese war plane flag from the 1940's.

To where in Minnesota should I mail a bottles and pacifiers? And how come crybaby Twins fans didn't complain when their team benefited from the blown call on the Brandon Inge HBP? Hmmm.

wow, you're so dumb it's sad. Let me guess, you like to believe it's all a conspiracy, and oh yea... the Yankees BUY all their world series, and they're ALL juiced, right? Typical Yankee hater. Get out of here with that garbage. Don't be sore because your team sucks!

This is why I quit watching MLB baseball and the NBA long ago. How can you have a fair league when NYY is allowed to buy as many players as they want? Answer: you can't! Also, the league's refusal to come into the 21st century with replays is icing on the cake. Are umpires crooked? Probably. At least they are blind or incompetent; but reply could cure all that.

Yes, Mauer's ball was fair, I agree that was a bad call. It happens in baseball, it's unfortunate but it happens. But...Mauer still got on base, the Twins had bases loaded with no outs, they had plenty of opportunities to score but didn't. You can't blame that on the Yankees. Also, Teixeira's home run was a fair ball. I hate it when the umps make bad calls that affect the game but it happens all the time. Would Twin fans be complaining if the Yankees were on the receiving end of the bad call? No, they would be saying yeah it was the wrong call but it happens.

Don't you guys get it!!!!!!!! MLB It's all about money!!! Where the hell is the commissioner? He makes 18 million a year!!!! Instant replay for the playoff's and this crap stops!!!!!!

Would the damn media stop hollering at umps and officials. The sports media directs the college football rankings! They are the ones who set the BCS standings with their strong visible opinions! They are usually wrong! How many top 10 teams have been beaten each week? Schools complaining about the BCS should go after the sports media which does not police itself and lets incompetents drive rankings. The same is true for happenings in all sports; the media screams at officials, players, and coaches but never polices its own screw ups! If I were a rich athlete, I'd hire a bunch of PIs to get the goods on the ugliest sports writers and reveal their transgressions to the world! The sports media has turned sportsmanship into hate-man-ship! They blame everything on someone and forget its a game played by humans and officiated by humans! I wish the Taliban would declare a jihad against sports writers. I'd contribute!

I just don't get it!!!!!! Twin's manager, if you would of left Guierrer pitch the ninth with Nathan just standing by, it's a wrap
He deserved to pitch the ninth and preserve you're closer another day of rest!!! You're getting bad calls, wake-up it's the Yankee's and umpire's are getting paid off. You honestly think MLB wants the twin pass the first round?

but they would have scored on the base hit following Mauer's should have been double -- human factor is no excuse for something that blatant.

Come on people, you can be mad that a bad call was made but if you actually think that the umpires are being "paid off" then you are delusional!! Grow up!! Bad calls happen in all sports, look at the Georgia vs LSU game last week, the officials threw a flag for an excessive celebration on Georgia that didn't happen, the officials came out after the game and admitted it was the wrong call but you can't take it back. It is part of sports, you know, the agony of defeat. If you can't take it, don't watch!!

sportsguy, you know he would have scored? You can't say that for sure, the yankees may have brought in a different pitcher or they could have called a different pitch sequence to the next batter, you have no idea how they would have countered a lead off double. It's all assumption on your part! The next batter could have come up and tried to be a hero, trying to do too much with a pitch and flied out. You never know how the game would have played out.

so what j moore do you watch the nfl ? they blow just as many calls, you tell me they get every holding and pass interference call right? they can barely decipher what is a forward pass or fumble, so you better stop watching all sports not just the mlb and nba
replay doesnt fix everything you are out of your mind if you think that, all it does is have people second guessing themselves on every call
its not the yankees fault they are following the rules either, go compare the cowboys and redskins payrolls to the rams or chiefs, check the celtics with the raptors, big difference there too, you can spend just as much as anyone else theres nothing saying that you cant so it is fair...
dont be pissed when a team cares and does all it can to win (oh, and that revenue sharing thing they kinda do throws millions of dollars into other teams pockets, not to mention the attendance figures they bring on the road)

It's a good thing we have people like you to take a last name and identify where he is from. Let me know how you gained this ability and I'll use it to my advantage some day down the road. How about a last name like Izzo...where would that person be from?

He didn't blame the twins blowing the bases loaded opportunity on the ump. He blamed the ump on that call. Had Mauer been on 2nd instead of 1st, what would you think of happened when Kubel hit that single?

I don't remember offering anyone in DT a bottle or pacifier so take your steaming pile of yankee and get lost. If this blown call had gone against NY... Cuzzi may have already been killed by the seething masses.

The ninth belongs to Nathan. Hindsight is 20/20.

Hey Ken A Hole, that's a stupid arrogant prejudice remark there buddy.

why didn't third base coach notice ball was fair?

Again...a big deal...although no one talked about Inge getting hit. Simply amazing. At least maybe this time the umps will admit they are wrong instead of the stupid, "inconclusive" statements.

Todd P beat to this:

"Hey Ken A Hole, that's a stupid arrogant prejudice remark there buddy."

Ken, you are a jerk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FU Matt! The home plate umpire was blowing calls left and right for both teams and yet NO mention of that....you guys are so in the bag against the Yankees its not even funny anymore.

I'm sure that Cuzzi will appreciate the extra cash Bud puts in his pay envelope this week. It was such an OBVIOUSLY bad call that the ONLY way to get it wrong is- because Cuzzi WANTED it to be a foul ball. Twenty feet away? A foot inside? He wanted it foul for the obvious reason, he got paid! And the Twins were shafted out of the win. Thanx Bud!

PUT AN * NEXT TO THIS ONE.

AAAAHHHH Looks like we have another Boston fan. Maybe if we get an "O'Maley" ump to call the Red Sox-Angels series, Boston might win. Probably not though.

It is a blown call I have to admit, but these last two games they played, bad calls has been called for both the Yankees and the Twins. So it's all fair game. The Twins just choked in the last inning. This is what you call Destiny! Go Yanks!

Umpires should be selected on a merit system. Only the best selected by a group of retired umpires to work the playoffs. NBA,NFL,NHL select their officals on meerit system, to work playoff games.

>

Who is to say that the same pitcher would have been on the mound after the double by Mauer? The same pitches being thrown? The next two batters could have struck out instead or hit weak fly balls, fair or foul. One can not predicate a future even based on what ifs as the prior event changes the following events, especially in a linear game such as baseball. Hey, the Yanks could have walked the next to batters, bases full, no outs and then the Twins still choke, like they did in that inning! Wayde must have been on the Nobel Peace Prixe committee, giving Obama a Nobel Peace prize based on what he may do in the future. Wayde would have us give the Twins runs based on what someone "might" have done after Maurer's double if the call had been made correctly. yes the call was a bad call, much like alot of the high outside strikes being called behind the plate throughout much of the game but that is all a part of baseball or any game for that matter!

The call is the call, and all teams benefit or get punished on occasion. My only gripe is that, when the umps miss obvious calls, then MLB has to question why they are there. When the ump blows a strikeout call, it's a split-scond decision that they will occasionally blow. The ump misses the tag at 1st, it's bad, but you rely on slit-second judgement, and maybe he doesn't see whether the glove hit the shirt.

But when the ump basically has only one task to do, and he can't get it right, then he really serves no useful purpose. He'll have one important call in the series, and he missed it.

All these umpires are sure blowing calls, Rockies game, clearly blown call at 1st base, against the Rockies, ball in replay was clearly no where near the first basemans glove, OUT was the call, Need an umpire on instant replay for crap like this. Strike zone got very low on Tulo, replay showed the ball about 2 inches below his knees, Called 3rd strike. Others blown, replay showed the ball clearly off the plate, for a call 3rd strike on Spilborghs, wonder which umpire is betting now, just like the NBA. Saw a few calls that were blown, stolen 2nd base, I forget who it was but the runners hand was clearly on the base, before the ball arrived. Wake up umps, or get new glasses ;(

Totally agree. MLB ABSOLUTELY SUCKS IN ALL WAYS! Let's give thanks to football. Baseball and NBA basketball has been ruined and unfortunately few people care about hockey. Other than overprotecting the QB, the NFL is great!

Wow what an obviously biased Yankees fan :)! Yeah they've blown calls both ways for the Yankees and Twins. The Yankees have been getting great calls ever since Jeffrey Maier (or whatever is name is) stole a HR vs the Orioles. There's no way you can "ojectively" say the calls were even both ways....please....

What is your basis for making the arrogant, gratuitous claim of "...a seemingly bored umpire?" It's obvious the call was wrong, but there's no excuse for saying it was because the umpire was "bored."

A W is a W, not like the twins stand a chance even going to Minnesota tied at 1. They're going to get swept like the bums they are

ok, i am convinced there is a conspiracy (no i am not a conspiracy nut, the us gov didn't blow up NY) to have the yanks and dodgers in the series.....tori against his old team...RATINGS...every series thus far has had blatant BS calls that go in favor of the "weaker" team other than yanks and dodgers so in round 2 its easier for these 2 teams to move on...i wish i could stop watching all together but baseball is like crack to me and i can't stop watching this crappy post season...i think MLB needs to bring up some highschool umps at this point......

adjuster, i agree that there are many factors that make many possible scenarios but the fact is there should have been a runner on 2nd and the odds are in favor of him scoring and that screwed the twins in a bad way

Oh yes you can fault the umpire for this, without the blown call Mauer would have been scored, maybe a 2nd run in. Would be a total different ball game.

Aw c'mon, here we go again, "it's a conspiracy in favor of the Yankee's." Seventeen runners left on!!! Joe Nathan meltdown!!! Puh-leeease!!! The conspiracy is: If you can't beat the Yankees, bash 'em!

Show me.

If the umpires could get calls right this would be a non issue with the Twins because the Tigers would be in NY instead of them. How soon we forget about Inge being hit by the pitch!!

There is just no excuse for siding with these arrogant, egotistical, greedy and impotent, er opps, incontenent, er no, incompetant, yes thats the right word, umpires.

Just the strike zone alone shows how bad they are. It changes from umpire to umpire, from lefty to righty, and also inning by inning as the old buzzrds get tired and stand up more and more as the game progresses.

All you Yankee lovers, get a clue! You know it was a bad call.If the call would have been right, Mauer would have scored, and who knows what would have happened. The Twins would have won that game, came home and won the 2 at home, then knock out the Yankees. That's not what MLB wants, ratings won't be high enough. Screw them! I could have called a better game then that. So shut up all you Yankee fans and look at how it really is! Ump's are paid off by the Yankee's and MLB!

100% correct THodge.....mistakes happen....people need to get over it.....

The team with the highest payroll in baseball also gives the most money to poorer teams through revenue sharing. Cheap teams like the Twins and Royals pocket the money. You get what you deserve.

The umpires aren't on the yankee payroll but the twins sre. You can thank yankee ticket buyers for helping pay maurer's salary with the $150 million the yankees have paid out to MLB in payroll taxes over the past 6 seasons. The red sox, angels, and tigers are the only other teams who have had to pay the luxury tax which then gets distributed to the other smaller market teams. Does MLB want the yankees in the world series? Yep.

let's see. we've got an unemployment rate of nearly 10%, 14000 ppl losing their health insurance every day and we got a bunch of ppl commenting about a meaningless game called baseball

astro - what did you do today to save the planet? Why are you on this blog? You are probably a fat lazy bum that the rest of us have to support on welfare......

It's called a diversion. Now go away.

you dummy.... it was foul by twenty feet!!!

Yes that's right, we need instant replay. WRONG!!!!!!!! As if a baseball game isn't long enough. The Game has always been about calls on the field at the time they were made period. The human factor is as much a part of the game as hitting and fielding. Why don't we just say f*&k it and have all robots playing instead. You know no errors, all plays perfect, all calls made by a computer, every hit a home run, every pitch a strike, what next. You think that's not what the natural evelolution would be, then you are one of the reasons this world is so f*&cked up. We are human. Humans make mistakes. That is part of life, get over it. It's part of the game and it should always be. What if you have instant replay at work? Every move you make, every decision you make will be subjected to a vote. Grow up. It's a game. And it should remain one.

Steinbrenner paid 1/2 a billion dollars for Sabbathia, Tuxeira, and AJ Burnett.....1/2 billion dollars for the new Yankee stadium, =1 billion dollars = Many blown calls by the umps...MLB wants anyone who spends 1 billion $$ to win it all!!! That blown call was a disgrace to baseball...Watch!!

The Yankees are a disgrace to the game...they can't win with their farm leagues like the small market teams must AND they have to pay the umps to get a little edge, since all of the all-stars on their team can't provide it. The Yankees make me sick.

Since the Twinkies got to the post season on bad calls in the one game play in, it's only fair that they get eliminated by bad calls.
Placido Polanco drew a walk with runners on first and third in the ninth inning, with a ball that was a foot inside- and the pitch trak showed it clearly inside, and Brandon Inge was hit by the pitch in the 12th inning with the bases loaded. That, and the unplayable conditions that they've been taking advantage of in the Metrodump for two decades.
Live by the fraud, die by the fraud.

The Yankees can't win with their farm system? Jeter, Posada, Petite, Cano, Melky, Gardner, Joba, Hughes, Mariano,,,,

take two asprin and get a labotomy

I think the umpire just blew that call. He was the umpire that positions himself down the left field line to make calls just like that. Usually there are only four umpires doing a game but the postseason and the All-Star Game they use six. The Twins would have scored at least one run in that inning if Mauer was on second instead of on first with his single. The series should be tied 1 game apiece right now. People are human and calls like that happen.

you really need to get back on your meds dude...

The issue is not one team benefitting from a call. The issue is "Where is the Accountability for Umpires". If a player doesn't perform they are benched or released. There are no consequences to bad umpiring. This umpire should be removed from post season. Some umpires should be demoted to minor leagues.

NFL referees are evaluated after each game. They review film. MLB umpires do nothing to improve their skill. The strike zone changes from one umpire to another, yet the rule book clearly defines a strike zone. Computers display the pitch locations for TV viewers, why cant umpires improve their skills by reviewing these games.

Until umpires are held accountable for their performances, poor calls will continue to be a part of the fall classic.

Lets assume that Cuzzi got the call right. To think that the following events would have happened the same way is flawed logic. It makes no sense to think that event x is set in stone and would have happened regardless of all events leading up to it. In fact, with Mauer on second Girardi probably would have walked the next guy intentionally with first base open.

Well put Covert. When we were winning all those championships in the late 90's it was all done with home grown talent. Anyone who thinks they bought all those titles knows nothing about baseball. People forget about all the high priced talent that didn't pan out in New York. That's just the nature of baseball. What other sport can a person succeed a mere 30 percent of the time and still make the Hall of Fame? That's just the way baseball is and it doesn't give a damn how much money you make.

As a Tigers fan (you know, the first team to blow a 3-game lead with 4 to play), I read the comment about Inge not getting the call when his uniform was grazed. They had the bases loaded with one out. Inge hit a slow bouncer up the middle. Cabrera was even slower getting off third base or he would have beaten the throw home, leaving bases loaded with a run in, and in the same situation as if the right call had been made. Granderson made a bush-league mistake getting doubled off in the 9th.

I'm not trying to argue in favor of excluding instant replay. But when things go bad, good teams find a way to get past it. My Tigers did not. Neither did the Twins. For that matter, the Cards were still up by a run with two outs Thursday after Holliday's error, but their ace reliever choked.

For that matter, I'm surprised no one is talking about game six of the 1985 Series, when after a bad call, the Cards collapsed (error on foul ball, single, passed ball, another single, and perhaps a bad tag at home). Whitey Herzog said he was robbed for quite a while afterward. They still could have won game seven, though a .185 batting average for the Series might have been partly responsible.

Instant replay would be a nice way to right the wrongs. The one issue I have with letting the umpires place the runners is that they don't do it now. How many times have we seen a ground rule double where the runner from first would have scored? The powers that be do not want to give the umpires the discretion to make that call. I don't think they would let them play "what if" for other calls as well.

You also can't assume that he would not have scored or Kubel would have been walked. Kubel may have hit a home run. The point is that he missed a really easy call. It was so blatant that it begs the question why. I assume you are a Yankee fan because it has been primarily yankee fans being apologists for this ump. No the Twins could not score. They probably still would have lost but the guy has a fairly simple job on that line and it really isn't too much to ask for him to get that right to at least let the game be played.

Dear IDIOT Twins fans:

YES the ball was fair. Yes the call was blown. Yes it would have changed the inning.

The game winning home run was fair by 4-5 feet. There was nothing even remotely to call in to question. Ever replay of the home run clearly shows it was fair. Get over it.

I don't think anybody is arguing that the guy blew the call. That's pretty obvious even to a Yankee fan. What I have trouble with is all of these people saying it cost the Twins the game. Tell you what, lets say the ump DOESN'T blow the call and that EVERYTHING does play out just as it did. Based on that "logic" the Twins would have only scored the one run and Texiera's home run in the bottom half of the inning would have happened too and the game would still have been tied. Sure, the Twins might even have scored more runs but the same could be said for the Yankees. Any way you want to look at it this one blown call did not cost the Twins the game. I have no problem with people that hate the Yankees. There are teams that I hate too. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But please, I don't think a little bit of common sense and objectivity is too much to ask.

"MLB has an internal decree that the Yankees win the World Series, expect more of this?' YOU SAY? If that was the case the Yankees wouldn't have lost the division series each year since 2005, nor would MLD have allowed the game to continue with the midges over Joba's head in Cleveland. The reality is this year money or not(and we all know big money may fill seats but doesn't gaurantee a World Series-see every year since 2000). This is actually a very good Yankee team I would say the best since 1998.

I agree with you the call may have been blown, I couldn't see I was there in right field and not able to see where it landed but I do know there were also some bad calls by Merriwether behind the plate as well.(they did have the TV monitors showing the replays over head) missed calls are a part of the game and I can recall many bad calls that went against the Yankees over the years as well. The Twins still should have scored with bases loaded and no outs they had taken the crowd out of the game at that point and still had all the momentum.

WHY ALL CALLS ARE IN FAVOR OF YANKEES? NO TEAM CAN BEAT ANOTHER PLAYING WITH 15 PLAYERS, SORRY I MEANT 9 YANKEES PLAYERS AND 6 UMPIRES.

What the heck are you talking about? The calls this year have stunk for everyone. I saw Gardner called out on a pickoff and the first baseman never tagged him. I saw A-rod called out on strikes on a checked swing when he barely took the bat off his shoulder. This was one of MANY blown calls. Inge got hit by a pitch and the ump didn't call it. How does that change the game???? Are your twinkles even in the playoff's if that call is right?

Blown calls are a part of the game. Always were, always will be.

Your team is in over its head, 0 and 9 against the Yanks.

Get over it

The twins could have sent mauer home with runners on first and second but they didn't try with nobody out, instead they held him at 3rd and then failed to score, and they had the lead going into the bottom of the 9th inning. Who knows how things might have turned out but to say they the Umpire's italian...his last name is Cuzzi...so he must be from the NYC area is really perceptive, there's no italians in boston? California? I dunno anywhere? That's just ignorant as hell.

What about the call the ump made in the Tigers/Twins game? Randy Marsh ruled that Brandon Inge was not hit by a pitch by Bobby Keppel. The replay showed the pitch grazing Inge's uniform. Umps make mistakes. It doesn't matter what team is playing. Get over it. It is part of the game.

The umpire blew the call! You're kidding!?! Like that has never happened before? And if he had made the right call, the series would be one and one? And if I didn't eat so much I wouldn't be fat; and the umpire made the wrong call. Because he's Italian? Because it's the Yankees? This is worse than high school. Get over it.

If MLB were an honest organization, A-rod would be banned for life. Pete Rose bet on the game and he was banned for life. I guess it all depends on who you play for.

Actually, Cuzzi is from Belville NJ......

I like the Yankees

good job..

In a league where the umpires are generally below standard and have consistently blown calls it is stupid to blame one team and assume that someone has been paid off. If any of you guys are real baseball fans you will have seen many calls this year that made us cringe. The Yankees nor any other team is responsible for the poor standards shown by umpires.

It is a problem which needs to be fixed by major league baseball and the Upmpire's association. I saw David Ortiz miss a ball by three feet ( as he has been doing recently) and the umpire called a foul tip strike. So lets focus on the real problem and put aside the anti yankee comments which seem to pervade most posts these days. If you dont like the yankees dont watch them! For us real baseball fans we want to see quality players supported by quality officials. Thats what we pay for is it not?

Bottom line - with or without bad calls - the twins couldn't hit with runners in scoring position and, the Yanks could. The Twins couldn't run the bases properly and, the Yanks could. In addition to the Yankees power, the Yankees intelligence in the field was the difference. Live with it.

your comment is so stupid, that i feel stupid even replying to the same! Its a pity that there is not more intelligent dialogue in these posts. We need to discuss real baseball issues like the obvious need for more quality umpires or in lieu thereof expanded replay facilities.

What about game one of the Sox v. Angels? There were 3 strikes that should have been ball 4 balls against the Sox, 2 ball fours that should have been strikeouts FOR the Sox pitcher(s), not to mention the two blown calls a first. Lester's pitch count would have been a lot different.

The bottom line is, that I can respect the human error to a certain amount. This year has shown WAY too much of it and it needs to change.

Thank you Bill!!! Instant replay would shut a lot of people up. I heard a lot of smack talk after game one of the Boston vs angels series and I'd love to have seen how the game would have turned out if the calls were correctly placed.

the twins had a perfect record against the Yanks, 0-9, yeah, that call would have completelt changed teh outcome of the series.....

i love fairy tale stories, they end so wonderfully...........

Maybe they should have replay for fair or foul calls just like they do with home runs....only seems to make sense to me. This way these umpire's...who are human--and subject to human error...aren't criminalized for blowing a call. It happens the yankees won...yanks probably would have won anyways...life goes on...except for the Twins who have to wait til next april to make a splash. Peace & Chicken grease.

Use the Quest system for calling balls and stikes. The home plate ump would hold a hand held and make the call after Quest called the strike.

As for Inge, the rule is that if the uniform isn't proper or if the batter made no effort to avoid being hit by a pitch, then it's the ump's discretion to award first base to the batter. Inge clearly wears an oversized jersey and so, of course he made no effort to avoid having the ball hit his jersey. During the Twins broadcast of the final 4-game series in Detroit the penultimate weekend of the season, Blyleven, a Twins TV broadcaster, pointed out that some baggy uniforms actually flap into the stike zone during a batter's swing. They also leave not much more than an inch off of the plate for inside pitches.

It's time for MLB to make all players wear their uniforms as ARod's. That is, stirrups showing and pulled up to just below the knees and the pants and jersey form-fitting. Enough of the do-your-own-thing with the uniform.

Yankee fans, the Pohlads put more of the Twins revenue and profits back into the team than do the Steinbrenners. You suckers pay six bucks for a cup of coffee so that the Steinbrenners can relax in luxury. You're suckers.

I'm a Twins fan, but have lived NYC and the NYC area for many, many years. I was at the Cubs @ Yanks exhibition game and saw a ton of Teixeira and CC tee shirts. Yea, those guys signed with the Yanks, because they love the team, the City, and its fans and want to be part of the great NY history. What a joke. Money had nothing to do with it? Yea, they signed for love. You suckers. Keep paying those ridiculous ticket and concession prices. Yank fans are living proof that P. T. Barnum was correct, except he meant to say, a sucker is born every second in Yankee land and strives to live in NYC.

Imagine a Yanks starting rotation wherein you substitute Chamberlain and Hughes for CC and Burnett. Yea, if that were the case, the Twins would be preparing to play the Angels.

26 WS. So what? 20 of them came from 1923 through 1963. Since then, you've shown that a fool and his money (not the Steinbrenners, it's you Yank fans who pay) soon are parted. Sheesh, fools, you've spent 100's of millions for 6 WS in almost 50 years. Heck, at 5% of the cost of the Yanks, the Twins have won 2 during this same period and many other teams 3 or 4, again, with a much lower payroll. On a cost-adjusted basis, the Twins have won more WS than the Yanks since 1963.

Suckers, you're NYC public education really did you well.

Get the umpires off the field alltogether. No balls and strikes, the lasers do a much better job of it and with instant replay at least calls will be correct the vast majority of the time. Jeez, get it right is the bottom line and umpires just don't.

Millybo, I was being facetious. Still I find it reasonable to question why he got that call wrong and I don't find it completely unreasonable to question the ethics involved either.
Evidently you must have gotten your "real baseball fan" merit badge because you sure enjoy pointing that out in your posts. Congratulations.

The problem is perception. An umpire has to make 1 bad call and it could make his team a winner. It's the perception that they're on the take.

I'm big fan of one of these teams too. But that's not the point.
Replays should be used. Hope the debate gets more life. The systems
in tennis and football are great. Each manager should get 2 or 3
challenges per game. If their right, a wrong call was made, they
don't get their number of remaining challenges reduced!!!!!!!!
Blown calls determining these championships is a crime!

Video of the exactly where the ball landed -- about 15 seats (3 sections) into fair territory. Along with replays and a shot of the guy who caught the ball.

http://web.yesnetwork.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7034227

Sorry chump, Yankees CRUSHED the Twins, and whine all you want about calls. In baseball the umpires always blow a call, and then make it up -- like Swisher being thrown out at 2nd on a pick-off and called safe, followed by him being called out when he was safe on a sac fly.

Historically, an older pitcher who the umps know gets a strike call, an old home run champ gets the call for a ball on a strike. A tie goes to the fielder not the runner, etc etc. That's part of the game and if you can;t understand pr face the fact that the Yanks outplayed the Twins in every aspect of the game, you should yank your skirt down and try to grow a set.

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