Morneau: Replay's nice, but use it more

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: August 27, 2008 - 7:49 AM

SEATTLE - Justin Morneau supports Major League Baseball's decision to begin using instant replay for disputed home run calls.

In fact, the Twins first baseman said Tuesday he wishes MLB would go even further and have instant replay available to decide whether any batted ball is fair or foul.

"I don't know why they didn't go all the way," Morneau said. "That could be just as big."

Morneau pointed to a play in Detroit this season, when one of the Tigers hit a double down the first-base line. The umpire ruling it fair, even though the ball mark showed it had been a foul.

"Everybody's human, everybody's going to make mistakes," Morneau said. "Why not take advantage of all the technology to make sure those [fair or foul] calls are right?"

Beginning Thursday, umpires can at least begin reviewing home run calls. Replay will be in effect for three games that day -- including the Twins at Oakland -- and all games beginning Friday.

At the Metrodome, the umpire's replay station will be in a room behind the visiting dugout that is also used by the grounds crew.

"I don't want [replay] for plays at the plate, and plays at second, all that stuff," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "But home runs and foul balls -- there's somebody watching -- I think that's fine. A lot of these ballparks are really, really tough."

Bittersweet return

Eddie Guardado had a hard time containing his smile after Monday's 4-2, 11-inning loss.

After coming back to the Twins in a trade for minor-league pitcher Mark Hamburger, Guardado hopped a plane to Seattle and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth.

The Mariners tied it in the ninth with a run off Joe Nathan, capitalizing on an error by shortstop Nick Punto, then won it in the 11th on Adrian Beltre's two-run homer off Jesse Crain.

"Obviously, it's a tough loss today," said Guardado, who pitched for the Twins from 1995 to 2003. "August, September -- you're playing for something, and every loss is tough. But I've been watching these guys play for a while now, and we'll bounce back."

After blowing his fourth save in 39 chances, Nathan was still upbeat about the bullpen moving forward.

"We feel like we have some arms now that -- especially from the seventh inning on -- we can finish out some games," he said. "Unfortunately [Monday] wasn't one of those cases. We've got a long stretch to go, and it's nice to have Eddie on board."

Etc.

• Ben Revere, who is batting .379 for Class A Beloit, will have minor surgery this week to remove particles from his left knee.

• Joe Mauer has started five consecutive games at catcher, but Gardenhire said he'll rest today, with Mike Redmond catching this afternoon's series finale.

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