Hardy lobs a recommendation for replays

The shortstop, who sat out Thursday's loss, noted how well the system that was put in place last year has worked for disputed home runs.

June 4, 2010 at 6:33AM

SEATTLE - Twins shortstop J.J. Hardy is among those who'd support the expanded use of instant replay, which Commissioner Bud Selig said he'll consider again in the wake of Wednesday's call that robbed Detroit's Armando Galarraga of a perfect game.

Hardy was on the receiving end of Matt Tolbert's flip at second base Wednesday, when umpire Dale Scott ruled that Josh Wilson had slid in safely, helping give the Mariners a 2-1, 10-inning victory.

Hardy noted how instant replay has worked well with disputed home run calls.

"It shouldn't get out of hand where you can challenge every pitch, but in situations where it changes the game, I think you should be able to [challenge]," he said. "You look at tennis. They can challenge three times [per set] if they think a ball was in or out. If they're right, it doesn't count as a challenge.

"Why not something like that where a manager can challenge a call? I don't know what they'd be so worried about."

Hardy agreed that umpires might welcome more replay. Jim Joyce, the umpire who made the controversial call in Detroit, has been extremely contrite.

"It's tough for guys like him; you know he cares about his job, and he's really trying, and he feels bad," Hardy said. "I think 95-98 percent of the umpires out there really care if they make a bad call. We feel bad for him. It's gotta be a tough job, but the few that we feel like don't care, that's when we get so angry."

Hardy's wrist sore Hardy was not in the starting lineup Thursday because of a sore left wrist. He missed 17 games last month after jamming the wrist on a slide and returned to play nine consecutive games before Thursday, batting .152 (5-for-33) with one extra-base hit, a double in his first game back.

The Twins are having Hardy curtail how many swings he takes in batting practice. They timed his day off so he would miss Mariners righthander Felix Hernandez.

"I definitely don't want to be playing like this for the rest of the season, so whatever I've gotta do to get it out of there," Hardy said. "When I came back, it was something I felt like I could play through, and I really feel like I can. It's just getting more irritated the more swings I take, so a day off definitely won't hurt it."

Hudson update Orlando Hudson (sore left wrist) took ground balls at second base but did not take any swings. Hudson is listed as day-to-day, but it's uncertain if he'll be able to play this weekend in Oakland.

about the writer

about the writer

Joe Christensen

Sports team leader

Joe Christensen, a Minnesota Star Tribune sports team leader, graduated from the University of Minnesota and spent 15 years covering Major League Baseball, including stops at the Riverside Press-Enterprise and Baltimore Sun. He joined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2005 and spent four years covering Gophers football.

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