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A bush-league umpire became a villain last night, but don't take my word for it. Let's see what others are saying...

Jeff Blair (Globe):

Home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi, who tossed Halladay from the game, has a history with the Blue Jays. Earlier this year, Blue Jays first baseman Carlos Delgado described a pair of called strikes by Cuzzi as “probably the worst call that I've seen in a long, long time.”

Blair was on The FAN 590 this morning, suggesting that Cuzzi is widely perceived as a lousy ump. The reputation is well deserved.

John Lott (Post):

According to Jays' manager Carlos Tosca, the commissioner's office had directed the umpires to warn both teams "about hitting batters" because "there's been history between our two clubs." Tosca said he was baffled by the assertion.

"I was totally caught off-guard," Tosca said in an unusual prepared statement circulated to the media before he met with reporters.

No one in either clubhouse last night claimed to understand why the warning was issued. Asked whether Cuzzi had revealed why he tossed Halladay, both Tosca and catcher Kevin Cash said the umpire offered no explanation.

"I think [the umpires] thought we were retaliating for something," Halladay said. "I don't know what. I don't understand it."


Geoff Baker (Star):

Toronto coaches, brass and players huddled after the game in an attempt to cool off before the media arrived, but their bewilderment still came through loud and clear as they digested Halladay's first home loss since April 1.

"I really wasn't aware of that until after the game," Halladay said of the warning after the 5-2 loss to the Devil Rays in front of an enraged SkyDome crowd of 22,869. "I don't know where that came from ... I guess that's something between (Cuzzi), the league and here. I didn't have any knowledge of it. It was kind of shocking."


Spencer Fordin (MLB.com):

Halladay's ejection wasn't the only bizarre event in this game. After an animated argument and resulting delay, Reichert struggled through the rest of the inning. One of his pitches hit Toby Hall in the forearm, but the umpires apparently ruled that Hall was swinging when he got hit. With another chance, Reichert came back to strike Hall out, but the drama didn't end there.

Hall had words with home-plate umpire Phil Cuzzi, who proceeded to eject his second player of the inning. That caused Lou Piniella, the road team's manager, to come out and join the discussion. Everything proceeded uneventfully from there, although the SkyDome crowd was unusually vocal for the rest of the game.


Also in the bottom of the sixth, a fan sitting in the section to our left expressed his disgust by tossing a foul ball back on the field. This prompted loud cheers, which turned to more boos when the usher (a good friend who played for me for several years) had to reluctantly escort the fan from the premises.

Cuzzi, who was too cowardly to speak to reporters afterward, ruined the game for that fan and more than 20,000 others.




Aftermath | 61 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
_Jeremy Hoover - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 09:29 AM EDT (#91101) #
I wasn't impressed with this ejection. It doesn't make sense that after giving up a home run AND a hit that you would then hit a batter with a pitch, moving someone else into scoring position. What the umpire may have done is single-handedly cost Halladay the Cy Young. These guys need to be taken down a level and stop controlling the outcome of games and players' seasons.
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 09:56 AM EDT (#91102) #
I thought that Baldelli was really classy about it when they showed him on Sportsnet last night -- he basically said that, while he couldn't speak for Roy, that there was no scenario that he could envision where Roy would want to hit him on purpose at that point in the game.

It's really, really tempting to make a mean sign about our buddy Phil for tonight's game. Something as simple as PHIL: YOU'RE AN IDIOT would be very satisfying to hold up.

And I probably wouldn't get it past the folks at the door.

We cheered really loud when that fan threw back the foul ball. After Roy was tossed, my friend and I almost threw our coffee cups onto the field.
Coach - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 10:16 AM EDT (#91103) #
Richard Griffin weighs in:

It's almost like Cuzzi showed up with brass knuckles in his ball bag and was waiting to deliver a knockout blow. The umpires, armed with a bizarre memo from MLB vice-president Sandy Alderson, surprised both teams by delivering a pre-game warning about beanballs at the exchange of lineup cards in the five minutes prior to the game. Strangely, the memo was never e-mailed to either team.

If Roy was tossed because of this unusual pre-emptive warning, why didn't Tosca also get the thumb? My guess is, Cuzzi knew he'd screwed up, and didn't want to make it worse. So he "forgot" to enforce the rule that runs the manager as well as the pitcher. If he gets his contract renewed next year, it's a crime.
Craig B - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 10:21 AM EDT (#91104) #
If he gets his contract renewed next year, it's a crime.

Coach has been self-employed too long... clearly he forgets what dealing with a union is like. :)
Pepper Moffatt - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 10:25 AM EDT (#91105) #
http://economics.about.com
If Roy was tossed because of this unusual pre-emptive warning, why didn't Tosca also get the thumb?

Great point. In MLB, it's an automatic ejection for the manager if a pitcher is tossed after beaning a player after a warning is given to both benches.

Cheers,

Mike
_Michael Wolff - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 10:39 AM EDT (#91106) #
I am glad the Toronto fans booed but I feel, and have always felt, the Jays fans are too timid and quiet.

If something like that happened at Yankee Stadium, Cuzzi would not have made it out of the stadium alive.

Toronto fans need to work on making the environment uncomfortable for the opposition and also for umpires so they will think twice about making a call against the Jays.
_Jacko - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 11:03 AM EDT (#91107) #
I thought MLB crushed the umpires union a few years ago.

Or was that just the foolish 50% who quit?

I think a letter writing campaign to Sandy Alderson and/or Bud Selig would do a lot of good. And I mean snail mail:

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball
Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Commissioner
245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10167

I imagine mail for Sandy Alderson sent to the commisioner's office will find it's way to the right person.

Even the most dimwitted of executives (and Alderson is quite swift) should realize that in that game, Halladay was the show. That's why 20,000+ showed up to watch. That's why several hundred thousand tuned in to watch. Only to see that pompous, power drunk jackass throw him out under highly questionable reasons.

I think I'll be altering my plans this week to make sure I show up at least once to heckle Cuzzi.
_snellville jone - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 11:08 AM EDT (#91108) #
You get thrown out of a ballgame for throwing a foul ball onto the field? Is this standard practice in all parks? What about home runs?
Pistol - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 11:22 AM EDT (#91109) #
If Roy was tossed because of this unusual pre-emptive warning, why didn't Tosca also get the thumb? My guess is, Cuzzi knew he'd screwed up, and didn't want to make it worse. So he "forgot" to enforce the rule that runs the manager as well as the pitcher. If he gets his contract renewed next year, it's a crime.

Actually, I think 'forgetting' would hurt his cause more. It makes him wishy-washy which is probably the last thing you want in an ump.

Said another way, I'd rather have an umpire eject Halladay and Tosca, then what this ump did last night. Of course I'd rather have a good umpire over both.
Dave Till - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 11:35 AM EDT (#91110) #
Toronto fans need to work on making the environment uncomfortable for the opposition and also for umpires so they will think twice about making a call against the Jays.

Toronto fans have always been relatively quiet. Part of this is cultural - we Canadians tend to be more diffident than Americans. But part of the reason the Dome is quiet is because it is so large and sparsely populated - anybody who heckles feels conspicuous. I suspect that individual fans don't want to risk getting tossed from the game by an overzealous Dome staffer.

Exhibition Stadium had the same problem - the only noisy fans at the Ex were the ones in the North Grandstand, which was under an enclosed roof. This magnified the sound, and made it possible for fans to yell anonymously.
Craig B - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 11:46 AM EDT (#91111) #
This is why the Cheer Club is such a great idea... it decreases the feeling of "isolation", and gives the other fans something they can "join in" with.
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 11:47 AM EDT (#91112) #
I am glad the Toronto fans booed but I feel, and have always felt, the Jays fans are too timid and quiet.

Which is exactly why we're starting the Cheer Club. I've been told that if we show up as a group and keep it clean, the ushers will be instructed not to bother us.

I am going to make a one-time exception to my positivity rule and lay into Cuzzi tonight. I have about a dozen free tickets for anyone who wants to join in. I am also soliciting suggestions for what to put on our banner.

Drop me a line at aaron@bizfu.net if you want to come yell with me, or if you want to be kept updated on future Cheer Club outings.
_Ryan - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 11:56 AM EDT (#91113) #
From the Tampa Tribune this morning:

``[The umpires] were put in a very precarious situation,'' Rays manager Lou Piniella said. ``It's a tough call for these guys. It came after a home run and a [hit]. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes having to make that call.''

[...]

Baldelli, who later came around to score on Damian Rolls' two-run single that put Tampa Bay ahead 3-0, didn't feel Halladay threw a purpose pitch in that situation.

``I have no reason to think that it was,'' Baldelli said. ``He was pitching well and came inside on the at-bat before that, so that was probably his game plan. I don't think he would be out there doing that.''
Pistol - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 12:20 PM EDT (#91114) #
Hijack alert!

Baseball America has lists of the top 20 prospects in each league. They recently did the NY-P league and had this to say (in the free section - there's better stuff in the subscriber section, but alas, I don't subscribe):

The Blue Jays stocked Auburn with a plethora of college talent, and the team went 56-18 to run away with the league's best record despite the promotions of first-round shortstop Aaron Hill and righthander Jamie Vermilyea. Hill ranked second in the top 20 on a list that included four of his teammates: righty Josh Banks, lefty Kurt Isenberg, shortstop Juan Paralta and first baseman Vito Chiaravalloti. Four other Doubledays -- Vermilyea, third baseman Ryan Roberts and righties Shaun Marcum and Bubbie Buzachero -- also received strong consideration.

5 of the top 20, plus 4 more that were considered. They're off to a good start.
_Craig Bugden - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 12:25 PM EDT (#91115) #
Cuzzi made a mockery of the game last night, and he should never be allowed to umpire a meaningful game again. If a player or manager doesn't perform they eventually get released/fired, traded or sent down but bad umpires stay around year after year to determine the outcome of games played by someone else. It also bugs me to no end how docile the fans are at the Skydome. If that had happened at Fenway the fans would have had Cuzzi's head on a stick
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 01:03 PM EDT (#91116) #
OK, here are some of the finalists for our sign:

PHIL: YOU'RE AN IDIOT

BAN CUZZI <-- my fave so far

HOW MUCH DID YOU WIN ON PRO LINE LAST NIGHT, CUZZI?

CUZZI: YER OUTTA HERE!

or some variation of TOSS CUZZI or EJECT CUZZI or the like.

I need more ideas. Please help.
Pepper Moffatt - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 01:10 PM EDT (#91117) #
http://economics.about.com
For some reason I think the following sign would be really funny:

THIS SIGN WAS EJECTED BY PHIL CUZZI

If I was going to tonight's game, I'd create it and bring it.

Cheers,

Mike
_A - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 01:25 PM EDT (#91118) #
Mike's suggestion has my vote
_EddieZosky - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 01:28 PM EDT (#91119) #
How about:

"Cuzzi likes to boozy"

or for you Jewish fans out there:

"Cuzzi! Oi vay, what a doozy!"
Craig B - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 01:33 PM EDT (#91120) #
I *love* Mike's suggestion.

I also like "I WAS EJECTED BY PHIL CUZZI AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY SIGN" but that's just me.
_mathesond - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 01:35 PM EDT (#91121) #
Surely there must be a pun involving jacuzzi (Ja Cuzzi?) out there
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 01:52 PM EDT (#91122) #
http://bluejayscheerclub.com
Yeah, Mike's suggestion also gets high marks from my wife, who has contributed the following:

HEY PHIL: EJECT THIS!

BOO CUZZI

CHEER CLUB HATES CUZZI

TORONTO HATES CUZZI

...though I think THIS SIGN WAS EJECTED BY PHIL CUZZI might be the winner.

But is it mean enough?

And more of you need to come out to the game with me! Free tickets! Give Cuzzi a hard time! With enough people I can make ALL of these signs.
Pepper Moffatt - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 01:58 PM EDT (#91123) #
http://economics.about.com
But is it mean enough?

The problem is if it's too mean you'll never be able to keep it up there. A sign implying that Phil Cuzzi performs sexual acts on barnyard animals in exchange for busfare might both be mean and hilarious but totally inappropriate.

I think it's more important to get the message across that Cuzzi's ejection was totally arbitrary and inappropriate. So that's why references to the sign being ejected work well.

P.S. "Loathes" is funnier than "Hates" and is less likely to get you kicked out. I think:

Everybody Loathes Cuzzi works better than Toronto Hates Cuzzi, IMHO.

Cuzzi's Doozy Makes Jays Fans Woosy is fun if you're going for cute. At any rate, I'm sure they'll put you on TV tonight.

Cheers,

Mike
_Tenobia - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 02:06 PM EDT (#91124) #
How about There's No XCuzzi for Phil Cuzzi
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 02:09 PM EDT (#91125) #
Everybody Loathes Cuzzi, nice.

Tenobia -- I was trying to come up with some pun on excuse. Thanks!
Pepper Moffatt - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 02:12 PM EDT (#91126) #
http://economics.about.com
I'm really quite excited by the idea of this club. With all the creative minds of the Box, I'm sure it will entertain a lot of people and bring more fans to the dome. I hope you guys can have a few different signs there tonight. I'll be watching for them on TV.

If you're making a mailing list, please put me on it with the e-mail address economics.guide@about.com.

Cheers,

Mike
_Jacko - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 02:21 PM EDT (#91127) #
The puns are great.

I am also partial to simple messages:

MLB: Fire Cuzzi Now

Cuzzi: Resign before MLB fires you

Shame on Cuzzi! Halladay for Cy Young!

etc.
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 02:21 PM EDT (#91128) #
Mike: done.

By the way, the DNS hasn't finished propagating or whatever internet voodoo is involved, so e-mails from the bluejayscheerclub.com website (the link in one of my above posts) to aaron@bluejayscheerclub.com probably won't get through.
_Anonymous - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 02:29 PM EDT (#91129) #
For a sign how about:

FIRE PHIL CUZZI SUCKS!!!
Pepper Moffatt - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 02:34 PM EDT (#91130) #
http://economics.about.com
FIRE PHIL CUZZI SUCKS!!!

Sucks isn't part of Phil's name. It's just how many describe him.

Mike

Phil Cuzzi's Foul Umpiring Brought to You By Johnson's Noseplugs

(Not a sign. A promotion the Jays should hold)
_okbluejays - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 02:54 PM EDT (#91131) #
Mike, you beat me to the punch... as I was reading down the list this came to mind:

"Why? Cuzzi stinks!"
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 02:58 PM EDT (#91132) #
After about fifteen minutes, I finally get Fire Phil Cuzzi Sucks: Fire Phil, cuz he sucks. Wow, I must be tired.
_Anonymous - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 03:01 PM EDT (#91133) #
Big chear for Named For Hank
_A - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 03:02 PM EDT (#91134) #
Can someone get some pictures of this?

If we have so much creativity, why is this thing still called a Cheer Club?
_Jacko - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 03:03 PM EDT (#91135) #
Yeah, that could stand to be a little more obvious:

WHY FIRE PHIL? CUZZI STINKS!
_A - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 03:04 PM EDT (#91136) #
Fire Phil Cuzzi Sucks
After you put that on a sign for tonight's game, send it over to Wheele of Fortune as a Before & After category suggestion. Nice work.
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 03:06 PM EDT (#91137) #
I thought calling it a Cheer Club was kind of funny, seeing as how "Cheer Clubs" are generally happy-go-lucky upbeat things, and ours is based around yelling really loud at baseball games.

By the way, what base will Cuzzi rotate to tonight? And should I try to sit near him or opposite him? Near him and he can hear us, opposite he can read the sign.
_A - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 03:27 PM EDT (#91138) #
Fair enough on the name, I can't think of a good name for a Cheer Club (well maybe the O-Dawg Translators but I'm not sure how many people would get that and Translators has too many syllables).

I believe Cuzzi rotates to first...He'll be able to see you between innings and hear you the entire game.
Pepper Moffatt - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 03:28 PM EDT (#91139) #
http://economics.about.com
After about fifteen minutes, I finally get Fire Phil Cuzzi Sucks: Fire Phil, cuz he sucks. Wow, I must be tired.

Yeah, it took me about that long after I had referenced it in a message. So you're not the only one.

I like the idea of putting punctuation in the middle to make it more obvious.

Cheers,

Mike
_Tenobia - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 03:59 PM EDT (#91140) #
You could run with the Baseball North theme and be the "All Temp-A-Cheer Club". Maybe the laundry detergent would agree to sponsor you.
Dave Till - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 04:14 PM EDT (#91141) #
As far as I recall, the home plate umpire rotates to third base for the next start. (The idea is that the ump moves from the hardest job to the easiest - as Ron Luciano once wrote, the toughest part of a third-base ump's job is making sure he doesn't get hit by foul balls.)

I won't be at the game tonight, but I look forward to hearing about the free and frank discussion of ideas that will undoubtedly take place between you and Cuzzi. :-)
_Ben NS - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 04:17 PM EDT (#91142) #
I really liked
*THIS SIGN WAS EJECTED BY PHIL CUZZI *
It's fun, but I wouldn't mind meaner...
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 04:19 PM EDT (#91143) #
I won't be at the game tonight, but I look forward to hearing about the free and frank discussion of ideas that will undoubtedly take place between you and Cuzzi.

Yeah, I should take a tape recorder so I can post anything good, eh?

In a few minutes I'll post some links to the final sign candidates.
_Ben NS - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 04:22 PM EDT (#91144) #
I really liked
*THIS SIGN WAS EJECTED BY PHIL CUZZI *
It's fun, but I wouldn't mind meaner...

Somehow, I don't think that
KILL PHIL
would make it past security, but what if you drew it during the game?
_Ben NS - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 04:27 PM EDT (#91145) #
PHIL IN YOUR RESIGNATION, CUZZI
_Jack Foley - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 04:34 PM EDT (#91146) #
http://sixthstarter.sentientcitizen.com
I'm in Alberta and I envy all you folks out in Toronto who can take up Named For Hank's offer. I look forward to seeing what you bring to the 'Dome tonight.

Love the site too, by the way.
Craig B - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 04:49 PM EDT (#91147) #
Hey, check out the blog on Jack Foley's name. Cool beans.
_A - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 04:58 PM EDT (#91148) #
I'm thoroughly impressed with the graphic design at Sixth Starter. Great name too. Don't have much time to go through the content but definately somewhere I'll visit again.
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:06 PM EDT (#91149) #
http://bluejayscheerclub.com
Gorgeous looking site, Jack Foley.

Final banner candidates:

http://photographicsolutions.ca/gallery/junk/small1

http://photographicsolutions.ca/gallery/junk/small2

I tried out "This sign was ejected by Phil Cuzzi", but it was just too wordy.
_Spicol - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:07 PM EDT (#91150) #
Craig, sometimes I think you should have been born in the 1920s. That's not meant to be an insult, or a compliment, it's just a vibe I get from your writing.
Gerry - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:18 PM EDT (#91151) #
I vote for small 1
_benum - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:20 PM EDT (#91152) #
I think a name other than 'Cheer Club' would be better.
Something a little more...Woody sounding.

I'd look for something related to the team name but also tougher sounding. Something like...er...Jay-Hawks? That sort of thing.
_A - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:23 PM EDT (#91153) #
I second small1
_Mike H. - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:25 PM EDT (#91154) #
There's a bunch of things in here that I have to take issue with:

Coach wrote:
Also in the bottom of the sixth, a fan sitting in the section to our left expressed his disgust by tossing a foul ball back on the field. This prompted loud cheers, which turned to more boos when the usher (a good friend who played for me for several years) had to reluctantly escort the fan from the premises.

Cuzzi, who was too cowardly to speak to reporters afterward, ruined the game for that fan and more than 20,000 others.


Sorry Coach, but you can't blame THAT ejection on Cuzzi, nor did he ruin the game for that fan. The fan has to take responsiblity for that himself. Throwing anything on the field should not be condoned by any club in Major League Baseball, including the Jays. Throwing any object onto the field of play is dangerous, especially if nobody knows it's coming. Fans in New York and Chicago already have bad reputations for throwing objects onto the field (I'm not talking about the Cubs fans thowing the homerun ball onto the field, everyone knows that's coming). Throwing any object onto the field can do serious injury to a player, or if the person's arm is weak, other fans. Same with throwing coffee, Named for Hank.

Michael Wolff wrote:
Toronto fans need to work on making the environment uncomfortable for the opposition and also for umpires so they will think twice about making a call against the Jays.

I have absolutely no problem with making the environment uncomfortable for opponents. In fact I would encourage it as much as possible. But making it uncomfortable for umpires is extremely misguided, IMO. I sure as hell wouldn't want the Jays to get jobbed on the road because of the fans, and wouldn't want to expect it in Toronto either. It goes along with cultivating a good rep for the Jays. I would expect that umpires wouldn't be swayed one way or another by the reactions of the crowd.

I have no problem with the signs y'all are coming up with to show your displeasure with Mr. Cuzzi's actions last night, but remember that the opponents are the Devil Rays, not the umpires. Maybe your efforts would be better served making signs supporting the Jays. The cheer club is also a wonderful idea. Just don't have it get out of hand.

Finally, I'd just like to get my two cents in that you're killing the messenger when the message should be the real target, ie the rule handed down from MLB that there should be a warning PRIOR to last night's game. The umpire was just enforcing a silly dictum from the Commissioner's office. Unfortunately, that kind of rule makes things extremely tough on the umpire and the players having such a subjective a rule as that. Of course, the Commissioner's office has been taking the fun of rivalry out of baseball by coming down hard on brawls and beanings. Tampa Bay is now 11-5 against the Jays, something the Jays players aren't too proud of I'm sure. But rather than let the rivalry flourish, Alderson comes down with this silly rule and ruins that. Yes, Cuzzi probably did screw up, but he didn't cost Halladay the Cy Young, nor is he an evil man for doing his job.
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:26 PM EDT (#91155) #
http://bluejayscheerclub.com
Just thought of something -- I'm going to be arriving slightly late, and therefore will not know which side Cuzzi is playing. Is there anyone who's going to be watching and/or listening to the game who I can call from Union station at about 7:10 to find out? I wanna be where than punk can hear me.
Craig B - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:37 PM EDT (#91156) #
Something a little more...Woody sounding.

Gorn!
Pepper Moffatt - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:41 PM EDT (#91157) #
http://economics.about.com
The umpire was just enforcing a silly dictum from the Commissioner's office. Unfortunately, that kind of rule makes things extremely tough on the umpire and the players having such a subjective a rule as that... nor is he an evil man for doing his job.

Except for the fact that he didn't do his job. There is absolutely no interpretation of the rules/guidelines that allows him to toss Halladay in that situation and not toss Tosca.

I'm sure Cuzzi is going to be reprimanded for his actions, but it will probably be behind closed door so we'll never hear about it.

Mike
Named For Hank - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:45 PM EDT (#91158) #
http://bluejayscheerclub.com
Same with throwing coffee, Named for Hank.

Which is why we didn't do it. :)

Maybe your efforts would be better served making signs supporting the Jays. The cheer club is also a wonderful idea. Just don't have it get out of hand.

Yes, this is my first exception to my "only positive signs" rule. It's not going to be a jeer club.
_Jonny German - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:45 PM EDT (#91159) #
Mike H, Cuzzi is an idiot who tossed Halladay in the letter of the (inane) law rather than the spirit of it, then lacked either the intelligence or the courage to enforce the whole law and toss Tosca while he was at it. It gets worse: Not only did he blow the call on Toby Hall getting hit later in the inning, he gave in to the anger of the fans and like the coward that he is tried to appease us by tossing Hall undeservedly.

Cuzzi wasn't the whole problem, but he was a very large part of it.
_Mike H. - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 05:52 PM EDT (#91160) #
Mike:

We don't know what the rules/guidelines are for last night's game, only that Alderson handed down some rule saying both team's should be warned at the pre-game conference. Nobody knows what the MLB office said what the enforcement of that rule should have been. I did say that he screwed up, but it's also possible that he could've been hung out to dry by that memo, leaving him to enforce the rule at his discretion. In a perfect world, we, the unwashed masses, would know exactly what the memo said, how it should have been enforced, and what's going to happen to Cuzzi, but MLB doesn't have a good track record on full disclosure, especially when they screw up.
_Simon - Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 07:15 PM EDT (#91161) #
Hey how about something along the lines of Dirtbags? I mean that in regards to JP's labelling his type of players people who like to get dirty thus "The Dirtbags".

Love the signs guys. I would've liked to see "Cuzzi's Doozy Makes Jays Fans Woosy" and "I WAS EJECTED BY PHIL CUZZI AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY SIGN." But those are too long. Wish I was in Toronto because I would be there in a flash.
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