Blind Fury: The 5 Worst Umpire Calls In MLB Playoff History

The Boys in Blue have been screwing up big-time in this year's postseason. Look back at the biggest blown calls of all time.

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Anyone who's been following this year's MLB playoffs can see that the umpires are either on their Tim Donaghy steez or in serious need of a visit to an optometrist. Umpire Tim McClelland's blown call at third (see the picture above and video at the bottom) in Game 4 of the ALCS was just the latest in a series of gaffes that have many baseball fans clamoring for instant replay (and just hope that one of those calls doesn't go against the Yankees, else that clamoring's gonna turn into a full bore apoplectic fit).

However, it isn't just this year that the umps have been watching different games than everyone else. Turns out the Stevie Wonder swagger jackers have been at it for decades, as you'll see with our list of the 5 biggest blown calls in MLB playoff history...

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#5: ERIC GREGG'S ENDLESS STRIKE ZONE
Those Involved: Livan Hernandez (Florida Marlins), umpire Eric Gregg, Fred McGriff (Atlanta Braves).
When: 1997 NLCS Game 5
The Call: Eric Gregg had been calling a wide strike zone all game so it really wasn't that much of a surprise when he called Fred McGriff out on the final pitch on a ball that was at least a foot outside of the average strike zone. The Marlins went on to win the series in six. Overweight and hungry umpire + Miami's sweltering heat = pitcher's paradise.

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#4: ED ARMBRISTER RUNS INTO CARLTON FISK
Those Involved: Carlton Fisk (Boston Red Sox), Ed Armbrister (Cincinnati Reds) umpire Larry Barnett.
When: 1975 World Series Game 3
The Call: After attempting a sacrifice bunt, Armbrister collided with Fisk at the plate, causing Fisk to make a throwing error. Umpire Barnett failed to make the interference call and the Reds went on to win the game 4-3, and the Series in 7. Barnett and Bill Buckner are the reasons why every Boston fan who died before October 2004 went to their grave without ever seeing the Sox win it all.

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1991-ws-wrestle-tag

#3: RON GRANT WRESTLED OFF 1ST
Those Involved: Ron Gant (Atlanta Braves) and Kent Hrbek (Minnesota Twins) and umpire Drew Coble.
When: 1991 World Series Game 1
The Call: After a single, Gant rounds toward second but heads back, and that's when Twins' pitcher Kevin Tapani throws back to first. Twins' first baseman Kent Hrbek then wrestled Gant off first to get the out call. In what ended up being a seven game series where five games were decided by one run, the players didn't need a WWF SummerSlam intro.

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Jeffrey Maier saves the day

BONUS: WHO'S ON 3RD?
Those Involved: Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano (New York Yankees), Mike Napoli (Anaheim Angels) and umpire Tim McClelland
When: 2009 ALCS Game 4
The Call: Posada caught in a rundown heads back to third, Cano advances on the fielders choice and runs from second to third, only problem neither of them ever touches base and Napoli tags both out. When it comes to baserunners, McClelland obviously takes after Ray Charles. He don't see nobody!

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