Interaction with Ron Gardenhire

On October 7, 2010, Wendelstedt ejected Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire from Game 2 of the American League Division Series after Gardenhire argued a pitch which appeared to be strike three to Lance Berkman. Wendelstedt ruled it a ball, and on the next pitch Berkman hit a double scoring a run and putting the Yankees up, 3–2 (they would ultimately win, 5–2). It was at least the fourth time Wendelstedt has ejected Gardenhire. In 2005, Gardenhire was suspended one game and fined after delivering a profanity-laced rant about Wendelstedt, and in 2009, Wendelstedt suggested that Gardenhire should attend his umpiring school to "learn what a balk is," after ejecting Gardenhire for arguing a non-balk call.^[2] This contentious history fueled questions about the appropriateness of Major League Baseball putting Wendelstedt on a postseason series involving Gardenhire, as there is precedent in baseball for avoiding such confrontations, most notably the American League removing umpire Ron Luciano from games involving the Baltimore Orioles due to a long history of bad blood between the umpire and Orioles manager Earl Weaver.^[3]

On August 22, 2011, Wendelstedt ejected Twins third baseman Danny Valencia for disputing balls and strikes. Gardenhire came out to argue and his ejection followed. Afterward, Gardenhire said that he and Wendelstedt had actually gotten along well. Gardenhire stated that what had happened was his fault, not Wendelstedt's.^[4]