YOU SAID:
he got the short of the stick
INTO JAPANESE
彼は棒のショートを得た
BACK INTO ENGLISH
he got a bar short
INTO JAPANESE
彼はバーが短くなった
BACK INTO ENGLISH
he shortened the bar
INTO JAPANESE
彼はバーを短くした
BACK INTO ENGLISH
he shortened the bar
That didn't even make that much sense in English.