[Ump] Blows Call In 9th Preventing a "Perfect Game"

[cotraveller]

They could at least put some sand traps and water hazards in the outfield to make it more like golf.

How about Minute Maid Park, formerly Enron Field and Astros Field, in Houston? It has a hill and a flagpole in fair territory in center field.

 

[falmouth3]

This is less frequent than a once in a lifetime opportunity for any pitcher. Thumbs down on Selig's decision. Now that was a BAD call. Fire Bud Selig.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Philosophical Sports Wisdom From "Semi-Tough."

This is less frequent than a once in a lifetime opportunity for any pitcher. Thumbs down on Selig's decision. Now that was a BAD call. Fire Bud Selig.

What could have happened, did.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​



 

[SherryS]

We sat at the Tigers' game yesterday and watch as Galarraga got a new 2010 Corvette from GM for his "sportsmanship". Then Galarraga brought the line-up card to the homeplate umpire, Jim Joyce. Joyce was shown on TV later with tears in his eyes. What a wonderful display of sportsmanship by the entire Tigers' organization. Maybe , we could all learn a lesson from this.

 

[jamstew]

We sat at the Tigers' game yesterday and watch as Galarraga got a new 2010 Corvette from GM for his "sportsmanship". Then Galarraga brought the line-up card to the homeplate umpire, Jim Joyce. Joyce was shown on TV later with tears in his eyes. What a wonderful display of sportsmanship by the entire Tigers' organization. Maybe , we could all learn a lesson from this.

Amazing story.

 

[Kozman]

Just add an asterisk to the records and give him his moment of fame. Galarraga pitched the first 28 out perfect game in the history of baseball!

 

[Kozman]

I am not a baseball fan at all. In fact reading this post was the first I had heard about this. But just reviewing the two pictures presented it doesn't look like to me that the first baseman's foot is on the base. It looks like its hovering over it. However neither is the runners. If you assume that the first baseman's foot continued moving down to the base it looks like he should have hit the bag before the first baseman reached 1st making the runner out.

That being said if the first basemen did hit the bag before the runner got out there and there is evidence to support that I think the commissionier should reverse the call.

I think this aspect is similar to the beginning of a double play where the second baseman's foot is in proximity of the bag. Yet the runner is invariably called out.

 

[nightnurse613]

Well, it seems to me that Gallalagra has gotten and will receive as much if not more attention for his game than any other pitcher who has ever pitched a perfect game. He has demonstrated sportsmanship, gotten a new car and everyone knows what he did. I think adding his name to the list (with an asterisk) would be fine. At least a lawyer hasn't stepped forward (yet) to sue MLB. I didn't see the game since I don't normally watch baseball - but I have seen the replays MANY times and from MANY angles. I thought they could appeal the call to the home plate umpire? Did they? I would have thought ALL EYES would have been on the play.

 

[pgnewarkboy]

Just add an asterisk to the records and give him his moment of fame. Galarraga pitched the first 28 out perfect game in the history of baseball!

There is no need for an asterisk. He pitched a perfect game. The umpire admitted it.

This is just one more example of baseball's stupidity and another reason not to bother with the game. The object of any game is to get the calls right. There could not be a clearer case for over turning the ruling in the best interest of the sport. If necessary, make it a one time exception and then join the the 20th century (much less the 21st) by using the available technology properly. Baseball ratings stink. It is a dying sport. This is one more reason it is dying. Yes we all know some arcane stupid view of the tradition of the game says no. That is why baseball is viewed as irrelevant to most young people today.

 

[falmouth3]

There is no need for an asterisk. He pitched a perfect game. The umpire admitted it.

It is a dying sport.

I agree with you about it being a perfect game. However, if you think it's a dying sport, just come to Boston. This is a real baseball town!

Sue

 

[Elan]

In another week, the only people that will care about this are Galarraga, Joyce and Selig.

 

[Ironwood]

Selig should have reversed the call, but has said he will not! Sports that are run by elderly administrators, rooted in tradition and the status quo have to change and stay current! Soccer which does not embrace technology to support referee decisions in any way, is fraught with horrendous decisions and missed calls which are just as significant in the outcome of the result. In a game where every goal is critical, the worst referee/linesman errors are goals given or not given...the issue being whether the ball has crossed the goal line. The quest should be to get the right call, not stand steeped in tradition and be content to say 'errors are part of the game'.

 

[pedro47]

Yes! It was a blown call, my feeling are what ever you may think, the call should not be reverse by Bud Selig, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball and that was an excellent and the correct decision by Selig .

 

[pgnewarkboy]

I agree with you about it being a perfect game. However, if you think it's a dying sport, just come to Boston. This is a real baseball town!

Sue

Boston and NY are sold out of course. They have the most money to buy championships. Go to better than 60% of the stadiums and see how empty they are unless Boston, NY, or possibly Phila, and LA show up. Some teams are so bad financially they can't even dump them.

Even in Fla which has had some decent teams in the recent past have awful attendance.

TV contracts for baseball stink when compared to the NFL. Most young people couldn't care less about baseball. Baseball tickets are not the hottest tickets in virtually any town with a few exceptions. In Baltimore the Orioles, one of the oldest and greatest traditions in baseball, can't sell out even if the Yankees come. The Ravens haven't won anything in about 7 years and they are sold out and the talk of the town every season.

Umpiring is, of course, one of many problems. If Baseball doesn't tackle parity and start promoting its stars as national stars - not team stars- the league will whither away. The last national baseball star IMO was Cal Ripken. Everyone knew and loved Cal Ripken. (Sosa, McGwire, and Bonds became known but soon hated) Howard, Pulholtz, and some of the younger and perhaps the greatest players the sport will ever see have zero impact beyond their locales. The game has some of the best pitchers and hitters it has ever had and the result is a resounding thud.

I think I am showing more concern for the sport in this little post than the league itself. If they don't care, why should I.

The perfect game that wasn't is another symptom of the disease that is killing MLB.

 

[Goofyhobbie]

O. K.,

Some time has passed and I have had the opportunity to reflect on what happened at the moment that the call was made and since (having seen the play a dozen times over and over.)

The UMP clearly blew the call!

But, I am forced to take back what I said when I started this thread.

It is apparent that Jim Joyce clearly felt horrible about missing what will, no doubt, become one of the all-time high lights of the National pastime that we call Major League Baseball. NOT, because Joyce missed the call; but because of the look on Armando Galarraga's face when he realized that the call had gone against him.

The apology that Joyce gave following the game had to have come from the "heart" otherwise how could it have been more colorful. You have to appreciate that Joyce is a hard working "average blue coller" worker who just happens to also be one of baseball's premier Umpires. He showed his humanity through his profanity-laced apology.

I made a serious error when I suggested that he be demoted or fired.

Typically, in Major League Baseball and in many sandlot games as well as most of the in-between levels of baseball, the only ones who will not admit there is an element of human error in the game are those who commit the human errors.

Jim Joyce's contrition, as it turned out, was to me very admirable and I have to say his language was appropriate given the nature of the game as it is played by little boys and high salaried individuals throughout this great country of ours. At one time or another, we who watch the game have seen one UMP or another who has blown a call and failed to step up to the plate and show the humility that the mistake should require.

BUT, Armando Galarraga's response was "PRICELESS!"

It would be great if every kid in America who is involved in Sports of any kind would get to see the segment televised when the camera caught Galarraga's reaction to what happened, both immediately after it happened and later in the Detroit clubhouse. His "Why Me? grin that greeted the call was perfect. He acknowledged what happened without "showing up" anybody. There is no way to know how he kept his cool like that; but his Sportsmanship was OUTSTANDING and for him to so graciously accept Jim Joyce's apology in post game interviews demonstrated to me a lot of class that is sorely lacking in Major League (High Salaried Pre-Madonna Sport!)

To the Ump that blew the call, you blew the [bleep] out of baseball history; but the incident should always be looked upon as something great for the sport.