Baseball Umpire blows last call in perfect game
So what we see here should have been the 27th out in the third perfect game thrown this year, the 21st perfect game thrown in Major League Baseball, and the first perfect game thrown in Detroit Tigers history, and the career mark for Pitcher Armando Galarraga. In an incredible move of baseball buffoonery the first base umpire, one Jim Joyce, actually called this runner safe.
To be perfectly fair Joyce admitted he had blown this call after returning to the locker rooms and watching the replay (albeit after being lambasted by Tigers manager Jim Leyland and a good percentage of their roster), but that does not give back what should have been an incredible moment for Galarraga, the Detroit Tigers, and the City of Detroit. I have never felt so empty inside on a night where my team actually won the game.
Two things need to happen, first and foremost MLB Commissioner Bud Selig needs to rule that Galarraga did indeed throw a perfect game, and apologize profusely for his official blowing the call. Then some form of instant replay needs to be added to the MLB for calls just like this one. I understand the guy is human and he made a mistake, but the league cannot allow human error to steal away what should have been a proud moment in baseball history.
Baseball purists are going to have to wisen up and understand that we live in the digital age. They gave in on instant replay for home runs, and now we need some kind of system for plays just like this one. While I feel terrible for my team, our fans, and the city of Detroit. I feel worse for Galarraga who just returned to the big club recently and pitched the finest game of his career. We should also feel bad for Tigers CF Austin Jackson who made an unbelievable catch for the first out (26th in a row) to start the ninth inning.
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•Detroit Tigers news and notes
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•MTR Michigan.com
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