Armando Galarraga Robbed of Perfect Game

By Mark Paul

 

Top of the ninth inning, two outs, 13 career hits Cleveland shortstop up to bat with a perfect game for pitcher Armando Galarraga on the line. The ball is hit sharply to first base, Miguel Cabrera picks up the ball as Armando Galarraga runs to first base. The ball leaves Cabrera’s hand quickly, the ball is caught, Galarraga’s foot beats out the runner for a perfect game! At least that’s what should have happened…

 

Instead Umpire Jim Joyce called the play safe. Not the most egregious call of all-time, but still an obvious out. How is this mistake made? How with a call that close do you not side with the pitcher? Something so rare, something that has only happened 20 other times in the history of Major League Baseball, something that cements a pitcher into the annals of  baseball history, and a bad call costs Galarraga of the best game a Detroit Tigers pitcher has ever pitched.  Instead, it will go down as the one that should have been. A game that would've gone down in history but will now just be a solid, but not historic, one-hit game.

No one should threaten Joyce for the mistake he made. He didn't do it on purpose, he wasn't out to get Galarraga, but when it comes down to it, he cost him a perfect game. An apology must be given by him and Major League Baseball. I believe that Bud Selig should award Galarraga with an official perfect game, but it down in the record books, and just throw an asterisk next to the game. This would be something that would be commended by baseball and non-baseball fans alike. The look on Galarraga's face when he realized a perfect game had been stolen from him said it all. He actually laughed! Laughed as if to say, "That would happen."

I say we laugh right along with him...until MLB decides to use instant replay...