Joyce's Call Worse Than Denkinger's? How Will This Impact Baseball's Future?

Whether you like it or not, Jim Joyce's missed call yesterday that would have seen Armando Galarraga get the 21st perfect game in history and, unbelievably, the third one in the last 24 days will cause for demand for some changes in baseball's reviewing abilities. This will forever live in baseball history as a "what could have been" moment for Galarraga and will haunt Joyce until the end of his umpiring career.

When Joyce called Cleveland's Jason Donald safe at first base in what should have been the last play of the game, it was evident that he made the wrong call. Joyce emphatically told the media after the game that he made the wrong call and said himself that it was a moment that would haunt him forever.

Should this call serve as a purpose for further reviewing abilities in baseball?

I believe it should.

An article written on here by David Mitchell states that baseball prides itself as being one of the purest sports in North America. All major calls are made at ground level by the umpires and only very recently has video review been brought in to look at questionable home runs.

I have read comments and articles from many different websites that say that there are many mistakes (although many not coming anywhere near to the effect of Joyce's call) that can influence the outcome of a baseball game. The most notable of these would be Don Denkinger's missed call at first base in the ninth inning of game six of the 1985 World Series. The inning would be prolonged allowing Kansas City to rally from being down by one run to win the game, tying the series at three games a piece. Kansas City would eventually win the World Series in seven games.

There are reports saying that Bud Selig might try and reverse the call to give Galarraga his rightful place in baseball history. Many people have expressed their stance against this cause saying that it would undermine the authority that is entrusted to umpires during the on goings of a game.

I believe that if it is possible it should be done. Nobody should be denied their rightful place in history because of a missed call that everybody agrees should have been called otherwise. If Selig has the power and there is a chance than the call should be reversed. I know I am welcoming lots of criticism for my stance but it is the right thing to do.

Of course Denkenger's missed call in 1985 will be a prime example of calls that have proved costly. The difference between that call and this one however is that there was no possible way to know how it would affect the rest of the game. With Joyce's call it was completely evident what was on the line at that precise moment.

This is a very unique call that will may never see again in baseball. However there is nothing saying that another missed call could arise that could potential shape the outcome of history. This just furthers the cause for there to be more abilities for instant replay.

Every other sport has welcomed the ability for instant replay. Even if it may undermine the authority of umpires to some degree, wouldn't it allow the game to be played fairly?

There was even an incident last night where instant replay could have undoubtedly shaped the outcome of a series. Last night in the Stanley Cup Finals, Philadelphia scored a goal which referee's had not seen. Almost two minutes had passed until the next whistle and when the play was reviewed it was ruled a goal. Philadelphia ended up winning that game in overtime 4-3 and now trail the series 2-1.

What would have happened if it hadn't been reviewed?

The game most likely would have not made it to overtime, Philadelphia would have lost, and they would trail the series 3-0, all but guaranteeing the super powered Chicago Blackhawks the Stanley Cup.

Moments like this happen all the time in the world of sports. It seems futile that, with all the advancements in technology at our disposal, baseball continue to ignore the advantages of instant replay.

Don Denkenger himself supported instant replay when the New York Post questioned him yesterday:

"Maybe instant replay can clean things up," Denkinger told the Post , "If a play is missed, it can be corrected. I didn't feel that way in '85, but I feel that way now. We want everything to be called correctly. Unfortunately it isn't, because we're just human beings."

Instant replay can only bring advantages to the game of baseball and make sure that it be as fair as possible. It makes no sense to constantly rely on umpires to make game changing decisions without any ability to back up their cause. If instant replay is not implemented in the MLB, then there is nothing stopping other umpires from making history changing calls in the future that will forever follow them like Don Denkinger and now Jim Joyce.