Bud Selig Made the Right Call by Not Overturning Jim Joyce Blown Call

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday he will not enact executive powers and overturn Jim Joyce's blown call at first base that cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game.

On a Wednesday night that ended all wrong in the eyes of many, Selig made the right decision. We all know Cleveland Indians infielder Jason Donald was not only out, but he was the 27th out in what would have been the 21st perfect game in MLB history, and the third in 2010 alone.

“As Jim Joyce said in his postgame comments, there is no dispute that last night’s game should have ended differently,” Selig said in a statement. “While the human element has always been an integral part of baseball, it is vital that mistakes on the field be addressed."

“Given last night’s call and other recent events, I will examine our umpiring system, the expanded use of instant replay and all other related features.”

Everyone at Comerica Park knew it. Joyce knew it after watching the replay following the game, and admitted to the world he make an incorrect verdict on the play. But overturning the call would not be in the game's best interest even though a baseball rarity was at stake.

If Donald had actually been safe, but was called out, would people be asking to have the perfect game nullified?

I'm not a fan of the human element to spite the use of replay, just to keep the game pure. The job of any umpire is to make sure he gets the call right. And if technology can provide assistance, it should be considered.

But to be reactionary at this point just to make everyone feel better is almost as egregious as calling a base runner safe when he is clearly out, considering the Minnesota Twins also have a legit beef with the state of umpiring after dropping a 2-1 decision to the Seattle Mariners just hours after the controversy in Detroit was reaching a boiling point.

With two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning Twins second baseman Matt Tolbert fielded a grounder hit by Ichiro and flipped to shortstop J.J. Hardy in an attempt to force out Jack Wilson. Veteran umpire Dale Scott ruled that Wilson, sliding head first, beat the throw. On the play Ryan Langerhans scored the game winning run. 

That call affected the standings, however, no one is calling for Selig to step in and repeal that ruling.

"The replays show he's out, bottom line. We don't need to talk about that anymore. It's all out there for you. Just go watch the replays," Ron Gardenhire told the St. Paul Pioneer Press after the game.

In 2009, the Twins were victimized twice by the lack of instant replay review.

Late in Game Two of the American League Division Series versus the New York Yankees Joe Mauer hit what appeared to be a lead-off double down the left field line. Umpire Phil Cuzzi, straddling the line, called the drive foul. Replay showed the ball was fair by a foot. Minnesota would go on to lose the game on a Mark Teixeria walk-off homer.

Michael Cuddyer was called out on a game-ending play, attempting to score the tying run from second base on a wild pitch by the Oakland+Athletics" title="More news, photos about Oakland Athletics">Oakland Athletics ' Michael Wuertz in a wild 14-13 game last July. Television replays revealed Cuddyer was indeed safe on the play.

If the Twins go on to win that game, there is possibly no need for a one-game playoff for the American League Central division title three months later against, ironically, the Tigers.

Minnesota wins the division outright without taxing its pitching staff prior to taking on the Yankees in the postseason.

Wednesday's events should force Selig to immediately expand the replay system. Not to change one call because the play has been recapitulated countless times via television and debated by talking heads ad nauseum.

Even though Mark McGwire admitted he took performance enhancing drugs during his career, the league will not likely take away his 583 home runs.

Alex Rodriguez can sleep a little sounder knowing MLB probably won't step in and place an asterisk next to however many round trippers he accumulates at the end of his career, although he also confessed to dabbling in the use of steroids.

When a pitcher is caught doctoring the ball and subsequently ejected from the game, his line is not changed. A slugger discovered using a corked bat still has his plate appearances logged in the official box score

If those cases are not tampered with after the fact, then Galarraga's imperfect perfect game should stand.