Current MLB Instant Replay Rules Cost Armando Galarraga a Perfect Game

Three perfect games already in the 2010 season? Nope. Not on record at least.

In the Detroit Tigers game on Wednesday against the Cleveland Indians, Armando Galarraga couldn’t have been more on top of his game. He had a perfect game going with two outs in the ninth inning.

Jason Donald came up to the plate and grounded a ball to first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who threw it to Galarraga. He then, according to the replay, stepped on first before Donald did.  Not according to umpire Jim Joyce, however.

A perfect game wiped out of the record books with one incorrect call. It would have only been the 21^st perfect game in MLB history.

Joyce said he was erring on the safe side, but should Galarraga lose his place in history as a result? Joyce went on to personally apologize to Galarraga and was visibly upset, taking the field today in tears.

After the replay was aired over and over again, there was debate over whether the call should be overturned. Commissioner Bud Selig refuses to reverse the call, costing Tigers pitcher Galarraga a perfect game, but said that Major League Baseball will look at expanded replay and umpiring.

As it stands, instant replay can only be used for questionable home runs.

I’ll be the first to admit, it would be irresponsible and ridiculous to allow challenging simple balls and strikes.  With baseball being a sport that doesn’t run by the clock, games could drag on forever.

But baseball can’t deny and continue to ignore the advances in technology. There should be an easy solution and way of reviewing questionable calls.  The question comes to where to stop. When does instant replay hinder the game instead of help? 

The NFL and NHL seem to have it down, but baseball is still behind. They recently started using replay to review home runs and it’s been successful without dragging the game out.

Maybe it’s time to expand the rules and prevent another perfect game from being called imperfectly.