Armando Galarraga pitched the best game I've ever personally seen. He was dominant, from first pitch to last. 88 pitches, 67 strikes. Galarraga pitched the game of his life against the Indians, as he tossed Major League Baseball's 21st perfect game.
28 Indians up. 28 Indians down.
What? How could there be 28 outs in a perfect game?
There is when the 1st base umpire, Jim Joyce, blatantly blows the call on what should have been was the 27th out.
I feel as if something was robbed from me. Something I'll never get back, and never see again in my lifetime. I cannot even fathom how Armando Galarraga and the Tigers must feel.
As I'm still livid, I could care less as to how Joyce feels, apologetic as he has been, despite his being considered one of baseball's better umpires...everywhere but in Detroit.
Via Lynn Henning of the Detroit News:
"I missed it, I missed it," Joyce barked, his voice at the extreme end of anguished.
"I took a perfect game from that kid who pitched a perfect game.
"It was the biggest call of my career and I kicked the (stuff) out of it.
"I'm sorry. I had a great angle and I missed the call."
"It was the biggest call of my career," said Joyce, who became a full-time major league umpire in 1989.
Joyce blew the biggest call of his career, and his legacy will live on in infamy, with the likes of Don Denkinger.
But you know what? It won't cost Joyce a thing in the eyes of Bud Selig Lite and MLB, who continue to defend the "human element" in baseball. Being a respected umpire, botched call be damned, Joyce will still get choice gigs, like working the ALCS and World Series.
But Galarraga will NEVER a chance at immortality again.
Doesn't seem fair, does it?
Galarraga will still go down in history. His getting screwed out of an "official" perfect game will hopefully be the impetus for instant replay throughout baseball...despite the technology being available for YEARS. I'm sure the NFL, NBA, NHL and NCAA could give Bud and the gang a few tips on implementing replay.
We can only hope.
After the game, everyone, from Galarraga,to Joyce, are saying the right things. Everyone is apologetic and trying to keep a stiff upper lip.
The Tigers can forgive Joyce. Personally, I want my pound of flesh.
Even though it was a night to remember at Comerica Park, there's pair of efforts being overlooked.
Lost in the post game controversy is a marvelous catch by Austin Jackson (Video at MLB.com) for the 1st out in the 9th inning. Jackson covered an amazing amount of ground to run down Mark Grudzielanek’s long drive to deep left center, then made a remarkable over the shoulder catch.
After Jackson saved the perfect game, I thought it was destiny for Galarraga. We all did. Joyce, apparently, felt differently.
Also glossed over is Miguel Cabrera continuing his run to the top of the short list for AL MVP. In the 2nd inning, Miggy gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with his 15th home run of the season, and league leading 49th RBI. His 2 hit game raised his average to .351. He also made a slick fielding play on what should have been the final out of the game.
In the end, what was to be a celebration at Comerica Park was turned into a wake for what should have been. All due to MLB's much embraced human element.
In my eyes, in the eyes of Tigers fans, in the eyes of baseball fans everywhere, Armando Galarraga pitched a perfect game...even if MLB says otherwise, and refuses correct an crushingly obvious wrong.
Bud Selig can go to Hell.