It's unbelievable that we could have had THREE perfect games in one season, let alone three in one month!
First base umpire Jim Joyce blew a call during today's Tigers-Indians game (the Tigers ended up winning 3-0) to deny pitcher Armando Galarraga what would have been a perfecto, the 21st in history, and the third this year after Dallas Braden and Roy Halladay notched their own.
Oh, and he did it with two outs, in the ninth inning. And then Galarraga calmly went and retired the next batter on a routine grounder. So props to him on that.
The ump, afterward, admitted that "I just cost that kid a perfect game... it was the biggest call of my career." (from ESPN)
If I'm Joyce, I'm calling Armando to apologize, and I'm taking him (and his interpreter) someplace real nice for dinner. It's the least he can do. Really he should get him a freakin' car or something. I will say this; It was classy of him to admit his mistake right away.
Also, somewhere Joe West is crazy jealous that he couldn't blow that call to promote his country album.
Story at ESPN, with commentary from Tim Kurkjian, quotes from Joyce.
Kurkjian makes an interesting point on this story and instant replay.
Safe or Out has always been one of those judgement calls, like Ball or Strike - I know when I was a little league ump, I would have hated to have a camera behind my back 24/7, but maybe if you allow one or two challenges a game, you avoid stories like this.
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