Armando Galarraga has Perfect Game Stolen by Bad Call

[Oldtix]

The more I think about it, if the Tigers protest the game the commissioner will have to make a ruling and is sure to overturn the decision. Clearly, the pitcher has been robbed of the celebration but he'll gain immortality.

I'm still in disbelief. I was at Game Six of the 1985 Series and saw the Denkinger call; at least in that one the error didn't end the game. This one is cut and dry.

[nolemmings]

Oldtix, it is my understanding that an official protest must be registered before the next pitch, or at least not after the game has ended. Also, it is my understanding that you cannot protest a judgment call, only a rules interpretation or other limited call.

I don't think that this one will be rectified.

[sayhey24]

A judgment call by an umpire cannot be protested. That said, the Commissioner has broad powers, but I don't see him stepping in and declaring this a perfect game.
The assertion earlier in this thread that this would be bad for baseball is the strangest and most misguided thing I've heard in a long time.

Greg

[batsballsbases]

Originally Posted by sayhey24

A judgment call by an umpire cannot be protested. That said, the Commissioner has broad powers, but I don't see him stepping in and declaring this a perfect game.
The assertion earlier in this thread that this would be bad for baseball is the strangest and most misguided thing I've heard in a long time.

Greg

Greg,
I totally agree I dont know where Brock was when he was think of that but he should think really hard about what he said. Bad for baseball? How ? In what way is it bad? Yep I guess it would rank right up there with the steroid boys breaking The Maris home run record. Bad? Give the man the credit he is due for something that is very difficult to acomplish .

[yanks12025]

Originally Posted by batsballsbases

Greg,
I totally agree I dont know where Brock was when he was think of that but he should think really hard about what he said. Bad for baseball? How ? In what way is it bad? Yep I guess it would rank right up there with the steroid boys breaking The Maris home run record. Bad? Give the man the credit he is due for something that is very difficult to acomplish .

So you think it was best for baseball that cheaters took records away from players who earned there records. Maris earned his record, while Bonds, Mark and Sammy cheated to beat the record. Just like Bonds cheated Hank Aaron out of his homerun title.

[batsballsbases]

Originally Posted by yanks12025

So you think it was best for baseball that cheaters took records away from players who earned there records. Maris earned his record, while Bonds, Mark and Sammy cheated to beat the record. Just like Bonds cheated Hank Aaron of the homerun title.

No Brock I said it Sarcastically. (note rollie eyes) The Maris record should stand. Until someone who isnt on the juice is proven to have beat it in the right way. Aarons record should also stand. What Im trying to still figure out from your statement is how 3 perfect game is bad for baseball. Only a moron would have said something like that!

[yanks12025]

I'm taken back everything i said because im not going to get in a agruement about stupid stuff. It's just a game.

[insidethewrapper]

This was the first 28 out perfect game in history. The official scorer should call an error on the play so at least it would be a no-hitter. He needs to talk with the umpire and if the pitcher (Galagarra) bobbled the ball then an error could be scored on the play. This is insane. The first Detroit Tiger perfect game in history comes down to a blown call on the last play. And yes it was Guillen's (2b) ball and not the Cabrera's to field, but can't blame him for going after it.

[old-baseball]

As an Indians fan I was pulling for someone to break up the perfect game. As a baseball fan it's just a shame it had to end the way that it did, especially after the great catch to start the inning. The call that the umpire made at first base was the second blown call in two innings. He also called Damon safe in the bottom of the 8th when he was out and it led to two additional runs for the Tigers.

The home run records still stand with Aaron and Maris as far as I'm concerned.

[FrankWakefield]

First, I've not seen the replays, and want to see them.

Next, I believe you guys, and have no doubt that this was a crap call.

But I cannot agree with the idea of a protest or of the Commissioner tampering with this. I don't think the call is subject to protest. My recollection of the rules is such that this isn't something subject to a protest. This Commissioner has screwed enough stuff up, both by action and inaction, we really don't want every play and every call subject to fiat decisions of Commissioners.

Come on, guys. Is it a ball or a strike, it ain't nuthin' 'til I call it. There's no crying in baseball.

This was a BS call, it's a damn shame... and that's the end of it. And I agree, it is reminiscent of the 1985 World Series. I was laying in the floor, watching my Cardinals. I just starred at the TV in disbelief. I'm sorry for Mr. Galarraga.

[GrayGhost]

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=8616789

[AndyG09]

I watched it go down live, and it was sickening. Jackson's catch for the first out in the 9th was absolutely ridiculous. The local broadcast team on Fox Sports went nuts. I thought Rick Sutcliffe made a great point tonight on the Cards-Reds game. "The fans attending that game tonight were cheated out of history." So was Armando Galarraga.

[Butch7999]

Just looked at it in slo-mo -- utterly routine play, not even close, runner out by almost a full stride. What's "bad for baseball" is umpiring that embarrassingly inept. A beer-league softball ump wouldn't have blown that one.

[cubsguy1969]

The umpire admitted already that he blew the call. A couple of excerpts from the story on espn.com. It was classy of the kid not to throw a fit.


"I just cost that kid a perfect game," Joyce said. "I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay."
"It was the biggest call of my career," said Joyce, who became a full-time major league umpire in 1989.


Joyce faced a group of hostile Tigers -- led by Leyland -- between the pitching mound and home plate after the final out and was booed lustily by the crowd of 17,738 as he walked off the field.
"I don't blame them a bit or anything that was said," Joyce said. "I would've said it myself if I had been Galarraga. I would've been the first person in my face, and he never said a word to me."

[19cbb]

Originally Posted by cubsguy1969

The umpire admitted already that he blew the call. A couple of excerpts from the story on espn.com. It was classy of the kid not to throw a fit.

"I just cost that kid a perfect game," Joyce said. "I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay."
"It was the biggest call of my career," said Joyce, who became a full-time major league umpire in 1989.

Joyce faced a group of hostile Tigers -- led by Leyland -- between the pitching mound and home plate after the final out and was booed lustily by the crowd of 17,738 as he walked off the field.
"I don't blame them a bit or anything that was said," Joyce said. "I would've said it myself if I had been Galarraga. I would've been the first person in my face, and he never said a word to me."

This kid is what's good for baseball!
Class act!

[JP]

(212) 931-7800

You can call and leave a message for the commissioner. Maybe with Joyce admitting he blew the call, they will correct this....

[pgellis]

Originally Posted by Oldtix

The more I think about it, if the Tigers protest the game the commissioner will have to make a ruling and is sure to overturn the decision. Clearly, the pitcher has been robbed of the celebration but he'll gain immortality.

I'm still in disbelief. I was at Game Six of the 1985 Series and saw the Denkinger call; at least in that one the error didn't end the game. This one is cut and dry.

You can only protest a rules interpretation:

See MLB Rules:

4.19
PROTESTING GAMES.
Each league shall adopt rules governing procedure for protesting a game, when a manager claims that an umpire’s decision is in violation of these rules. No protest shall ever be permitted on judgment decisions by the umpire. In all protested games, the decision of the League President shall be final.
Even if it is held that the protested decision violated the rules, no replay of the game will be ordered unless in the opinion of the League President the violation adversely affected the protesting team’s chances of winning the game.

[sbfinley]

Just caught the start of today's game. I take back everything I said aloud and quietly about Joyce. He's a class act. And he's human.

[Butch7999]

Just a footnote, and not at all to derail the discussion here, but:

ctownboy: "If this were a disputed play that ended an NFL, NBA or NHL game, the officials would just go to instant replay and get the call right."

The 1999 Stanley Cup Final was decided on an egregiously blown call -- the infamous "No Goal" non-call in sudden-death overtime of Game 6, when Hull, with his foot well inside the crease and the puck well outside it (not merely illegal, but the controversial new rule that had all but defined that season), slid the puck in to wrongly end the game, the series, and the season. Instant replay in the NHL was de rigueur then, sickenly overused in fact and for exactly those sort of infractions, but with the Cup itself at stake, the officials never went to the video on the biggest play of the entire year.

As a footnote to that footnote, consider too the countless plays subjected to video review in the NFL over the past several years. How many times, despite it, have blown calls been held up and even correct calls been overturned? -- including some on huge game-turning, game-deciding plays... Too many to count...