As I'm sure the entire sports world knows by now, Tigers Pitcher Armando Galarraga was denied a perfect game because of a blown call by first base umpire Jim Joyce last night in Detroit's 3-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
With two outs in the ninth inning, Cleveland's Jason Donald hit a bouncer that first baseman Miguel Cabrera fielded and tossed to Galarraga who raced from the mound to cover the bag. The throw beat Donald by a full step but umpire Jim Joyce called him safe.
After the game, Joyce was pretty confident about his call even as some Tiger players and manager Jim Leyland were in his face telling him otherwise. When he looked at the replay afterwards, however, he realized his mistake.
Joyce was pretty distraught and apologized to Galarraga. To his credit, Galarraga took it in stride. He had to be disappointed but took the high-road and accepted Joyce's apology with class.
Today, all I heard was talk of the need for instant replay in MLB. Well, expanded instant replay. They already review disputed home runs.
I can't see any benefit in having instant replay in baseball. I initially thought it was a good idea, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there are just way too many variables in baseball to have calls changed on a regular basis.
For example, let's say that there is a runner on 2nd or 3rd base with less than two outs and a ball is hit towards the gap in left-center field. The left-fielder dives and the ball winds up in his glove but the umpire rules that he trapped it. The runner on base scores without tagging up. What happens if they review it and the replay shows that the outfielder really did catch the ball. Is the base-runner doubled-off for leaving early?
And what about the "neighborhood play" where the umpires almost always give the second baseman or shortstop the benefit of the doubt on a double-play or force-out at second base? There would be replay challenges every game because of that.
They have instant replay in the NBA and NHL, but there isn't as much to cover in those sports. All the officials mainly review in basketball is whether the shooter gets the shot off before the red light goes on. And in the NHL, they just review goals.
In the NFL, instant replay is necessary because the game is much faster, and there are many things going on at once.
Besides, there numerous camera angles to choose from in your average NFL telecast. That isn't the case in baseball where some games aren't even televised.
I just don't see the need for instant replay because of one bad call.
I know Galarraga would love to have a perfect game on his resume, but there have already been two pitched this season. Years from now, nobody will be talking about the perfect games pitched by Dallas Braden or Roy Halladay earlier this season. They'll be talking about Galarraga's miscarriage of justice.
He's now the biggest pitching martyr since former Pirate Harvey Haddix, who in 1959 pitched 12 perfect innings in a game in Milwaukee before losing 1-0. It's considered the greatest game ever pitched and it's not even in the record books as a perfect game or a no-hitter.
People are also clamoring for the commissioner to change the call and award Galarraga the perfect game. He's well-within his power to do-so, too. But if he does that, he might as well award the 1985 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals who were victimized by a similar call by first-base umpire Don Denkinger.
If I'm Galarraga, I wouldn't want the call changed. Everyone knows he pitched a perfect-game even if the record book says otherwise.
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