Another Problem for Detroit

Armando Galarraga (20-18 for his career) needed one more out to join the likes of Dallas Braden and Roy Halladay to be the third pitcher since, take a seat, May 9th to throw a perfect game. He had mastered his pitches all day. His pitches constantly moved around the plate confusing batters and making them look foolish' especially his offspeed pitches. He was calm. He was determined. He was set on each out. He deserved this perfect game. Detroit, as a city, deserved this game, but it was taken from them.

It wasn't taken from him by a teammate's error or lack of hustle (just watch the centerfielder, Austin Jackson, run down the ball for the first out of the ninth). It wasn't taken from him by a bad pitch. It was taken by Robert Joyce. Joyce is neither a fielder or a hitter. He is merely the guy making calls behind first base. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Jason Donald fisted a slow grounder in between first and second. The first baseman, Miguel Cabrera, ran down the ball and-rather slowly-flipped it to Galarraga at first just in time or so it had appeared to everyone anxiously glued to their television sets, even Indian fans. He may have bobbled the ball, but it was completely obvious that he had the runner beat by a foot or two. Joyce flat out just missed the call. Not only had he had deprived this young pitcher of becoming a member of a very select club, but he also deprived this team of needed motivation and celebration.

Anyways, the true moral learned from this debacle is not whether instant replay should be used for similar plays in the future of if the call should be overturned. It was shown through Galarraga. He did not become irate or yell profanity and other obscenities at Joyce as other players around the league show on a daily basis toward other umps. He understood that Joyce did not puposely make that call. He talked to reporters in a tone that was understanding of the obvious pain that Joyce felt after seeing the replay. Galarraga handing Joyce the lineup card today is one of the most touching images baseball has had in a while. In a world of unsportsmanlike sports heroes, Galarraga is a Gyarados among Magikarp (excuse my Pokemon reference; it's all I could think of). I hope that we can all learn from his amazing attitude.