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Last week, Bill Schaefer described for us what was Maybe the Best Play Ever. Today he follows up with the other end of the spectrum: The Call From Hell. I think you all know where this one is going. Bottom line: The “Men in Blue” do a great job, but they’re human like the rest of us and are not perfect. But, I think we can all agree: “Thank God we now have appeals!” And what a gentleman Armando Galarraga is to have forgiven Jim Joyce!
Anyway, It’s hard to disagree with Bill’s assessments in either essay! -GL
The Call From Hell!
Detroit Free Press writer, Anthony Fenech, recalled, “It was a random Wednesday when Eric Wayne and his friend were driving east to Detroit from Grand Rapids, where they looked at the clock — it was just past 4 p.m. They had a pair of tickets to that night’s Detroit Tigers game and thought, ‘Why not?’ “
Umpire Jim Joyce
“The Tigers were hosting the Indians at Comerica Park. It was June 2, 2010. A beautiful day, with temperatures in the mid-70s. Armando Galarraga, an inconsistent right-hander who was on shaky ground in the starting rotation, was set to face righty Fausto Carmona, who years later would be known as Roberto Hernandez.”
The year 2010 saw Mark Zuckerberg’s embryonic face and huge green eyes grace the cover as Time’s “Person of the Year”; and the San Francisco Giants beat the Texas Rangers in the World Series. It was the Giants’ first Series win since 1954 when Willie Mays, back from the Army, edged teammate Don Mueller by three points to win the National League batting title with a .345 average.
Galarraga would pitch from 2007-2012 for Texas, Detroit, Arizona, and Houston, with a record of 26-34 and a career ERA of 4.78. But on this night he was magnificent. The film highlights reveal a pitcher in perfect command with a beautiful, graceful motion. And throwing as if guided by an inner radar that automatically placed his sinking fastball, slider, and change of pace right at the corners of the plate, at the knees, to both right-handed and left-handed batters. “I had a growing confidence as the game progressed. I never had confidence like that again,” he told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt.
Armando on the mound
The Tigers fielded flawlessly and no Cleveland batter had reached base entering the ninth inning. Then, Mark Grudzielanek leading off, “hit a fastball that stayed up, as hard as I could.” Detroit centerfielder, Austin Jackson, was positioned so shallow by manager Jim Leyland that plate umpire, Marvin Hudson, could hear him breathing. Jackson related, “I was a mile from the left-center power alley but got an incredible jump and tracked Mark’s ball almost perfectly to the warning track.”
Brilliantly over the shoulder a la Willie Mays, and then a ground out, made it 26 up 26 down. Certainly, that catch seemed the turning point. Just like Endy Chavez’s miracle play four years earlier against the Cardinals seemed a sure omen for a Mets victory. But perfect symmetry — in life and in baseball — seldom happens.
A crestfallen Jim Joyce
The Indians Jason Donald hit a ground ball wide of first. Miguel Cabrera fielded it cleanly and tossed to Galarraga covering the bag. Perfect Game! But wait!…Jim Joyce called him safe? What!! Everybody now knows Donald was out, including Joyce (berated brutally by Leyland, using the world’s favorite expletive). The esteemed umpire sadly explained, “I kicked it, absolutely. I feel terrible. All I can say is, at that moment, he looked safe to me.” (In real time, this was not an easy call).
Wonderful pic of Armando and Jim Joyce
Under the circumstances, though, was it the worst call? And shouldn’t Galarraga now go into the books with a perfect game? The replay evidence is conclusive. Everybody is in one hundred agreement. It’s a 28-out perfect game, yes?
I’m with Groucho Marx, “A five-year-old could answer that question. Fetch me a five-year-old.”
(Tigers 3, Indians 0ne hit. Time: 1:44)
Postscript:
Tony Marchetti, Managing Editor, Monmouth University Publications, graciously provided me with addtional information:
An article appearing in Monmouth Magazine revealed Monmouth University Adjunct Professor Lawrence Jones and 16 members of a Monmouth University “Law and Society” course submitted an 83-page document to Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred. They hoped he would grant Detroit pitcher Armando Galarraga the perfect game he was denied in 2010.
The commissioner was so impressed he set up a one-hour Zoom meeting earlier this year, allowing the students to probe the gamut of baseball issues. Professor Jones was proud of his young men and women, “They were just great, not at all intimidated. They hit it out of the park!”
Manfred was charming and forthcoming in his answers, but denied the Galarraga request, “I know this is not what you wanted to hear but such a ruling would open a Pandora’s box of issues…where past and future errors would constantly be vulnerable to scrutiny and disputes.”
Bill Schaefer
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Terrific pictures, Gary!
Thanks Bill…and thanks for your great essay. You have to admire Armando for the way he handled this with just the right touch of dignity and class. And you have to feel for Jim Joyce…a fine umpire who deserves better than to be remembered by one blown call, although it was a doozy!
Galarraga just called in, “Hey, tell Livacari to get my name right. Armando, man! When he steps in, I’m gonna buzz him inside at 95!”
Don’t crowd the plate, Gary.
Haha! Now Jim Joyce an I have something in common! Thanks for the early catch…I would’ve caught a lot of grief for that!
Totally agree, Gary, but the Commish should have given Armando credit for the Perfecto. Worry about any repercussions when and if they happen.
I do not know if Jim Joyce was a good umpire but on this day he was not. If you look at the video he stayed up the first base line instead of moving out into the infield to get the proper angle as umpires from little league to the Majors are taught to do. On that day Joyce was lazy.
Thanks Kevin, great point! However, by all accounts he was a good umpire.
But Jim Joyce’s umpiring skills notwithstanding, since the evidence is irrefutable, Manfred should have ruled Galarraga into the record books with a perfect game.
The “Pandora’s box of issues…” is an unfortunate copout to close the matter, thus removing any pressure on the Commissioner’s office to make a bold but correct decision. Everybody loses–baseball, the fans and most of all, Armando.
Good article, Senor Schaefer, {well, most of it}. Manfred did the right thing. IMHO, I think he’s a piss-poor Commissioner, but in this instance he would have created a big degree of animosity with the MLBUA if he would have overturned an umpires’ JUDGEMENT call. From this amateur umpire’s point of view, in the case of Joyce’s 3-1 putout miscue, let me just say that after viewing the video of that play many times over the ensuing years, I would say this is the error in mechanics that I would bet Joyce himself would even admit : Usually from the level of HS to pros, on a routine 5-3,6-3, or 4-3 putout, 9 times out of ten, the U1 is watching for the fielder’s feet @ the bag and LISTENING for the pop of the ball in F3’s glove and whether the BR beats the throw or not. Then he looks to confirm that the fielder maintains possession of the ball before signaling the out. In the case of the Cabrera to Galarraga attempted putout, the “close proximity” flip from Miguel to Galarraga could not afford Joyce the capability to listen to the ball popping in glove that well. Instead of moving CLOSER to the play {which is what he did}, he should have backed up some to give himself a wider view of the entire play. In other words, on that particular play, he needed to use his EYES more-so than incorporating the use of his EARS to determine safe or out. When we get too close to a play like that, we say that the play “blew up” on us. Joyce had a good angle for the play…he just moved too close to it. Thnx, Herr Schaefer. {In anticipation of this article, I thought that maybe you were going to review the Denkinger call in the ’85 WS…..just as egregious}. “PLAY BALL”
Thanks Tom…great insight. Always good to hear an opinion from experience!
Thanks, Tom, for the insightful analysis re the first base umpire’s protocol in plays around the initial sack. I’ll bet you were a great umpire.
But I’m talking about the outrageous injustice of a denied overturn by Rob Manfred in view of the VIDEO evidence, which is a slam dunk. What everybody SEES certainly is the bottom line. It transcends an umps judgement call. Armando G. clearly got 28 outs without a runner reaching first base, regardless of the errant safe call. Therefore, the pitcher should be in the record books.
The Commissioner can’t be concerned with animosity or worry about subsequent unrest. Never mind the MLBUA or anyone else. He must be concerned only about the RIGHT call.
Isn’t that the purpose of the replay system?
Great article in support of the pitcher. No question he pitched a no-hitter. Nice of him to shake the umpire’s hand. Maybe Pandora’s box should be opened.
Though this opening observation has nothing in particular to do with either Galarraga or Joyce, my hat is off to the author for having just the right historian’s touch to introduce his article with reference to — let us see. . .Mark Zuckerberg, the New York/San Francisco Giants, and a pair of Jints outfielders who finished their race for the N.L. batting title one-and-two while en route to a world series sweep of the heavily-favored “Tribe” from Cleveland, nearly 70 years ago. That is some smooth writing there, Dr. Schaefer, and an excellent means of sparking the interest of readers whose affection for the world’s greatest pastime has almost no connection to a game being played in 2010.
This appreciative geezer’s drivel aside, I respectfully disagree with our esteemed contributor’s conclusion that everybody came out a loser in the end: baseball, the fans, and Armando Galarraga (to say nothing of the renowned author of Ulysses, part-timing as a man in blue). Deprived of any “official” recognition that he pitched what was indisputably a perfect game, this gentleman can now be remembered and honored as much for his gracious acceptance of an obvious injustice, and his genuine forgiveness of the perpetrator, as he could ever hope to be for his unique athletic performance in the middle of an otherwise hum-drum major-league career.
Your story of how Mr. Galarraga responded to an agonizingly unfortunate call at the worst imaginable moment, especially when it is coupled with Gary’s revealing shot of the two principals’ handshake, tells us far more about the heart and character of a journeyman pitcher than any corrective edict from the Lords of Major League Baseball could ever hope to do. This guy is definitely a winner, in my opinion.
You too, Wilhelm!
Thanks, MK, for your thoughtful response! And, certainly, Galarraga is a winner under any circumstances. But he can be a “winner” in the macro sense and still be justly recognized in the books, for an historic performance verified by the camera.
Baseball and the fans lose because Rob Manfred failed to acknowledge the evidence and opted for the wrong fork in Yogi Berra’s road.
Thus, I fear the Office of the Commissioner will be looked upon with less respect moving forward.
Good observations by MK…and good response by Bill. Both make valid points.