Like Joe Mauer's "foul ball"? Sorry, had to. Personally, I think missed calls are what make baseball, baseball. Look how active this thread got. Was it wrong? Yes. Was it horrible? Yes. But it adds to the game. People remember the tradgedies more than the triumphs. It's what makes sports. If you take out ALL the bad calls, and only have perfect officiating/umping, you wouldn't have some of the crazy plays, turnarounds, etc that have made sports memorable. Flame me all you want, but I think the human error is good for the game (even when it's a huge detractor). Now it allows the Tigers to put an extra chip on their shoulder and try to charge back in the division.
I figured out why I couldn't stay set on wanting it reversed. <a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIXBYZzBgus#t=1m50" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIXBYZzBgus#t=1m50</a> For non scrubs watchers, the prologue is here <a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-fq2mtoADo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-fq2mtoADo</a>. "There's nothing wrong with a one hitter there, barbie. In fact, it's miraculous. And I won't have you, of all people, cheapen what should be an endless pursuit of perfection just because you want the world to laugh with you tonight." And, as a local sports talk radio host (@TerryFoster971) tweeted last night: "Here is what I learned tonight about a perfect game: The pitcher must be perfect. The defense must be perfect. And the umps must be perfect"
See this is where I stand, and it's not so much in line with the chatter surrounding this monumental mistake, all the remorse of Joyce, the ire of Leyland, the asshole-ry of Selig, my stance is this: A PERFECT GAME, IS A PERFECT FUCKING GAME. Fuck the ump, fuck the call, fuck the reversal, fuck the instant replay. Rules are rules. The Tigers followed it, the Tigers won, Galarraga, in no uncertain terms, threw a perfect game, a shitty blown call notwithstanding. Yeah, it won't stand. It won't go down in the record books, it won't go down in MLB or Tigers history as their first perfect game in franchise history, it won't complete the trifecta of 3 perfect games in a 30-day span for the first time ever. Whatever. We all know - all of us - what happened that day, and we know it was perfect. Even the guy who fucked up. A judgment call is one thing. This is not it. The game stands.
After seeing the replay about 20 times today, that is a good point. I actually think that the play was closer than what people are saying. It was clear that the throw beat the runner to the bag, but it looked like Galarraga bobbled it for a second. The runner was out, but given the fact that it is fairly common for umpires to make the wrong call on close force plays, I don't think we should be that surprised it happened.
I think Galarraga actually benefits from this, at least historically. He knows he threw a perfect game, his peers do, the fans do, the world does. I believe he said it himself, "I'm the first to throw a 28-out perfect game." He's now not one of 21 or 22 or whatever it is (and 3rd this year) to achieve perfection, he's a man unto himself. Overturned or not, his performance (and the ump's) will likely fundamentally change the way the game is played going forward. He will be remembered forever, much more so than the guy who threw the 8th or 14th perfect game. He can't be too pissed about that. Or maybe he can, I can't live his life for him.
What is happening to the Phillies? They turned Gran Torino on in the locker room over watching game tape. I mean, that's pretty funny, but what the fuck??
That would be/is stupid. The point of instant replay is to get calls right. Not just to get the first call right, and too bad if there's more than one bad/close call. They should do it like the NHL, have a guy in a booth that watches every play. If something's close or controversial stop the play and take a look.
What a turn around the Braves have made! A month ago, they lost nine straight and were left for dead. Now they have basically negated that losing streak with a nine game winning streak and have gone from 6.5 back to 3 up in the matter of weeks! If the Phillies had played today, there is a possibility it could have been a ten game swing! I think this combination of a large winning streak and a large losing streak is quite rare for a team to experience in one season, especially so close together. How rare do you think it is? I wonder if they can keep this hot streak going. LA is tough and a split will be satisfactory.
I don't think so, 15 years from now his name will not be on the short list of guys who threw a perfect game. He will be forgotten. I'm wondering why there has been so many this year? Braden, Roy H, and now this kid. Are pitchers getting better or batters getting worst?
I'm going with statistical anomaly. So many freak things have to occur beyond ability to achieve a perfect game.
I'm going with statistical anomaly. So many freak things have to occur beyond ability to achieve a perfect game.[/quote] Yes but that makes him a trivia question instead of being on a list with Cy Young, Randy Johnson, Sandy Koufax (and of course Mark Burhle and Dallas Braden!) ect.....as well as the 21st guy to ever do it. I agree with you that allot has to go right for a PG but I would think the novelty of the bad call will fade away, being on that list would last forever.
With that kind of heat I don't know how he can't be the real deal. I'm sure you fuckers will have him in two or three years.
That was a fucking insane performance for a guy's major league debut. 14 K's and no walks, and only giving up 2 runs on 4 hits. Extremely impressive.
Plus in only 94 pitches for that 14 strikeouts. I can't remember who, but one baseball reporter the other day said he might be the best pitcher in baseball right now. I know it was the Pirates, but with the kind of stuff he had tonight he might be.
You have to go down the page a little bit, but watch the video of Wally Backman getting ejected managing in the minors. He was miked up and is pretty funny. Backman ejection
I'm enjoying the hell out of June baseball right now. I've been streaming games from every division all day when I work from home and have been tuning in at night as well. Why? Look at the divisional standings. With the exception of the Central divisions all the divisions top 3 teams are separated by no more than 4 wins. Blow one series and the entire rankings can flip. That's crazy. I'm hoping it stays this way until July because it'll make for an interesting buyers/sellers market.
Tough week for Philadelphia sports fans... I think the Phillies are broken. Too much to ask going deep into the playoffs again after two back to back WS appearances... Should have kept Lee, need to dump Moyer, and need some right handed hitting... Ah well at least we have the... hmm. ... ... I'm going to go watch Rocky for the nth time...
I agree, with one caveat: not every call is reviewable. If one were to open up balls-and-strikes to review, it would horribly mess with the flow of the game. It should be like the NFL, where some calls are reviewable (Is a catch in bounds? Did he fumble?) and others are not (holding penalties, when a play is whistled dead). I think I'd lump fair/foul, home runs, catches, and bases in the former category, and balks, did-he-swing?, and balls and strikes in the latter. ESPN published an intriguing story today. According to player surveys, Joyce is the best umpire in major league baseball, by a wide margin (53% of surveyed players). The survey was done post-Galarraga. And possibly even more interesting: the players do not want instant replay, by enormous margins (36-62 on fair/foul, and 22-77 on bases). It was a small survey (only 100 players), but interesting nonetheless. Also, just throwing this out there: It appears that Stephen Strasburg is really good. Really really really really really good. Followed up the greatest pitch debut ever with 5.1 IP, 8 K, 2 H, 1 ER. As hard as it is to believe....this kid might be better than the hype.