Just Short of Perfection

Armando Galarraga, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers was one out away from throwing the third perfect game this year. Instead he threw a complete game shutout, striking out three and throwing only 88 pitches.

The story though was the last out of the game. Jason Donald was the 27th man to step to the plate, he was the last hope for the Indians to not be on the wrong side of history.

Donald hit a grounder in between 1st and 2nd, Miguel Cabrera ran for the ball, gloved it and flipped to Galarraga who had the ball in his mit and foot on the bag before Donald touched the base, umpire Jim Joyce called Donald SAFE.

The entire sports world was in outrage, Donald was clearly out, Joyce blew the call, ending the perfect game, no hitter and opening up a can of worms of epic proportions.

When Galarraga squeezed the final out he had a huge smile on his face, was ready to jump in the air, and turned around to see Joyce call him safe, and he just laughed.

"It was the biggest call of my career, and I kicked the S**t out of it," Joyce said, looking and sounding distraught as he paced in the umpires' locker room. "I just cost that kid a perfect game."

An issue with the play was the ball seemed to be hit closer to Carlos Guillen, the 2nd baseman and if Cabrera did not range so far to his right the play could have been easier. But regardless the out was made, the call was just wrong.

"I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay," said Joyce.

Bud Selig, MLB Commissioner, has said he will review the last play of the game. Who knows if this means he will over turn the call, or new instant replay rules will be instituted.

In my opinion the kid threw a perfect game, but I don't think you can over turn the call, it would put into questions the integrity of the game along with every other wrong call in baseball. The right thing to do is to make the instant replay rules more broad and allow close plays to be reviewed, not just home runs!

In my eyes Armando Galarraga threw a perfect game yesterday afternoon, too bad the record books will show a measly complete game shut out.