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0 Subject: Galarraga

Posted by: Perm Dude
- [5510572522] Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 20:55

Shame such a great game had to be marred by a bad call with 2 outs in the 9th. In all fairness, though, the guy made the same bad call in the previous half inning, keeping things alive for the Tigers to score twice.
1Skidazl
      ID: 3253219
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 21:20
ridiculous call, angels announcers are hinting to call official scorekeeper and call it an error... LOL

If I were Joyce in Detroit tonight, I would seek some type of protection...
2Mattinglyinthehall
      ID: 37838313
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 21:21
This led to a discussion at work about bad umpires and to me looking up Angel Hernandez' Wiki page. As of the time of this writing, the first sentence reads:
Ángel Hernández (born August 26, 1961 in Havana, Cuba) is a horrible umpire in Major League Baseball, and is the only MLB umpire to be legally blind.
LOL
3KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 12353217
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 21:51
What's with umps lately?

Bill Hohn tossed Roy Oswalt the other night because Oswalt hollered towards the first base line and when Hohn asked about it, Oswalt replied, "I ain't talking to you!" Hohn then ejected Oswalt and is now in line for a "stern" talk from MLB for that ejection.

Then last night Hohn called a check swing instead of a strike on Lance Berkman. The strike would have been the last out for the game for the Astros, but Berkman instead singled in the winning runs. Maybe he was making up for tossing Oswalt the previous night.
4Mattinglyinthehall
      ID: 37838313
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 21:59
The blown call will rightfully be the dominant angle on this story but is anyone else curious about what would have been (should have been) the 3rd perfect game in 3 1/2 weeks, after the previous 18 occurred over a span of 130 years?
5tree on the treo
      ID: 287212811
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 22:03
indeed. I was thinking I've been through the live ball era, and with this many perfect games, now the dead ball era.

they joyce ruined it. he didn't change the outcome of the game, he changed history.

the umps seem to get worse and worse every year.
6Mattinglyinthehall
      ID: 37838313
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 22:07
Interestingly the first two perfect games occurred within 5 days of each other - in 1880.

Then 24 years until Cy Young's in 1904. 34 years between Charlie Robertson's in 1922 and Don Larson's in 1956. The next was Jim Bunning's in 64, meaning 42 years went by before another regular season perfecto after Robertson.

Then the pace picked up, 3 in the 60s, 3 in the 80s, 4 in the 90s, 2 in the 2000s and now 2 (should be 3) in the first year of this decade.
7Mattinglyinthehall
      ID: 37838313
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 22:09
We're still less than a full season of baseball since Buehrle's perfect game last July. That's 3 (should be 4) in the last 4 1/2 months of regular season baseball.
8KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 12353217
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 22:12
Video of the Blown Call.

Ugh.
9Mattinglyinthehall
      ID: 37838313
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 22:15
Galarraga was born in Cumaná, Venezuela. He would have been only the 2nd MLB pitcher to throw a perfect game, after Dennis Martinez, who was born in Granada, Nicaragua.
10Mattinglyinthehall
      ID: 37838313
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 22:18
Err...

would have been only the 2nd MLB pitcher born outside the US to throw a perfect game
11wolfer
      ID: 253492512
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 22:20
Here is the ironic part. This was the same crew that was in Oakland.
12Mattinglyinthehall
      ID: 37838313
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 22:33
I honestly believe the reason we see so many more blown calls these days is high definition television.
13Mattinglyinthehall
      ID: 37838313
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 22:51
Facebook status update of the day:

The worst part is that I have Jim Joyce on my fantasy umpire team.
14JeffG
      ID: 47112621
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 22:56
I was sick to my stomach for Galarraga and for Tigers fans after seeing the call. Especially after that Austin Jackson catch. His place in history was robbed from him by a bad call. Shows you how many things have to go your way to throw any sort of no hitter.

Jim Joyce post game had this statement:
"I just cost that kid a perfect game, I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay."
"It was the biggest call of my career."


Galarraga said in one of his post game interviews that Joyce came in the locker room following the game and personally apologized to he and manager Jim Leyland, and summed it all up when asked what he said back to Joyce, "we are all human, nobody's perfect".
15C1-NRB
      ID: 401412422
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 23:01
I heard on my "local" (Rangers) broadcast that Joyce actually released a statement after seeing the replay saying, paraphrasing, 'I blew it and I'm sorry.'

I kind of admire that. It doesn't change history, but it takes fortitude to man up like that.

There seems to have been a slight trend in the last few years of umpires breaking the fourth wall and admitting fallability. Didn't Hohn confess to having a hair-trigger on Oswalt yesterday? I sort of recall other some other incidents lately, as well.

It really is too bad for Galarraga.
16Seattle Zen
      Leader
      ID: 055343019
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 23:29
That's some offense you have there, Cleveland. Need a bad call to get your only baserunner against a pitcher who, until tonight, had a very tenuous grasp on a major league job.
17PuNk42AE
      Donor
      ID: 036635522
      Wed, Jun 02, 2010, 23:41
This is one of those times where the game has to be changed. It doesn't change the score at all, the amount of runs, it doesn't change anything accept for a record that should have been.
18weykool
      Leader
      ID: 41750315
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 04:01
I think it is very easy to get down on the umpires for blown calls....what is amazing is the number of calls they get right.
Even though it was only Little League I have had the experience of umpiring and can tell you it isn't as easy as it looks.
I have to admire Joyce for coming forward, apologizing and admitting the mistake.
19Tree
      ID: 248472317
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 08:36
good column on where we go from here...

-----------------------

I think it is very easy to get down on the umpires for blown calls....

there was a point where umpires made calls on the basepaths, down the lines, and behind the plate. and that's all they did.

but each year, the umps get more and more hubris. not content to be the mere judges of the game, many now want to be personalities themselves, and as we've seen lately, have no problem showing up stars at the smallest perception of slight.

so, when they make HUGE mistakes (and to me, this is the second biggest blown call i can ever remember), they're gonna be under a microscope even more.

i've felt for awhile baseball needs to reign umpires in (i mean, this is a sport where they don't even want to meet in a group and discuss a call - like football referees do) and bring them back into the fold.
20Frick
      ID: 5054937
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 08:49
Do baseball umpires ever reverse a call? It can be annoying in football when the umpires huddle together, but is it that big of a deal? It's not like baseball games are suddenly going to take 4+ hours.
21bibA
      ID: 3751038
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 09:11
Joyce did show a lot of class, but I was extremely impressed with Gallaraga'a reaction both on the field and post game. After the miscall and after Detroit players argued unsuccessfully with Joyce, Gallaraga just smiled, returned to the mound, and retired the next batter. And, he was gracious in his comments after the game.

I hope the fans don't react outrageously when Joyce comes out today to call the game from behind the plate.
22JeffG
      Dude
      ID: 01584348
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 09:11
If there is any consolation, Galarraga actually now makes a smaller list of pitchers that lost a perfect game with two outs in the ninth. A few others had a little umpiring help.

- In 1908, the batter was hit by a Hooks Wiltse pitch one pitch AFTER the umpire admitted that the pitch before should have been strike three.

- In 1972, a borderline 3-2 Milt Pappas pitch was called ball four.

You can see the whole list here.
23KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 721308
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 09:29
RE: 17

I heard similar talk this morning, but I think that's a dangerous precedent to set. One of the things that was brought up was Don Larsen's perfect game. Apparently, the last pitch he threw should have been called ball four, but was instead called a strike. Not hard to imagine that an umpire calling his final game (he was field ump for the final 2 games of the series and then retired) would want to be part of something special and might grossly expand the strike zone.

There have been MANY games that have been won and lost on bad umpire calls. To make an exception for this one game and overturn the call just because of a perfect game would be a disservice to all the other games that turned on a bad call.

The fact of the matter is that this is all part of baseball. Love it or hate it, it is.

Personally, I think they're closer to having NFL-like challenges where a manager gets a set amount of challenges to use for the entire game. With a set number (like two), it wouldn't lengthen the game much at all. Fold in the HR calls that are currently reviewed and it would all probably stay close to the same.
24Perm Dude
      ID: 5510572522
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 09:35
#23: I think you're right, and that would make an incredible amount of pressure by managers no matter which way mlb did it.

That said, there already exists a process whereby a team can protest a game. And when a call is clearly wrong and the umpire admits it there might be enough wiggle room for MLB to make the right call in this case.

I was impressed by Galarraga (who, BTW, pitched a great game--it wasn't just Cleveland's hitting failing it was his pitching overcoming them). I was disgusted at the way the Detroit players swarmed the ump right after the game. They looked like some real punks out there.
25weykool
      Leader
      ID: 41750315
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 09:42
The process for protesting a game doesnt include judgement calls....only the application of the rules.
I think it would cheapen the game if they overturned the call.
I dont know if I was Galarraga if I would want to be the only perfect game with an asterisk in the record books.
26Khahan
      ID: 373143013
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 09:50
KKB, I disagree with the slippery slope argument and the 'disservice' statement. There is a body of evidence and a special set of cirumstances here to support simply stating, "Galarraga had a perfect game. Jason McDonald's hit was ruled an out and Galarrage is the only pitcher in MLB history with a 28 out perfect game."

It wouldn't be the first time a play was reversed (though maybe the first retroactively after the game ended):

lost triple play



Official scorers can change their rulings, why can't umps:
errorless streak kept alive

umpire conference (second situation).
27Perm Dude
      ID: 5510572522
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 09:52
It already has an asterisk. If I was Galarraga I'd want to be known for what I actually did rather than what the umpire blew.

Home runs are also judgment calls, but there is a process for overturning them based upon video evidence. I understand the problem (as KKB points out) to opening up things, but MLB already allows for clear mistakes (even judgment calls) to be corrected after the fact.

By insisting the rules are more important than what actually happened on the field that we all agree actually happened, MLB would actually be cheapening rather than strengthening the rules.
28Khahan
      ID: 373143013
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 09:53
Weykool..how would that cheapen it? Reality before judgement SHOWS that he earned the right to havet his be a perfect game. Correcting a mistake does not cheapen it. I had a great freezeframe of the play on mlb (just paused it at the right time) and McDonald was 1 1/2 steps away. The umpire making the wrong call changes how history is recorded, but it does not change how history happened.

Its not like Mcdonald got there on a tie or a very close play. Galarragas bid for perfection was cheapened by a mistake outside of any players control. Reversing that mistake cheapens nothing.
29R9
      ID: 2854239
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 10:42
I really dislike the 'sets a precedent' arguement. Yeah, it sets the precedent that if you have irrefutable proof that a mistake was made, we can go back and fix it if it doesn't influence the outcome.

They do it in hockey. "No goal!... but we'll go take a look upstairs. (3 minutes pass...) oops! It was a goal! My bad. I'll just point at center ice and fix my mistake. Good stuff.

They do it in football. Or at least thats what I assume those silly ref conferences at center field are all about.

I'd need a pretty good reason to NOT overturn this. I wouldn't be looking for reasons to keep it the way it is.
30Mith
      ID: 482583111
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 10:52
The good reason to not overturn this is that the rules don't allow for it. You can't change a rule to fix a problem after it occurs.

That said, modern technology demands that we somehow apply it to making calls more accurate. Since the advancements of slow motion and HD slow motion, umps have been caught making bad calls more and more frquently. I don't believe umps are any worse today than they've been, but that it's just so much easier to catch mistakes now. It's time that game officials put to use some of the technology that will otherwise continue to make them look increasingly inept.
31KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 721308
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 10:58
RE: 26, those are bad examples.

Umps conferring on the field happens when one or more umps did not have a clear way of making the call. In the example you provided, the official scorer put down the play before the umps had made it official. So, the triple play was never official, which means it never happened in the first place. You can't lose what you didn't have.

As for the errorless streak, it doesn't change whether or not the player reached base. The player was still on base whether or not the play was ruled an error. The change didn't actually alter the game and what happened.

And in your last example, it's again an umpire's conference to discuss part of the play that may have been overlooked. It happened at the time of the play, not the next day.

None of the examples you provided retroactively changed the outcome of the game, which is the slippery slope I was referring to. Changing a play at the time of a play happens all the time in baseball and that's fine. An ump asks for help with a particular call and that's fine; that's part of baseball. But, going back after the fact to change the game is NOT part of baseball, nor should it be.

RE: #29, the problem is that there are rules in place in hockey and football for that. There are no rules in baseball for that. You're making up rules on the fly to fit the situation. Kind of like calling an All-Star Game a tie.

And if we're making up rules on the fly, why not review the Nats/Astros game from Tuesday, see that the "check swing" was a strike and call the game a win for the Nats since the resulting strike out would have won the game? Or is this just for perfect games?

I'm all for a change in the rules, but until the rules are changed, baseball should stick to the rules it has in place.
32Khahan
      ID: 373143013
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 11:06
KKB, I acknowledged they are not absolute parallels by stating that it maybe the first time that a call was changed retroactively. However, the point is this: Its not unheard of to change a call when there is sufficient evidence to do so.

The official scorer can change a call after the fact. He's overturning himself, not an ump, but he can do it. Umps can overturn themselves in game, so why not out of game?

If you take the time to set guidelines... (off the top of my head here are 2 which apply here and should be carried forward):
1. There must be irrefutable evidence
2. Changing the call should not have an effect on the outcome of the game

..then there is no slippery slope. Rather what you've done is identified a unique or rare set of circumstancs which the rules don't really handle well and made an adjustment. There is no room for somebody to say at a later date, "But you over turned the call in Galarraga game so overturn that call in the 5th inning that led to 3 runs. It was obvious he was out." The response - sure he was out, but it would change the outcome of the game so by the rules we specifically cannot do that.
33Tree
      ID: 248472317
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 11:19
I don't believe umps are any worse today than they've been, but that it's just so much easier to catch mistakes now. It's time that game officials put to use some of the technology that will otherwise continue to make them look increasingly inept.

to me, it's the lack of use of technology that in essence makes the umps worse.

there is a refusal - a hubris if you will - that they have that makes them beyond reproach, and not open to things like instant replay or even umpire conferences.

had the umpires gathered to review the call like they do in football - and not be worried about "OMG, we might be showing up one of our fellow boys in blue" - then perhaps the right call might have been made.

and of course, the red flag two review policy would have done the same thing.
34Perm Dude
      ID: 5510572522
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 11:23
Part of the resistance to using replay is the time it adds to the game. [Which is just another reason why umpires should refuse to allow batters to got outside the box and adjust their gloves, etc etc etc after every freaking pitch.]

Whenever I watch professional sports officials checking replays, the same thing is said over and over: "It is important to get it right." And that should apply here as well. The rules shouldn't be so sealed that getting it right isn't allowed.
35R9
      ID: 2854239
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 11:25
There's no doubt that changing this call would be rule-breaking and something that has never been done before. But neither has a perfect game been so unfairly taken away before.

The only hickup in this is people unwilling to break the rules. I'm of the mind that when the rules don't allow for the ethical and just, you break them. You do the right thing. You deal with the reprecussions of that after.

For those who feel the rules must always be followed no matter what, you don't break them.
36R9
      ID: 2854239
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 11:29
34, I think the 'make the game faster' lobby just need to realize that baseball is a long game. Sometimes a game goes really fast, but mostly its just going to take a while. Pitchers step off the mound for good reasons, batters step out of the box for good reasons, and umpires taking time to get a call right would be a good reason.
Everytime I hear someone complain about games taking too long, I just ask 'you got somewhere to be?'
37Mith
      ID: 482583111
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 11:31
For the record:

From Rule 10.01(a):
The official scorer shall make all decisions concerning judgment calls within 24 hours after a game concludes or is suspended. A player or club may request that the League President review a judgment call of an official scorer made in a game in which such player or club participated, by notifying the League President in writing or by approved electronic means within 24 hours of the conclusion or suspension of such game, or within 24 hours of the official scorer’s call, in the event the official scorer changes a call within 24 hours after a game concludes or is suspended, as provided in this Rule 10.01(a).
38KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 721308
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 12:09
But neither has a perfect game been so unfairly taken away before.

But, apparently in the case of Larsen, a perfect game was given before. If you give Galarraga a perfect game, do you take Larsen's away with irrefutable evidence that the pitch was clearly a ball?

I've never seen the evidence and this was the first time I had ever heard this about Larsen's perfect game, but it seems to me that if we're going to retroactively change games, we should go beyond just this one, especially for another perfect game.
39Perm Dude
      ID: 5510572522
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 12:21
Balls & strikes are completely different, IMO.

And no one is saying to go back in time and adjust things to make them fit the rules that are being suggested. Baseball rightfully makes game protests timely, and no one is saying that should also be waived.
40dpr
      ID: 552411820
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 13:36
32

What if the bad call was in the 5th? That fits your criteria for changing things I believe.

What if it isnt a historical event, just a bad call?

Not sure how you are defining outcome (as score or just the winner) but what if the next better hit a HR and then galarraga retired the next guy.

What if this was late in the season and Donald was contending for a batting title?

There is a slippery slope.
41Perm Dude
      ID: 5510572522
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 14:12
I don't think we need to speculate on whether the call happened at another time. The fact was that this was the last out of the game, making this a perfect candidate to be overturned since we need not speculate on what might have happened if the call was made correctly.

And maybe that should be the very narrow criteria for overturning things: If there is no doubt as to what the outcome would be if the call was made correctly (that is, we need not speculate on what would/could come next), there is indisputable evidence showing the error, and the umpire admits to it.

pd
42Nuclear Gophers
      ID: 7115138
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 16:13
I will guarantee you will see a rule change after this season. I was impressed with Joyces statement. It would be nice if the politicians learned a lesson from it. Its a real shame that it happened.

Tree-There was an umpire in the 70s, that when he umpired first base, he would shoot at players. That was his way of calling them out. Some players liked it and others hated it. There was one player, as he was running down the first base line, he would yell out dont shoot me.
I tink his name was Frank Luchesi. He was comical to watch no matter what base he umpired. He would showboat all his calls. There was a lot of showboating back then. Pulli Garcia Palermo Gregg To name a few.

As for the Billy Hohn incident, I will guarantee, that a lotmore was said before that incident. A lot of jawing going on.
Being a former umpire I watch the game differently. I know when the catcher is upset and I know when the players are jawing at the umpire. Speaking of Billy Hohn, we drove down to umpiring school together. He lived 10 miles from me.

As for protesting a game-can only protest a rule call. As someone stated before.

There is a lot of pressure to be an umpire. John McSherry would toss baseballs into his locker before every game he did behind the plate. He was so uptight. He was one of the best.
43Tree
      ID: 248472317
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 16:35
Frank Luchesi

nope, he managed three or four teams, and is probably most famously related for being assaulted by one of his players (Lenny Randle) when he managed the Texas Rangers.

you're thinking of Ron Luciano, who wrote some damned good books, including "The Umpire Strikes Back".

he's pretty famous for his altercations with Earl Weaver too. he also had a quote in one of his books that is almost perfect for this conversation: "Any umpire who says he has never missed a call is . . . well, an umpire."

sadly, he killed himself sometime in the 1990s.

but in Luciano's day, umpires still didn't try to show up players to the extent they do today.
44Nuclear Gophers
      ID: 7115138
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 16:41
Thanks for correcting me. I just couldnt think of his name.

I know when I umpired behind the plate, many times I would tell the catcher "I blew that one" It happens.

Its a shame the umps and players arent miked. There are some great conversations going on the baseball field during a baseball game.
45potts316
      Donor
      ID: 263391014
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 17:31
#24, bitter Indians fan are we? The Tigers are not punks. The organization has handled this with nothing but class and dignity. They looked nothing like George Brett after the pine tar ruling. Joyce needed to take his medicine at that point and he said as much after the game. There has never been a more justified emotional outburst, but that doesn't make them punks. The punks are the idiots sending death threats and harassing Joyce's family and so on.
46Perm Dude
      ID: 5510572522
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 17:54
bitter? LOL. Actually, once I realized he had a perfect game going I was rooting for him to finish it. My reaction when Donald was called safe was, ironically, the same as Donald's: shock at the call, and dismay at what it meant.

Afterward there is absolutely no reason for players to rush an umpire en-masse. None. Going to the umpire is the manager's job.

Sorry that you had to see your players (sans Galarraga) act like punks in doing so. They should have taken their cue from the guy they were supposed to be fighting for. Galarraga was a class act throughout.
47Judy
      ID: 54203110
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 21:39
I thought that both Joyce and gallaraga acted with incredible
class.

Their responses should be used to show all the hot headed
kids and adults/parents out there how to behave.

I watched today's pre game line up exchange with gallarraga
and Joyce and the ump was sobbing.

When I ref field hockey and lacrosse, you wouldn't believe
some of the comments from the sidelines -- especially from
those who are clueless on the rules.

Both men should be incredibly proud of their follow up actions
and words.

Yes, it takes away a perfect game, but i hope it will be more
remembered for the maturity shown by the two men involved.
Their Iives are changed and "linked" forever...

And maybe, finally we will get the video replay that baseball
so desperately needs...
48potts316
      Donor
      ID: 263391014
      Thu, Jun 03, 2010, 23:36
Rush the empire "en-masse"? That simply did not happen. Only one player (Laird) got remotely close to Joyce. There was never any danger of violence or physical altercation. Had there been Joyce could have and would have sprinted into the tunnel. Players have argued with umpires for over 100 years and will for another 100+ years. If that means they are all punks I humbly disagree.
49Perm Dude
      ID: 5510572522
      Fri, Jun 04, 2010, 00:13
guess you were watching a different game. One where the other umpires didn't have to insert themselves between the angry Tigers yelling at him and Joyce. Better check your remote settings...
50Khahan
      ID: 13126822
      Fri, Jun 04, 2010, 07:37
32

What if the bad call was in the 5th? That fits your criteria for changing things I believe.

What if it isnt a historical event, just a bad call?

Not sure how you are defining outcome (as score or just the winner) but what if the next better hit a HR and then galarraga retired the next guy.

What if this was late in the season and Donald was contending for a batting title?

There is a slippery slope.


What if, what if, what if, what if. Shell Silverstein has a great poem about 'what if.' You should read it.

What if the play is changed to the correct call? What if the umpire didn't screw up to begin with?
What if the official scorer does change the call?

What I was referring to in 32 is maybe poorly worded. But the intent was that there could be no other outcome. In this case it fits. the next batter did get out and the score or potential for the score was unchanged. If its in the 5th inning and its the 1st out that is dispute then it cannot be overturned. If there are any realistic 'what ifs' then it cannot be overturned. Look at PDs post 41. Same sentiment only worded a bit better.
51Great One
      ID: 2751238
      Fri, Jun 04, 2010, 09:48
Yeah, I thought he was gonna toss Miguel Cabrera too who was cursing him out while playing defense.
52potts316
      Donor
      ID: 263391014
      Mon, Jun 07, 2010, 23:56
nice article on Jim Joyce

Galarraga items to Hall of Fame
53Khahan
      ID: 373143013
      Tue, Jun 08, 2010, 10:26
52, the nice article on jim joyce


That was a really good article and gave us a rare glimpse into life off the field for umps. I must say I'm extremely impressed with the way everybody from Joyce to Galarraga down to Leyland and the fans have handled this situation.

It could easily have been still been prominent on sportscenter with ugly words and tirades between p various factios. Crys and booing, obscenities and death threats. If MLB was smart they would put Galarraga up on a pedestal as a role model of sportsmanship.
54Ref
      Donor
      ID: 539581218
      Tue, Jun 08, 2010, 16:15
Officals cannot get away with things today like they used to back in the day. Everything is on audio/video and can be seen almost instantly. Also so many different angles and reverse angles.

Officials are so much better today as well as they are much better trained. The money is better and a lot more people are gunning for those positions. Technology has really helped in that area as well.

I've heard stories of officials becoming physically ill after a big missed call. Many leagues where an official doesn't have that tenure, one missed clal can cost that person his career in officiating. If they are not fired from it, then that stigma follows them where they lose out on the big games or conferences until they are eventually fired.One bad situation can cost them all the years of sacrifice/effort/money/travel that the official has put into it.

My biggest criticism is that at that point in time--any benefit of the doubt goes to that pitcher. Let alone the fact that he was really safe. But I will credit Joyce for having the guts to thinking he made the right call despite what's happening, but for me, he'd have to be so obviously safe for me not to call him out. It is a lot easier talkign about it now then being there in the moment though. You really can't understand it unless you are in that situation.
55blue hen
      Dude
      ID: 710321114
      Tue, Jun 08, 2010, 16:29
... says the Ref.
56judy
      Leader
      ID: 7771722
      Tue, Jun 08, 2010, 23:35
In the NFL there is the "Hochuli Rule" so his moment goes on and on and on... Every time that
situation comes up in a game, his name is mentioned.

There are 13,700 google hits for "ed hochuli rule"...

57potts316
      Donor
      ID: 263391014
      Fri, Aug 20, 2010, 20:25
Galarraga finally got to face the Indians again tonight. He only retired the first 14 batters this time.
58potts316
      Donor
      ID: 263391014
      Mon, Jan 24, 2011, 22:00
Tigers trade Galarraga to Arizona today. Thanks for the memories Armando, we'll never forget June 2 and those two blown calls.
59blue hen
      Dude
      ID: 710321114
      Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 14:20
I think I'd rather be Armando Galarraga than Dallas Braden, honestly.
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