Then: Run to Daylight. Now: Whine to Oprah
Jim Joyce, Armando Galarraga, and Bud Selig are not more important than the game itself. And each of those gentlemen has done a disservice to baseball by elevating themselves and a single play over the integrity of the game. Blown calls are a part of baseball. They are part of the history of the game, and will continue to be a part of baseball as long as human beings are used to make the judgments necessary to maintain a fair outcome — or as fair as it can be made given the limitations and lack of perfection in all of us.
If Joyce had to talk to the press, he could have said that he called it as he saw it and pretty much left it at that. It doesn’t matter if replays show a different outcome to the call. Umpires make their decisions and, right or wrong, that’s that. Rare is the umpire’s call that is overturned. If it is, the call is reversed by the crew chief usually after a huddle of all the umpires to determine if any of them saw the call another way.
Treating this one call any differently than the thousands of others he has made in his career is an error in judgment far worse than the missed call he made at first base. Rather than the focus being on the game, and the still-brilliant pitching performance of Galarraga (he pitched a 3-0 shutout), attention shifted to the umpire and his media mea culpa. Umpires should never be the the center of attention in baseball. That’s not their job, although some modern umpires don’t seem to understand that. In fact, Major League baseball just took the nearly unprecedented step of fining an umpire for bringing attention to himself in the aftermath of an incident in Chicago. Joyce should be fined for the same reason, regardless if he was “honest” or not.
Meanwhile, Galarraga is receiving kudos for his “sportsmanship” in not holding it against the umpire. Holy smokes, fella. Act like a human being (or at least a baseball player) rather than some Oprahfied dishrag of a professional athlete. In an age where parents discourage their kids from competing, where every kid who participates gets a reward, where there is less emphasis on winning and losing, Galarraga becomes a poster boy for modern American sports. I will take the attitude of a Vince Lombardi any day of the week over Galarraga and his milquetoast, touchy-feely sensibilities. I’d rather see him break his hand against the clubhouse wall by hitting it in frustration and anger following the game than smile like an idiotic gnome and play the role of national priest in forgiving Joyce his sin.
It’s not like there haven’t been blown calls in baseball that haven’t cost the offended side a lot more than personal glory. In an exact duplicate play of what happened the other night in Detroit, umpire Don Denkinger blew a call in the 9th inning at first base in the 1985 World Series that cost the St. Louis Cardinals a world championship. All Galarraga lost was a perfect game. The Cardinals lost it all.
Denkinger did not talk to the press afterward and never apologized for missing the call. It took many years but eventually, as is baseball’s way, the Cardinals embraced the history of that moment and actually began to invite Denkinger to reunions and other team events. “The Call,” as it has become known, is now a part of the baseball mythos where it is safe to take it out, relive it, examine it, and hold it lovingly in your hand as you contemplate the frailty of man and the breaks of the game.
If you want to feel bad for Galarraga, go ahead. Just don’t drag the rest of us into this treacly soap opera of supposedly high-minded ideals and weepy parables of forgiveness. Ty Cobb would have spit tobacco juice in Joyce’s eye and found a way to run into him while legging out a hit.
For my money, that would have been an excellent example to follow in this case.
Jeez, Moran, off our meds tonight, are we? Did I miss the /SARC tag somewhere in your post?
Or let me couch this another way: You cannot be freaking serious!
I am sure you will have a lot of “atta boys” on this article but not from me. And I am sure you make some points only I must have missed them somewhere. I did not see either party whine or play victim. Of course, I was busy at my job earning a living instead of merely sitting in front of a TV set, watching a game.
what I did hear was that the umpire immediately took responsibility for his actions after the game. What I did see was the Detroit pitcher go out the next day after supposedly being robbed of the biggest moment of his life, hand the line-up card to the very same umpire, pat him on the back, and tell him, “That’s all right.” What I did see was an umpire tear up at the graciousness of such a sportsman-like gesture.
What I saw were two adult men put events in a game in perspective and not carp, whine, or play aggrieved victims.
The points you make about “his job” and “the Vince Lombardi attitude” certainly have their place in society and are necessary traits. But those should be in venues where this stuff counts — like a war zone or battlefield where a blown call could cost your buddies their lives. Last time I heard, neither the ump nor the pitcher were seriously threatened.
Oh, and by the way, we have a narcissistic POTUS who could learn a lot about life — taking responsibility and forgiveness — from these two gentlemen.
I agree with you TWP. Both parties handled with class. I don’t see any whining or demands for sympathy from Galarraga.
And Joyce handled it well too. That’s what sports is supposed to be about.
TWP should have written the article.
Moran’s usually pretty solid. It goes to show nobody’s perfect.
You must be nuts yourself. What the hell ever happened to taking life’s knocks? Life is NOT perfect and when you ask nanny to spank the bad boy that hurt you it is not only stupid, but ends up infantalizing you.
Good call Rick (pun damn sure intended.)
Darned right! I was quite pleased to see a professional athlete take a bad call like a man.
I can agree only with the knock on those who are running to the commish (Mommy) to make it all better. It’s the reason we have these horrid instant replays in the NFL. Sorry, but a bad call like a loose bit of turf is part of the field of play. What’s more, life isn’t fair so roll with it or go live in antiseptic bubble.
Your premise is idiotic. Not only that, it is totally unsupported. Nothing in your article supports your premise that Galarraga has “milquetoast, touchy-feely sensibilities.” Stick to politics.
Gotta agree that there was nothing milquetoast about Galaragga and his response. And I don’t think his “smiling broadly” was “the reaction of a man who wants to cry but doesn’t want to break down in front of 30,000 people” — to me, it looked like someone smiling in understandable disbelief. Sure, he could have beaned the next batter, kicked the dirt around first base in rage, chest-bumped Joyce or smashed his locker, or he could have gone over to find a chair and done an impersonation of Bobby Knight (with infinitely more justification than Knight ever had), but those were not the only options and he chose a perfectly reasonable option — I’m certainly pleased that he didn’t say to himself, “Gee, how would Rick Moran want me to handle this?” To me, rather than behaving like a victim, he showed the kind of masculine restraint that I associate with John Wayne.
The majority of responders here speak the truth.
I could not disagree more with your article.
By all the accounts I have read, Galarraga has acted with complete sportsmanship rather than a spoiled baby (like the vast majority of modern profesional athletes). The smile on his face after the call, followed by him bearing down and geting the final out, said it all. Remember, through no fault of his own, he was wrongfully deprived of a spot in baseball immortality – whatever else he may accomplish during his career, he COULD have said to his children that “Of the thousands and thousands of games in the history of the sport, I was only the 21st guy to pitch a perfect game.”
As for Joyce, here’s a guy who has the stones to admit that he made a mistake that directly affected someone else – not because he was beaten as a child, because his wife was mad at him, or because the fans were heckling him or whatever – he admitted that he had made a mistake.
I do not like baseball anywhere near the way I used to – drugs and money being the prime reasons – but I think that in today’s world, we need more people to exhibit mature behaviour like these two people did.
FOUL!
In the modern parlance, WTF?
I saw legendary sportsmanship on the part of player, and heartfelt humility from the ump. That’s a refreshing change from the sickening parade of pimps liars and cheats who have tainted the Great American Pastime in recent years… Your analysis is lunatic.
Very poorly (un)reasoned and written article. After finishing the article, I had the overwhelming feeling that I had just wasted my time. A poor effort.
You’re wrong. Joyce made the wrong call. He manned up by admitting it. And Galarraga was robbed by that wrong call. He manned up as well by not acting like it was the end of the world. Tell you what, you think Galarraga should go postal here? Then maybe you should step into the batter’s box and let him plunk you in the ribcage with his fastball. Take one for the team, Mr. Moran.
“He is being praised from one end of the country to the other for his “honesty” in admitting his mistake. He should be fined, suspended, and prevented from working either the postseason or the All-Star Game. Not for missing the call but for undermining his and every other umpire’s credibility by actually talking to the press about it in the first place, and then not having the courage to stand by his decision made in real time on the field.”
The only political correctness I see here is yours, Moran. Joyce blew the call. Everyone knows he blew the call.
Admitting it out loud isn’t Oprahness, it is honesty. You must want umpires to be like liberals–having their own facts.
I guess your ideal umpire is Bagdad Bob. “There are no out runners here on this base! I will never say there was an out runner on this base at the time I made the call…”
Stupidity like this is why I gave up on Baseball, and almost all other “professional” sports, a long time ago.
If the replay shows the Umpire made a mistake then correct it. There’s really nothing else to do.
What we see is childish behavior, from adults with authority, turning their back on what really happened and refusing to fix a mistake.
Of course this happens outside of Pro Sports all the time, with much more dire consequences.
What a crock!
This article has all the earmarks of being a Maureen Dowd-type hit piece, up to and including disregard for facts, inaccurate conclusions drawn from inferior logic and creative embellishment of half baked ideas.
Let’s see. The one thing that you got at least semi-correct is the need to let it go. It becomes a part of baseball history and all the whining in the world will not change that. The idiots in Washington will, of course, spend a few million dollars holding congressional hearings and pass legislation (for the good of the poor and the children, of course) to decree that this nefarious deed never be allowed to happen again. Obama will carve out a slot in his extremely intense watchdog activity over the oil spill to call Joyce a racist and to proclaim that George Bush is clearly at fault.
But somehow you determine that the two people who are really affected are somehow acting with less than total dignity and class.
That logic qualifies your article to be the post of the day on Huffpo or DKos, the two bastions of clear and logical reasoning.
You’re out of your tiny mind, dingus.
This was an inspiring lesson in sportsmanship.
Joyce looked everyone straight in the eye and told the truth. Like a man.
Galarraga accepted human error, sucked it up, and held his head high. Like a man.
The fans have ‘closure’ as they all know the truth – it was a perfect game – and they know nobody attempted to BS and cheat them ou of that truth.
Your fantasy world, where people punch things, lie, and throw tantrums, is the world of Oprahfied sissies.
These guys acted like dignified men…and you’re whinging about it? You’re out of your tiny mind.
You could not be more wrong. For all the carping we on the right do about people “accepting personal responsibility” for one’s actions, when Jim Joyce did just that, you want to skewer him? And Galarraga accepted his apology and forgave Joyce, and you want to skewer Galarraga?
If Joyce went on Oprah claiming that not only did he not blow the call but it wasn’t his fault because he was abused as a youngster, then you’d have a point.
Oprahfication is “it wasn’t my fault”. Joyce said “it was my fault and I blew it”, the complete opposite.
Galarraga said he knows it was a perfect game and that’s good enough for him. What class, what grace, what integrity.
Poor Harvey Haddix threw nearly 13 innings of perfect baseball before giving up a hit and eventually losing the game. He’s not one of the small group of pitchers who have been credited with perfect games. As Harvey said, “How could it be perfect, I lost?” I don’t feel sorry for Galarraga. Should baseball also review all the one hitters that have happened, in case let’s say, a hit in the third inning shouldn’t have counted? Someone actually should have struck out in inning five, instead of it being ball four? Where do we stop? Maybe we should go back and give Leon Lett a touchdown. He was soooo close!
This has NO COMPARISON to any one hitter in the history of baseball. Period. I defy you to give me one example where, a guy has a perfect game with one out to go, and an umpire blows the call. Those other examples have absolutely no bearing on the issue at hand, so to hell with your straw-man army.
This game also had the distinction of not changing the outcome of the game in any way whatsoever. So why not give Galarraga the credit he deserves?
Sorry Thomas L – Epic fail.
And I simply reply, what difference does it make if the blown call, turning a perfect game into a one-hitter, was made on the last or the first out? You fail a test in logic.
Looks like Huffpoo is missing one of its trolls.
The problem with baseball umpires has always been they are not athletic like officials in other Pro sports. The most important play of the game should have warranted better positioning to make the call.
Dear Rick – You blew the call with this tripe. Let’s hope you are man enough to retract this idiotic piece. Both men in this event handled things with class and sportsmanship. End of story. No whining, no bitching. Total class.
The pitcher isn’t whining, the ump owned up like a man about a blown call, and the commish is upholding the tradition. The only one whining here is you. Take a Midol.
..I am at a loss for words her. Len me just say +1,000!
The writer has only done what he does best. Kinda like obama. Over-estimate the importance of one’s own mind. Create chaos. Sit back. Enjoy.
Shut up already and have one instant replay per game.
Wow. I may read a more illogical and flat-out stupid piece here on PJ in the future… but I doubt it. One normally has to visit the comments section of the HuffPost during a full moon to read this caliber of claptrap.
Seriously, dude, if Lombardi had been the coach/manager and Galarraga had behaved the way you preferred, Coach would have slapped him Patton-style and told him to grow the hell up.
+1s to The War Planner, JTS, and virtually everyone else here except the author. Sheesh!
LOL. Nearly 2 dozen reader instant replays, and ALL the umps say “Yer Out!” This crappy article ranks right up there with Jamie Glazov’s plaintive plea to stop clubbing baby seals, and everything that Reuben Navarette writes at PJM. WTF is happening?
Rick is right. Well, mostly.
If Joyce had been intoxicated, or gambling on the outcome of the game, maybe I’d feel differently. But blown calls are a part of sports. Officials are supposed to be detached. They’re supposed to ignore the importance that one play might have, even if a record or milestone or unusual feat might be riding on the result of it. And when they do blow calls–as this one certainly was–officials can’t go beating their breasts to the press about it.
I think people have reacted positively to Galarraga’s laid-back (to put it mildly) reaction to the whole thing because it’s refreshing to see anyone–let alone a big-league ball player–display some unselfishness and forgiveness in our entitlement society.
Which is fine. But after Joyce’s mea culpa,, don’t you think the pressure will now be on umpires to not rule against individual ball players on the cusp of a big achievement like a perfect game? As if it weren’t before this incident.
“Rick is right. Well, mostly.”
Rick is wrong, utterly, and so are you. It looks like you don’t have a problem with Gallaraga. That’s good, you have some sense. Now Rick’s got a problem with your, because he’s got a problem with Gallaraga. Why I couldn’t say.
Joyce has admitted an error where the error was plain. Acting like he has right would have just made him out to be an ass.
Neither Gallaraga nor Joyce called for a reversal, what the hell is your and Rick’s problem with them?
“But after Joyce’s mea culpa,, don’t you think the pressure will now be on umpires to not rule against individual ball players on the cusp of a big achievement like a perfect game?”
Yeah before they didn’t care if they screwed up!?
And even if true that was somehow better?
If baseball had complete video review and they had have overturned the call, during the game, fine. However, as it is, baseball is a game played within rules and this game was merely another one. An umpire is a human part of the game and like one of the players, can make a mistake that can affect the outcome of the game and the boxscore. Again, where is the logic in the folks wanting Selig to overturn the outcome of this game? Under the rules and culture of baseball there’s no difference made between the first baseman booting the ball and blowing the perfect game and the umpire blowing the call at first. You want to change that? All well and good but consider the entire process.
“Now: Whine to Oprah”
Show us where either of these two whined to Oprah, Mr. Ryan, or do you just not care if you have any credibility?
Tom,
That was my headline; can’t blame that one on Rick. Sometimes it’s easy to overstretch a meme when you’re trying to boil it down to a snappy headline.
Regards,
Ed
“can’t blame that one on Rick”
I gotcha.
My ignorance corrected is a wonderful thing.
“Again, where is the logic in the folks wanting Selig to overturn the outcome of this game?”
Where is the evidence either of the two Moran is complaining about want the decision overturned?
Rick,
Well written, logically arranged, passionately argued.
Also completely wrong, but that just means you’re hitting .750, right?
What we saw here was a case of grace under pressure by all concerned. Galarraga could have lost it and screamed and yelled and carried on. Instead he shrugged it off because he realized he still had a job to do and took care of business, since winning the game comes before individual accolades. (Me? I would have gone ballistic on the ump, so there ya go.)
Jim Leyland argued to protect his guy, but didn’t drop any of the compound words that would have gotten him tossed. He was doing his job as a manager.
Joyce had the integrity to look at the replay and admit what everyone already knew — he blew the call and actually had to stones to apologize to the offended parties, who had the class to accept the sincere apology for what it’s worth and tell all the naysayers to shut the hell up.
And the Detroit fans gave Joyce a standing-o the next day for manning up.
And Bud Selig made the right call as well. The rules don’t allow for do-overs. It happened, it sucks, get over it.
The biggest kudos to Galarraga, who kept the team and the ultimate goal in mind, and put it ahead of his personal gain. If I’m putting together a team, I want this dude on it. He gets it.
” . . . the very next pitch would have been in their ear.”
Apparently, there isn’t enough unsportsmanlike bevavior for Moran’s taste.
Speaking of that, this “writer” doesn’t know much about the history of the game, either. Neither Bob Gibson nor Don Drysdale would have blamed the next batter for a call that the umpire blew.
This article is so lame, even for Rick Moran, who is known for being lame.
While the World Series call was a blown one, it was made in game 6. The Cardinals had a chance to win game 7 and the World Series. They didn’t. Galarraga had no chance to make a comaback.
I discussed the call with a high school umpire at a district championship game yesterday. He said umpires make mistakes, but that was a very easy call (no obstructions, etc.). He said Jim Joyce must have somehow got distracted on the play. The high school umpire had several closer calls than Jim Joyce had and got them all right. Interestingly, one of the pitchers at the game I was watching yesterday threw a perfect game (7 inning variety) thnkzs to an incredible play by his third baseman.
What you’re missing, brother Moran, is that Joyce did it on purpose. He didn’t want the pitcher to have the perfect game. Look at the still photo.
He was looking right at the action and already an expression of disapproval is on his face. The SOB did it on purpose!
Selig is not “the government”. Baseball is private enterprise; at least until the US version of Joe Stalin appoints a Comissar to CEO it.
Many officials, in all sports, at all levels, deliberately make bad calls- due to evil feelings: Jealousy; “why should this—- get a perfect one when I never did?” Animosity; “Damn Boopahoovians, who the — do they think they are, anyway!” Twisted Values;”He didn’t need to hit him THAT hard!”
False Pride;”I’ll show ‘em who is Boss here!” Etc., etc., ad infinitum.
What is the point?
That we no longer have enough people who can be trusted to mind the store.
“Under the rules and culture of baseball there’s no difference made between the first baseman booting the ball and blowing the perfect game and the umpire blowing the call at first.”
Under the rules, an umpire blowing a call can be appealed and overturned.
9.02
(a) Any umpire’s decision which involves judgment, such as, but not limited to,
whether a batted ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a strike or a ball, or whether a runner is safe or out, is final. No player, manager, coach or substitute shall object to any such judgment decisions.
(b) If there is reasonable doubt that any umpire’s decision may be in conflict with the
rules, the manager may appeal the decision and ask that a correct ruling be made.
Such appeal shall be made only to the umpire who made the protested decision.
(c) If a decision is appealed, the umpire making the decision may ask another umpire
for information before making a final decision. No umpire shall criticize, seek to
reverse or interfere with another umpire’s decision unless asked to do so by the
umpire making it.
Joyce apparently decided not to consult with the other umpires or the protest wasn’t made in a way that this rule would have applied, but the option is certainly there.
A first baseman booting a ball is absolutely a different situation, both culturally and with regard to the official rules of play.
Everyone directly involved seems to be handling this in a stand-up manner. There are definitely whiners, but those are in the sports media or the general public. The proper solution would have been an official protest and for Joyce to step up during the action and ask for help from another umpire.
The first comment said it best:
“Jeez, Moran, off our meds tonight, are we?”
I know the comment was a joke, but honestly the thought I had, while reading this bizarre post, was that Rick Moran must be at least borderline mentally ill. He seems to have a serious anger management problem, to put it mildly, and his idea of socially appropriate behavior is badly skewed.
My take on your basic premise is that the reaction of many FANS and various government offcials is certainly a perfect metaphor for what American society has sadly crumbled into, but I think that both Mr. Galarraga and Mr. Joyce are handling themselves with grace and dignity.
I have never gotten over Robby Alomar spitting in the ump’s face; I like the way this ended far more.
And for what it’s worth, while I don’t really dispute your point, World Championships are won every year; perfect games are far more rare, and I think probably every bit as sad to see lost over a blown call.
Funny you should say that, because Bob Alomar and that umpire apparently have gotten over it. I read where they’re good friends now. Funny world.
I’m really glad to know that, thanks; it was shocking to me as a kid to see a player I admired behave that way. Loved his daddy and brother even more than him.
An awful moment in baseball, but I reckon I need to get over it, too.
Rick, nothing personal man, but you really blew the call here to the point that if you got paid for this article, you might consider giving the money back.
Vince Lombardi, seeing the considerable damage his winning-is-the-only-thing ethic had wrought, renounced it shortly before his death in 1970: “I wish to hell I’d never said the damned thing. I meant the effort. . . . I meant having a goal. . . . I sure as hell didn’t mean for people to crush human values and morality.”
http://www.city-journal.org/html/10_2_bring_back_sportsmanship.html
I didn’t realize Lombardi had said that. Now he’s moved up a few notches in my book.
Well, I was gonna write how lame and stupid this piece was but it looks like pretty much all the commenters here beat me to it!
And another thing; he was not out by half a step; it was a bang-bang play, which was clear only on the slo-mo replay. Leyland admitted that he couldn’t tell, until he saw the replay.
You are right Moran. Your crime is that you took to long to get to the point.
Yep…it seems that conclusive opinion has determined Moran to be a moron…on this occasion.
I just can’t imagine why he would write something so damned stupid…drunk? perhaps? Or desperate for attention? – he’s hardly a headliner…..who knows…the damage to his brand is done.
What I got from the piece is that the author is not slamming Galarraga, but those who think history should be rewritten to spare Galarraga’s supposedly teeny weeny feelings.
He went a little overboard criticizing Joyce, but talking to the press is pretty unusual for an umpire. A lot of die-hard BB fans might have been scratching their heads about that unique occurrence. I know if my dad (a former player and umpire) were still around, he’d be saying WTF?, too.
Easy fella’s. All of you. I can tell you as one who has played this game a bit, that the human frailties of the players and the umps is part of what makes baseball great. Are we certain the the ump behind the dish didn’t miss any ball/stike calls with a count of 3 balls on any hitter earlier in the game? Were there any close calls during the game that went the other way? Both of these guys reacted to the moment the way their persona dictated. Others (Bob Gibson, Don Drysdale, etc.) would have reacted differently. Either way, Baseball can’t and shouldn’t change this call. Turns out it was a complete game 1 hit gem. The best part of this is that there was another set of games today. And another tomorrow.
It was not just a mistake on the ump’s part. The runner was so obviously out that you could only see it as a complete choke – unacceptable for a professional. Just as a player has to be extra careful and aware during a play with the outcome of the game on the line, so should an ump with a perfect game on the line. He wasn’t.
You are giving this guy a pass because “incorrect calls” are a part of baseball. This was more like a grounder between the legs to lose the World Series, an airball free throw that would have won the NBA finals, a shanked gimme field goal attempt to win the Super Bowl.
I have to agree with the War Planner. You blew the call on this one Rick. Let it go.
lay off the hooch and test rick; it’ll shrivel yer nards. gallaraga manned up, shrugged off a bad call and got the next batter out. and he’s wrong b/c of that??? wtf?? in EVERY sport, the best players shrug off bad calls, and maybe even say eff you to the ref/ump and get on the highlight reel on the next play. the chump players let bad calls affect their performance like you suggest.
gallaraga and joyce handled the situation like men. joyce sacked up and said he was wrong (refreshing in sports)(and life). gallaraga accepted his apology and moved on…what should he have done, threatened to kill joyce and/or jump off the top of the GM building???? gallaraga’s behavior isn’t ‘oprahfied’ it’s perfectly Christian. joyce apologized and gallaraga accepted his apology. end of story.
you must be a peach to deal with, moran. gots to luv people that f up and think it’s honorable to deny deny deny. real men admit their mistakes. once your balls drop you might understand. chump.
The pitcher handled the whole thing with class and dignity. Joyce manned up and admitted he blew it (he was in the right spot, he just missed the call). Kudos to Galarraga for keeping his cool and getting the next batter to win the game (that is the objective, right?).
Most of this article is jibberish. The one thing I agree with is that Joyce should be banned from any “rewards” (post-season play) for at least this season. Actions do have consequences; this should be his.
I think Rick woke up on the wrong side of the bed after dreaming all night about how to incorporate “Oprahfied Dishrag” into an article. There’s no other explanation to his bizarre reaction to two men who made the best of an unfortunate situation.
zzzzzzzzzzz
Not much to add that others haven’t already…the readers for the most part have got it bang-on, unlike the writer. Moran wants a pitcher to break his hand throwing a temper tantrum over a bad call, and thinks that doing so is a sign of manliness and competitive spirit…despite the fact that he says blown calls are part of the game that everybody should accept. Well, which is it, Moran? Do we accept human error and move on like adults, or throw hissy fits like children playing a child’s game? Your argument is incoherent. It’s like your torn between being a political commentator saying that baseball shouldn’t be taken so seriously, and being one of those obnoxious sports fans who convinces himself that sports are serious business like war, becoming infuriated by players not taking it as seriously.
At any rate this article proves this “news” item has jumped the shark. The principals of the story have already moved on, it’s time for politicians and the media to do so as well.
As a diehard Tiger fan, I couldn’t be more pleased with how well AG took this whole thing. He made the organization look good, and in turn, himself. The Tigers could have made this into a spectacle, and unless you weren’t watching, there was quite an argument following the game. They relented later, and realized it was human.
Unless there is satire in here, I can only disagree strongly with this article. Further, I’m inclined to think that attitudes such as the one presented here only furthers all the complications that have persisted from the beginning of time. There is nothing wrong with acting gracefully.
As a fan, am I upset the Tigers were screwed out of their own perfect game in their 110 year history? Absolutely. But I was proud of the team and the players who realized the human element of the moment.
Nate, as a fellow Tigers fan, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Very disappointed in Rick Moran’s nonsensical and absurd piece. I would elaborate, but other commenters already have done an admirable job.
Love pajamasmedia generally, but this is one of the dumbest pieces I’ve ever read on any site or in any print medium at any point in my lifetime. Really. To a man, every person to whom I’ve spoken about this – left, right, center – has agreed that everyone involved handled the unfortunate circumstances with an unprecedented level of class and dignity. You, on the other hand, did not.
Perhaps you should man up and admit you blew this call.
The behavior of Joyce (I could do without the tears but that’s me)and AG are so refreshing. Taking responsibility and not acting like a spoiled brat owed by the world respectively is a palate cleanser for the daily blaming, complaining and whining from POTUS and his entourage. Now maybe Moran will man up and admit that he blew this one. If he did we might be on the verge of a movement.
I can’t believe what I just read. “This is a big f’ing deal” as our esteemed(?) VP would say.
I was watching the game live. That look on Galarraga’s face at the blown call was one of incredulity. And to criticize THAT (shrugging it off and moving on) while stating that kids should rather go ballistic like George Brett (who was guilty, btw) not only reeks of poor sportsmanship, but is also a script for a budding young sociopath.
As for running to Bud Selig … lemme see here: Oh ya, it was Senator Debbie Stabenow and the ancient and addled Rep. John Dingell – both Democrats. Our Canadian Governess proclaimed a perfect game on behalf of Galarraga’s performance. Oh btw … Gov. Granholm is a Democrat too.
Everyone involved in this fustercluck HAS been classy, from the Tigers organization, to Armando Galarraga, to the first base ump, and most importantly – The FANS. We don’t need no steenking faux Alpha Male trying to tell us how WE should react. And we sure as hell don’t need to be holding up the out of control antics of Ty Cobb or George Brett as examples for children to emulate.
Armando Galarraga will always be known as the only pitcher to ever pitch a 28 out perfect game.
~(Ä)~
Amen to your last sentence, Rocketman. Tha’s what I aimed to say exactly. Baseball lore is a compendium of unique events we don’t expect to be repeated. Back to Back no hitters. A 56 game hitting streak. 61 home runs by the underdog in 1961. One perfect game in the World Series. Galarraga’s 28 out perfect game now is legend of that same unique magnitude. The fame is punctuated now by the grace of all concerned, and, yes, I agree: the sactity of the umpire’s call holds a higher value than declaring another perfect game that as to errors charged, was not so perfect. But still. Legend.
Every time I read something written by Jim Moran I immediately have to go brush my teeth. Every time.
I can not for one minute imagine why PJ Media insists on giving such a worthless waste of flesh a platform from which to natter his nonsense.
Rocketman has it right: “Everyone involved in this fustercluck HAS been classy, from the Tigers organization, to Armando Galarraga, to the first base ump, and most importantly – The FANS.”
Jim Moran has never been worthy of being considered a member of the “classy” club. Ever. The man is pathetic and I’m sick to my stomach of having to see his writings here.
PJ Media, stop it. Now.
Jim Moran, Rick Moran. Who cares.
This article is a majorly blown call, although it doesn’t alter the outcome that Moran was and is and will be a frequent public idiot.
Perhaps Pajamas Media ought to take a page from Moran’s book: “He should be fined, suspended, and prevented from working…”
How will the “manly” Moran handle it? I bet a tantrum would be right up his ally (in fact, I know it is – I’ve seen him pitch one before).
Pathetic.
Moran, you are a lulu…
Wow… what exactly happened to Rick Moran ? Does he hate the Detroit Tigers that badly… have they owned the White Sox this season or something ?
I have never heard him rant. I do agree that the umpire should have shut up about this. He failed where it counted most. With that being said, he owned up to his mistake which is a very difficult thing to do. Perfect games are so very rare in baseball and he just robbed a pitcher of a legitimate perfect game.
Galaragga handled the whole thing with class – is Moran complaining that this guy was .umm… “too perfect”. What does he want him to do ? Put up a sour face in front of the whole world and whine about it ?
Rick is waaaay off base here.
“Armando Galarraga will always be known as the only pitcher to ever pitch a 28 out perfect game.”…..Rocketman
So true, Rocketman……I’ll bet that few people can name the last pitcher to throw a perfect game and it was only a month or so ago. I’d also wager that most people couldn’t name 3 of the 20 pitchers in MLB history who tossed perfect games. But, Armando Galarraga’s “28 out” perfect game will be the subject of much discussion for decades…….. (If Major League Baseball survives that long!)
The decision not to overturn the call was correct.To insinuate that Gallaraga has in any way attempted to play the victim card is ridiculous.And to criticize him for handling this incident with grace and great sportsmanship says much about your character-or lack of it!
This is exact same mentality that keeps innocent people in jail when the prosecutor refuses to correct their mistake. Or when a whistleblower suffers retribution. It’s a petty, bureaucratic small-mindedness that elevates the rules over what the rules are supposed to govern.
That’s 2 minutes of my life I’ll never get back. I think I’m done with Rick Moran; happens far too often when I read his stuff.
This is what happens when you write too many political columns. You forget the difference between metaphor and reality.
This blown call has nothing to do with “kids these days.” Joyce deserves credit for not standing by his judgment in light of the fact that it was PROVABLY, UNAMBIGUOUSLY INCORRECT, by a margin significantly outside the normal allowance for the visual limitations of umpires.
It looks like the mouth-breathing, inhuman Randism of Zombie’s post is contagious. There will be many stones in the road to the dystopia envisioned by Mark Steyn if it comes to pass, but this is not one of them.
Gallaraga, Joyce, Selig, and the fans displayed sportsmanship. Moran regrets that they didn’t act like NBA thugs. Go figure.
For those who think that the record should be changed after the fact, consider this: what if close inspection of the videotape tomorrow showed another close play in, say, the fifth inning had been mistakenly called out when the hitter/baserunner was safe?
Enough with the lawyering. We have too much of it already. This play – and all plays – should stand as called at the time.
Wow! That’s a lot of heavy-duty moralizing over … an incident in professional recreation? Please! Call me unmoved! The whole cast of characters can, as far as they concern me, carry on any damned way they please. I’ll remain UNMOVED!
Says: if he juggled it we would not be having this conversation. Nor if he caught it cleanly.
the perfect game is a team accomplishment (winky winky O. no I or E)(there is also the no-hitter).
Every hurler, with heart, knows this, for non has gone without the dreadnought for 6+ innings and maintained… or increased ferocity.
…and we ALL know how beloved Ty Cobb was by everyone who really knew him. Great example Einstein!
As a Kansas Citian, if I hear the “Denkinger cost the Cards the Series” blubber one more time, I’m going to go SEIU all over the one who blubbers it. Nothing stopped the Cards from retiring any of the next two hitters. The Cards could have won Game 7. Didn’t happen. We’ve been listening to this whining from the other side of the State ever since.
Really? Dotar Sojat? I just started re-reading those (for the 100th time). You know, Rick’s a big fan too.
Nice touch! John Carter partially attributed the longevity of the Barsoomian civilizations to the fact that they didn’t even have a word for “Lawyer”.
I agree with you Rick, which means probably that the end times are upon us. Or something, anyway.
As a Cardinals’ fan, I hated Denkinger’s call in the 1985 WS when he blew, blew, blew the call at first base, but I would never in a million years advocated retroactively giving the title to St. Louis. It was a bad call, it sucked, but it’s time to move on. I feel sorry for the young guy. He pitched well enough for a perfect game, but a bad call robbed it from him. It was a tough break, but sports history is littered with lots of bad breaks which can’t be fixed. Now the list has one more item.
I can’t believe you people who think the pitcher did the right thing!
Agree with that which one knows to be wrong? Accept status as the victim of a massive theft- and do zip to correct it? Tolerate evil? Condone wrongdoing?
What a collection of amoral wimps! Forgive the unrepentant? Reinforce unacceptable behavior?
We have two generations of y’all on the streets now and the republic is almost dead because of it.Good is to be rewarded and Bad is to be corrected; punished when appropriate. Broken is to be fixed. What kind of subhuman drifts through life without fixing broken things as he goes? Obamas? Reids?
Pelosis? Franks? Evil loves evil and evil loves broken things; chaos; eg, the anarchists of the ACLU.
“If its broke, then fix it!” If its wrong, then correct it. Failure to correct wrong behavior is why our jails and prisons are overfilled. Failure to correct evil on the international level is why we are in peril from terrorism, Iran, North Korea, etc. The Third Reich was broken and we fixed that. The Japanese East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere was broken and we fixed that, too. Then we failed to fix Korea and Vietnam and…; and look where we are now!
The mindset that tolerates evil and does not correct it is self destructive, and aids and abets the growth of evil.That is, in short, satanic.