It was clear to viewers that Joyce blew the call. What no one expected were the reactions that followed the 28 out perfecto.

Watching Armando Galarraga deliver the lineup card to Jim Joyce before today’s game was one of the classiest things I have EVER seen in sports.  In case you missed it…like I did…Armando Galarraga was one out away from throwing the 3rd perfect game in less than a month last night.  Jason Donald hit a weak grounder up the first base line, which pulled Miguel Cabrera off the bag.  Galarraga covered the base and caught the flip from Cabrera a step and a half ahead of the runner.  Cabrera’s arms went up to celebrate, Galarraga’s arms went up to celebrate, and so did the arms of first base umpire Jim Joyce…to signal the runner safe.  Joyce claims that when he made the call, he thought it was correct. It was really close, but with instant replay you can see that the runner was out. If you watch the replay you can see Donald clutching his helmet after the safe call.  Even he knew he was out, and so did the 17,738 fans in attendance.

The human element is a huge part of baseball, and I have to give props to the mummy commissioner of MLB.  Selig came out today and said that he wasn’t going to overturn the call to give Galarraga the perfecto.  And this is the right call.  If we give the power of the official scorer to the Commissioner’s Office, we’re opening up Pandora’s box.  Every fan, player, manager and sports agent will be busting down Selig’s door to change things.  No good.  What Selig has done is say that he’ll review the instant replay rules, and that is a big win for baseball.  I said that human error is a part of the game–yes, but I like giving the umpires the opportunity to fix those mistakes during the course of a game.  Do I know who would be in charge of replay, or what would qualify as a reviewable play?  No.  Do I know if it would slow the pace of play?  No.  What I do know is that if they can get this figured out, mistakes like the one that cost Armando his perfect game would be a thing of the past.  Good on yah, Selig.

Jim Leyland absolutely laid into Joyce after the game ended, not after the play happened.  Of course, he came out and argued, but he waited until Galarraga recorded the 28th out of the game to really let him have it.  And he had every right to.  He was defending his player and trying to protect his place in history.  But I like that he kept his cool during the game and waited until it was over to truly voice his displeasure.  He sent a good message to his team, and in his post-game interview, he sent an even better message to the fans.  Leyland asked Tiger fans not to boo Joyce before the next game, saying that “today’s a day for Detroit to be a class act…today is a day to cheer the integrity of an umpire.”  Mr. Leyland, you sir are classy.

And speaking about the integrity of an umpire–how bout Jim Joyce.  I mentioned earlier that Joyce thought he had made the right call on the field, and I like that.  You need to stand by your decisions.  What I like even more was that he had the courage to watch the play after the game was over and to admit that he made a mistake.  Of course he didn’t want to blow the call.  But he did, and he owned it.  He took history away from a young player, and he could not feel worse about it.  The man was an emotional mess.  He takes pride in what he does, and he’s been praised by players and managers alike for his fair and even calls.  Before his post-game interview, he went so far as to search Galarraga out and personally apologize.  And I know that apologies won’t give the Tigers’ starter his gem back, but Joyce could have huffed and puffed about how it was his call to make and that that is how the game is played.  But he didn’t.  Jim Joyce, you are classy indeed.

Then you have Galarraga–I don’t think anyone could have handled this situation better than he has.  When the play happened he should have flipped.  I would have flipped.  I think any other player would have flipped.  But he didn’t, he sort of wryly smiled and walked back to the mound.  He kept his composure and finished off Trevor Crowe with five more pitches, as Donald took second and third on defensive indifference.  In all of his post-game interviews he didn’t put blame on Joyce, he kept stating that what happened happened and there is no changing it.  Today, Jim Joyce got home plate as his assignment in Detroit, and Galarraga was the one exchanging lineup cards with the umpiring crew and Cleveland’s skipper.  As Armando shook his hand, Joyce started to tear up.  The crowd cheered as he came out of the dugout, and he tipped his cap.  He just wants to move on.  Was he upset?  Of course he was, but he held no ill will, and he showed that in a world where players lie, cheat, and steal to get themselves to the top, there is still just a little bit of integrity left.  And that makes him the classiest of all.