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Last week, Bill Schaefer described for us what was Maybe the Best Play Ever. Today he follows up with the other end of the spectrum: The Call From Hell. I think you all know where this one is going. Bottom line: The “Men in Blue” do a great job, but they’re human like the rest of us and are not perfect. But, I think we can all agree: “Thank God we now have appeals!” And what a gentleman Armando Galarraga is to have forgiven Jim Joyce!
Anyway, It’s hard to disagree with Bill’s assessments in either essay! -GL
The Call From Hell!
Detroit Free Press writer, Anthony Fenech, recalled, “It was a random Wednesday when Eric Wayne and his friend were driving east to Detroit from Grand Rapids, where they looked at the clock — it was just past 4 p.m. They had a pair of tickets to that night’s Detroit Tigers game and thought, ‘Why not?’ “
“The Tigers were hosting the Indians at Comerica Park. It was June 2, 2010. A beautiful day, with temperatures in the mid-70s. Armando Galarraga, an inconsistent right-hander who was on shaky ground in the starting rotation, was set to face righty Fausto Carmona, who years later would be known as Roberto Hernandez.”
The year 2010 saw Mark Zuckerberg’s embryonic face and huge green eyes grace the cover as Time’s “Person of the Year”; and the San Francisco Giants beat the Texas Rangers in the World Series. It was the Giants’ first Series win since 1954 when Willie Mays, back from the Army, edged teammate Don Mueller by three points to win the National League batting title with a .345 average.
Galarraga would pitch from 2007-2012 for Texas, Detroit, Arizona, and Houston, with a record of 26-34 and a career ERA of 4.78. But on this night he was magnificent. The film highlights reveal a pitcher in perfect command with a beautiful, graceful motion. And throwing as if guided by an inner radar that automatically placed his sinking fastball, slider, and change of pace right at the corners of the plate, at the knees, to both right-handed and left-handed batters. “I had a growing confidence as the game progressed. I never had confidence like that again,” he told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt.
The Tigers fielded flawlessly and no Cleveland batter had reached base entering the ninth inning. Then, Mark Grudzielanek leading off, “hit a fastball that stayed up, as hard as I could.” Detroit centerfielder, Austin Jackson, was positioned so shallow by manager Jim Leyland that plate umpire, Marvin Hudson, could hear him breathing. Jackson related, “I was a mile from the left-center power alley but got an incredible jump and tracked Mark’s ball almost perfectly to the warning track.”
Brilliantly over the shoulder a la Willie Mays, and then a ground out, made it 26 up 26 down. Certainly, that catch seemed the turning point. Just like Endy Chavez’s miracle play four years earlier against the Cardinals seemed a sure omen for a Mets victory. But perfect symmetry — in life and in baseball — seldom happens.
The Indians Jason Donald hit a ground ball wide of first. Miguel Cabrera fielded it cleanly and tossed to Galarraga covering the bag. Perfect Game! But wait!…Jim Joyce called him safe? What!! Everybody now knows Donald was out, including Joyce (berated brutally by Leyland, using the world’s favorite expletive). The esteemed umpire sadly explained, “I kicked it, absolutely. I feel terrible. All I can say is, at that moment, he looked safe to me.” (In real time, this was not an easy call).
Under the circumstances, though, was it the worst call? And shouldn’t Galarraga now go into the books with a perfect game? The replay evidence is conclusive. Everybody is in one hundred agreement. It’s a 28-out perfect game, yes?
I’m with Groucho Marx, “A five-year-old could answer that question. Fetch me a five-year-old.”
(Tigers 3, Indians 0ne hit. Time: 1:44)
Postscript:
Tony Marchetti, Managing Editor, Monmouth University Publications, graciously provided me with addtional information:
An article appearing in Monmouth Magazine revealed Monmouth University Adjunct Professor Lawrence Jones and 16 members of a Monmouth University “Law and Society” course submitted an 83-page document to Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred. They hoped he would grant Detroit pitcher Armando Galarraga the perfect game he was denied in 2010.
The commissioner was so impressed he set up a one-hour Zoom meeting earlier this year, allowing the students to probe the gamut of baseball issues. Professor Jones was proud of his young men and women, “They were just great, not at all intimidated. They hit it out of the park!”
Manfred was charming and forthcoming in his answers, but denied the Galarraga request, “I know this is not what you wanted to hear but such a ruling would open a Pandora’s box of issues…where past and future errors would constantly be vulnerable to scrutiny and disputes.”
Bill Schaefer
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