As everyone has heard by now, on June 2nd MLB umpire Jim Joyce prevented Detroit’s Armando Galarraga from garnering a perfect game with two outs in the ninth inning against Cleveland by ruling that the Indians’ Jason Donald was safe on a bang-bang play at first. Instant replay of all angles has shown he made the wrong call. Anyone can easily see there was no tie where the defensive player and runner reach the base at the same time (that per the rule book would favor the runner). After the commotion on the field ended and play resumed, center fielder Trevor Crowe made the second 27th out of the game (future trivia question you can bet on it).
This has sparked a national debate on what should be done to get the call right. It has increased the talk of instituting instant replay for calls on the field of this or any other type. Currently MLB does not employ Instant Replay. With the advancement and speed of technology, there is a justifiable argument that it should be implemented, and could be done so with equipment currently being used. But the arguments for what to make replay available for and when to use it are as wide as some strike zones being called today. So I don’t want to get into that.
Others like St. Louis skipper Tony LaRussa and former ESPN co-anchor Keith Olbermann have called for the commissioner to overturn the decision, and award the perfect game. Some feel the commissioner has the ability to do so, “in the best interest and integrity of the game”. I do not want to get into that just yet either, and Selig has gone on record to indicate he will not reverse the call. It is his prerogative to rule that way, but I am building a case for him to reconsider.
So what I do want to know is why the decision wasn’t reversed right there on the field. The way I understand the rule book, this could have easily been accomplished within minutes of the call, yet it didn’t happen. This is what troubles me the most.
To paraphrase MLB’s Official Rules, 9.02, Detroit skipper Jimmy Leland, when he stormed onto the field to give Joyce a face full of his frustration, could have appealed (9.02b) Joyce’s judgment call that Donald was not safe at first base (9.02a). I’m willing to bet that, even thought it was a heated moment, Leland did just that, but this is speculation on my part. Leland has managed far too long and is too well respected among his peers and players for me to think he was not aware of this rule. After all, how many times does a manager run onto the field to defend a player that DOESN’T involve a judgment call? Not too often.
Then, according to the rules, by appealing, umpire Joyce should consult with other umpires in the game (9.02c) and weight their input. In this case the call would have been overturned. Why do I say that? Because from the replays I watched, both HP umpire Marvin Hudson and 2B umpire Jim Wolf had unobstructed views of the play, and would have stated so. Hudson, unless he was looking elsewhere, would have at least been able to confirm the ball was caught by Russell Branyan before Donald tagged the base. Equally important Wolf would have at least been able to confirm that after catching the ball Branyan tagged the bag before Donald did. In a matter of minutes the game would be over and go down as the rarest of rare; a perfect game.
The fact that this didn’t occur has me baffled. For a few reasons:
1) Why didn’t Joyce evoke 9.02c? Again, I’m giving Leyland the benefit of the doubt here that he did call for an appeal. In a MLB Studio 42 special, Bob Costas hosted a Q&A with former MLB umpires Steve Palermo, Don Denkinger & Bruce Froemming. In it (I unfortunately cannot find a transcript), one of the umpires recollects how they would go to other umpires during a game to get feedback on judgment calls, usually strike zone related. This indicates to me that the umpires do rely upon one another for the integrity of the game being called. Joyce did not do this. Why? Perhaps arrogance.
2) Over the past few weeks, umpires have once again dominated the headlines by their antics and rulings on the field and are once again becoming a point of contention. Umpires should not make the nightly highlights. Why do the umpires feel the need to be prominent in how the game plays out on the nightly sports shows? Joyce has placed himself in the most prominent position an umpire can be in, affecting the outcome of a perfect game with 26 outs. Why? Again arrogance.
3) Joyce will long be haunted by this call, more so than Galarraga. His reputation is forever tarnished, such as is the formerly mentioned Don Denkinger who blew a call 26 years ago and trashed his once impeccable reputation (who does by the way support the use of instant replay). Joyce had the chance to make the call right if he would have conferred with the other umpires. The fact that he did not also leads me to conclude arrogance.
So there it is. Human arrogance is why the call stood. It is the only reason I can conclude on an otherwise colossally mishandled call. Since that is the case, I insist that Bud Selig take a look at the umpires that are calling today’s baseball games, and perhaps reverse your decision to not reverse the call. At the very least, contact The Detroit Tigers and ask Jim Leland if he evoked 9.02b. If he did, you have more than enough justification to change your mind in the best interest of baseball. At that time also look to address the maverick and arrogant behavior by some of the umpires taking the field today. Remember, baseball may still be referred to as the National Pastime, but it lags behind football and basketball in popularity. That does not have to mean the sport is inferior to those, but such incompetence on the way this is being handled makes one think perhaps it truly is.
