# Armando Galaraga (Tigers) robbed of perfect game **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 3, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716 "2010-06-03T00:54:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/1 "2010-06-03T00:54:23Z")
Game just ended. 27th batter grounded out (clearly) and umpire called him safe. Holy crap. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/2 "2010-06-03T00:57:30Z")
Oh wow, that’s a flat out terrible call. I’m sure something will be up on YouTube or [MLB.com](http://MLB.com) any moment, but for those who haven’t seen it yet, the batter hit a roller between first and second. Miguel Cabrera fielded it and threw to Galarraga covering first. The ball beat the runner by a step or a step and a half. I’m guessing the ump blew the call because of the way Galarraga tapped the bag. He shuffled his feet kind of awkwardly and it may have made the ump think he didn’t get there while the runner was trying to leg it out. But that’s a really bad blown call. The first base ump is going to feel like shit when he sees the replay, and deservedly so. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/3 "2010-06-03T01:01:38Z")
Galarraga’s foot was a little high when he got the ball, but he got down in good time. Umps are human and are going to blow calls now and then, but–jeez!–what a horrible, horrible time to do it. ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/4 "2010-06-03T01:03:09Z")
And we don’t have instant replay for this sort of thing… Why? ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/5 "2010-06-03T01:05:57Z")
I said it in the June baseball thread too, but Austin Jackson had made a spectacular catch on the first batter of the inning to preserve it too. What a shame. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/6 "2010-06-03T01:08:59Z")
I’m unhappy. It was my Indians who were getting spanked, and they deserved it. I find this sort of thing depressing. ---
**Author:** ![Free\_Range\_Otter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Free\_Range\_Otter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Free_Range_Otter)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/7 "2010-06-03T01:19:37Z")
Can the Tigers appeal the call? I realize it wouldn’t be the same, but that was by all rights a perfect game. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/8 "2010-06-03T01:21:54Z")
> [@Free\_Range\_Otter](#): > > Can the Tigers appeal the call? I realize it wouldn’t be the same, but that was by all rights a perfect game. Part of me was hoping the Scorer would call it an error just to preserve the no hitter part, but integrity is intergity, ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/9 "2010-06-03T01:27:52Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Part of me was hoping the Scorer would call it an error just to preserve the no hitter part, but integrity is intergity, Oh, yeah. Given that the call was “safe”, it has to be scored a hit. Just another beat-out infield single. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/10 "2010-06-03T01:31:42Z")
Good image of the out: [http://web11.twitpic.com/img/109864396-b62077af91b92c1975729589d9a52d76.4c06fe90-scaled.jpg](http://web11.twitpic.com/img/109864396-b62077af91b92c1975729589d9a52d76.4c06fe90-scaled.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/11 "2010-06-03T01:33:46Z")
Oh, and I’ll give full credit to Galarraga for the way he handled it. Calmly walked back to the mound and got the next batter. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/12 "2010-06-03T01:37:45Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Oh, yeah. Given that the call was “safe”, it has to be scored a hit. Just another beat-out infield single. But the umpire isn’t in charge of calling it a hit or an error. He only rules safe or out. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/13 "2010-06-03T01:44:26Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > But the umpire isn’t in charge of calling it a hit or an error. He only rules safe or out. Yeah, but there was nothing remotely error-like about the play. It was a perfectly typical infield single. (Well, except that it was an out.) The scorer can only call that a hit. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/14 "2010-06-03T01:48:28Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Yeah, but there was nothing remotely error-like about the play. It was a perfectly typical infield single. (Well, except that it was an out.) The scorer can only call that a hit. E10 😉 ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/15 "2010-06-03T02:17:22Z")
The call was bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/16 "2010-06-03T02:22:56Z")
The only thing I can figure is the ump didn’t hear it. Usually on a call at first the ump looks at the bag and listens to the ball hitting the glove. Galarraga snow coned the ball and it probably didn’t make the expected noise of the ball hitting the glove. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/17 "2010-06-03T02:24:17Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Oh wow, that’s a flat out terrible call. I’m sure something will be up on YouTube or [MLB.com](http://MLB.com) any moment,… [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100602&content\_id=10727590&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c\_id=mlb](http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100602&content_id=10727590&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb) ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/18 "2010-06-03T02:32:03Z")
Okay, MLB. This is it. Now you have to have replay. You held off for longer than should have, but HD and constant coverage have finally done you in. This is one straw amongst many, but I want to know why MLB has a monopoly exemption that no other sport has. Isn’t it time for this archaic law to go the way of so many other outdated laws? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/19 "2010-06-03T02:35:25Z")
Armando Galarraga is a class act. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/20 "2010-06-03T02:50:47Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Armando Galarraga is a class act. I have to give Jim Joyce a lot of credit as well - he owned up and apologized immediately: > [@MLB.com](#): > > “I just cost that kid a perfect game,” Joyce said. “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 he gave Joyce a hug when Joyce apologized to him after the game. > > “He really feels bad,” Galarraga said. “He probably feels more bad than me. Nobody is perfect. I give a lot of credit to that guy. That (an apology) doesn’t happen. He apologized. He feels really bad. Nobody is perfect. What am I gonna do? His body language said more than a lot of words. His eyes were watery, he didn’t have too say much. His body language said a lot.” Many umps (_cough cough_ Joe West) wouldn’t have done so. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716.md?page=2)