# 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:** 3
**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, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/41 "2010-06-03T05:11:35Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > You could possibly argue that _if_ the call had been correct then the first baseman clearly must have screwed up - by bobbling the catch, or failing to get his foot on the base, etc. But it’s obvious that none of those things actually happened. > > Scorers are allowed to use replay, right? Did you even see the play? The first baseman did not bobble the catch, or fail to get his foot on the bag. The first baseman ranged far to his right, fielded the grounder, and threw to the _pitcher_ covering first. The pitcher caught the ball and stepped on first. The first baseman did not screw up, nor did the pitcher. The umpire (incorrectly) called the batter safe. Beating out an infield grounder is an everyday, common happening. There is no need for an error to occur in order for a batter to gain a hit on an infield grounder. Neither player, in any way, performed any action that was worthy of being charged an error, and so, given the umpire’s call of “safe”, the official scorer, to preserve his/her honesty and integrity, MUST call the play a hit. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/42 "2010-06-03T05:33:31Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > This is one straw amongst many, but I want to know why MLB has a monopoly exemption that no other sport has. [Federal Baseball Club v. National League, 259 U.S. 200](http://supreme.justia.com/us/259/200/case.html) More detail and other info [here](http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2008/12/3/678134/the-history-of-baseball-s). ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/43 "2010-06-03T06:57:29Z")
If Joyce hadn’t blown the call it would have been the third perfect game within a month and the fourth in two years. What gives? Has something changed that makes perfect games more likely, or is this just a coincidence? BTW, it’s not so easy to change the rules to allow replays on safe/out calls. The problem is that things can happen after the call that are hard to reverse. For example, suppose there’s a runner on second and the batter hits a fly ball to the outfield that is ruled to have been trapped (no catch). The runner from second goes to third base on the play without tagging up. There’s a protest, and the replay shows the fly ball was really caught, so the batter is out. What happens to the runner on third? Do you leave him on third? Put him back on second? Allow the defense to appeal? Here’s another: runner on third base with two out. Batter hits a ground ball and is ruled out on a close play at first. The runner on third, who is slow, doesn’t cross the plate before the out call and heads to the dugout. There is a protest, and the replay shows the batter-runner was safe. What happens to the runner from third? Should he be allowed to come back and complete the play, scoring a run? Should he be sent back to third? Should he be declared out for abandoning the basepaths (even though he thought there were three out when it happened)? ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/44 "2010-06-03T07:18:38Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I do think this is going to accelerate the push for replay. Although replay shouldn’t have been necessary here anyway - it was not a close call. As someone on Deadspin said, “Really the only question going forward is whether the new Instant Replay system will be called the ‘Joyce Rule’ or the ‘Galaraga Rule.’” ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/45 "2010-06-03T08:16:49Z")
If Facebook can get Betty White to host SNL, it should be able to fix this too. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/46 "2010-06-03T11:15:05Z")
I just saw this on sportscenter. Everyone thought the runner was out. Including the runner. I’m not even a Tiger fan and I’m sick about this. That poor guy may never get another chance to throw a perfect game. Odds are against it. And he had one. And the ump blew it. If I were Major League Baseball, I’d give it to him. Who would complain? The outcome doesn’t change. He got the next batter out. That’s the right thing to do. So of course, they won’t do it. ---
**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, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/47 "2010-06-03T11:29:08Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > [Federal Baseball Club v. National League, 259 U.S. 200](http://supreme.justia.com/us/259/200/case.html) > > More detail and other info [here](http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2008/12/3/678134/the-history-of-baseball-s). Thanks, Oakminster, but I actually knew all that. I should have said, “I don’t know why MLB’s monopoly is still tolerated in this day and age.” ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/48 "2010-06-03T12:35:06Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > If Joyce hadn’t blown the call it would have been the third perfect game within a month and the fourth in two years. What gives? Has something changed that makes perfect games more likely, or is this just a coincidence? There’s certainly a lot of luck involved, but I did see ESPN replaying some of the first perfect game, highlighting the strike calls. Let’s just say the strike zone was sized a little more like Prince Fielder than Dustin Pedroia. No, let’s be more clear: the strike zone started somewhere between the inside edge of the batter’s box and third base. I don’t know if there’s any structural explanation, or just an umpire who decided he was going to call things widely that day. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/49 "2010-06-03T12:41:57Z")
I think that Selig has the power to act “in the best interests of baseball” and set this right. He surely shouldn’t be reviewing every call, but in a situation like this, it would be best for Galaraga, Joyce, the Tigers, and all of baseball to have this one right. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/50 "2010-06-03T12:51:32Z")
I’m surprised at the lack of conspiracy theories. That is an amazingly poor call. It is hard to imagine how an experienced umpire could miss a call by such a huge margin. It wasn’t anywhere near a close call. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/51 "2010-06-03T13:02:03Z")
[That was a cocksucking call.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHZhDdcE2Iw) ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/52 "2010-06-03T13:54:50Z")
I can’t fathom how anyone can profess any kind of love for this game and still have an attitude of “you can’t change the call – it’s against the rules”. We live in a day and age where technology allows up to get things right – it takes a very special kind of density to think allowing errors in judgement are preferable to getting the call correct. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/53 "2010-06-03T14:22:52Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > In this instance, I would be completely OK with the commissioner overruling the umpire. If it weren’t the _last out of the game_ I could see argument about overruling the call… however, it was clearly the 27th out and the next batter was also out… This should not only be overruled, but he should be celebrated for the only 28-out perfect game in MLB history. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/54 "2010-06-03T14:49:34Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > I can’t fathom how anyone can profess any kind of love for this game and still have an attitude of “you can’t change the call – it’s against the rules”. We live in a day and age where technology allows up to get things right – it takes a very special kind of density to think allowing errors in judgement are preferable to getting the call correct. The problem is, it opens a Pandora’s Box. You can contest outs? What about balls and strikes? What about the Steroid Era? ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/55 "2010-06-03T14:50:14Z")
If you were the batter, would you have told the ump you were out and asked him to reverse the call? I probably would have, but I’m not a major league player. Although the chances are slim, there was the opportunity for a comeback and at the professional level you really should be playing until your final out. I’ve heard it said that as a perfect game progresses pretty much every player is thinking, “please don’t hit the ball to me” because they don’t want to be the ones to blow the perfect game with an error. I wonder if the umps feel that same kind of pressure. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/56 "2010-06-03T14:56:32Z")
I just looked at the video myself. I know umpires make mistakes, but I’ve been watching baseball since I was six and that is probably the worst call at first base I have ever seen. I saw Don Denkinger’s infamous call on TV in 1985 and that wasn’t even nearly as bad as this one. The play that Denkinger missed was by about a half of a step. Galaraga had the runner out by a clean two steps. The irony is that I recently was able to watch the last out of Roy Halladay’s perfect game against the Marlins, and I was thinking, “Oh geez, I’m glad the umpire didn’t catch Ryan Howard pulling his foot off the bag just before the throw came in.” I figured, there was no way a first-base umpire would call the 27th batter safe on a play like that, where it was so obvious. No way. Guess I was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/57 "2010-06-03T15:11:41Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Thanks, Oakminster, but I actually knew all that. I should have said, “I don’t know why MLB’s monopoly is still tolerated in this day and age.” Because it’s meaningless. Tell me one thing MLB gets away with that isn’t exactly true of the NFL, NBA, NHL, and any other major sporting organization. They get away with it because there’s nothing to get away with. What actionable issue are you oing to sue them over? Anything they do the NFL does, so why should baseball not be treated the same way? And the NFL et al. never got anti-trust exemptions. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/58 "2010-06-03T15:14:37Z")
> [@cmosdes](#): > > If you were the batter, would you have told the ump you were out and asked him to reverse the call? This is a good question, btw. Ethically, I don’t think it would be correct for a major league player to do this. Jason Donald has a fiduciary responsibility to perform his duties to the best of his ability, and his job is to win ball games for his team. Reversing a base hit (even if Joyce would have reversed his call) would be granting an advantage to the Tigers and away from his own team. I’m sure Donald feels bad for Galarraga but he has a duty to help the Indians win by any means possible within the rules of the sport. You don’t just give up a gift base hit. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/59 "2010-06-03T15:15:27Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > I can’t fathom how anyone can profess any kind of love for this game and still have an attitude of “you can’t change the call – it’s against the rules”. We live in a day and age where technology allows up to get things right – it takes a very special kind of density to think allowing errors in judgement are preferable to getting the call correct. > [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > The problem is, it opens a Pandora’s Box. You can contest outs? What about balls and strikes? What about the Steroid Era? I don’t buy the “Pandora’s Box” argument. A game with this particular set of circumstances comes along…well, quite _literally_ once in a lifetime (more than a lifetime, actually…since no one alive today was born prior to the start of baseball’s “modern era”). I generally agree with the conservative argument that you don’t mess with baseball and you don’t set new precedents that might come back to haunt you in the future. But at some point, you have to inject a dose of reality and ask what the odds are of this particular set of circumstances ever presenting itself again. I don’t know if this is up to today’s exact date, but [this site](http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/) says that 391,990 major league baseball games have been played since 1876. Out of all of these, only one has seen something like we saw last night. The closest thing in terms of impact was Don Denkinger’s bad call, which affected the outcome of the 1985 World Series. But put that into perspective. Plenty of baseball fans (myself included) couldn’t tell you the outcome of that series if asked point blank. But nearly any fan can tell you there have been 20 perfect games in Major League history. Last night’s game should go down in the record books as the 21st. Bud Selig can make it so, and the world will continue spinning on its axis just as before. Trust me on this. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716/60 "2010-06-03T15:16:16Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > The problem is, it opens a Pandora’s Box. You can contest outs? What about balls and strikes? What about the Steroid Era? Feh. This is a call that everyone – the other team, the ump, every person with eyes – says was blown, and it’s not blown a little. It’s obviously blown. You can treat truly extraordinary situations in extraordinary ways without affecting the way you treat the rest of the game. –Cliffy [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armando-galaraga-tigers-robbed-of-perfect-game/541716.md?page=4)