4 Reason’s Why Armando Galarraga Should Be Awarded a Perfect Game

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Bud Selig, the backboneless, indecisive commissioner of Major League Baseball should change the call in Wednesday night’s near perfect game, and here’s why:

1) The call is obvious. There’s no doubt. The runner (Jason Donald) thought he was out.

2) Outcome of game is unaffected. Still 3-0 either way. People argue that this will set a precedent for overturning calls, and that this will require MLB to go back and change all sorts of decisions, specifically the ’85 World Series. The only precedent set by overturning Wednesday night’s call is for would-be perfect games that ended on an obviously blown call on the last out. If a situation like this happens again (which it won’t), I think we can all agree to react in the same manner.

3) Regarding this precedent, it’s already been set. Pitcher Harvey Haddix has is no-hitter removed from the record books, 32 years after the game occurred. This is not as unheard of as people are making it out to be. In an obvious situation, there’s nothing wrong with making a correction.

4) This does not negatively affect any of the parties involved: Jason Donald, who singled on the play, says he feels bad about the situation. I think he would be alright with having one less career hit. The umpire, Jim Joyce, showed his remorse, and it was reported that he received death threats. Overturning the call is best for his legacy and the safety of both him and his family. Armando Galarraga, the pitcher, handled the situation with the utmost class, and if he didn’t deserve his name in the record books before, he certainly does now. People will argue that he will receive more publicity for his handling this situation for this game than he would had the call been made correctly. This is true, in 2010, but 80 years from now, this story will get lost in our massive news archives and it will be absent from the record books in a sport with a long and valued history. Galarraga was robbed of a chance to be immortalized in the annals of a game he loves and respects.

The Human Element” of baseball is overrated. Baseball writers and analysts are purists who want no change. Since when is “that’s the way it’s always been done” an good excuse to do something? Major League Baseball, though adored for decades, has been stuck in the past for as long as I can remember. Bud Selig, who’s major career achievements are the steroid era, an All-Star Game that ended in a tie, and now this perfect game debacle, has been less than proactive throughout his tenure, and as a result other professional sports are passing MLB in terms of popularity and revenue. This Galarraga-Joyce situation is just another example of something that could have been prevented (though it pales in comparison to the steroid era). It’s time for Selig to either make some changes, or turn baseball over to someone who is willing to make the changes necessary to grow the game. It’s time for instant replay, among other things, and there’s no reason that shouldn’t start today with the awarding of a perfect game to Armando Galarraga.

Alex Chalupka - Originally from the Baltimore-Washington area, Alex is a huge Baltimore Ravens and Maryland Terrapins fan who currently resides in Little Rock, Arkansas. He’s also an Orioles fan and follows the NBA and other sports as objectively as possible. He enjoys writing about all sports and is the founder/editor of theSportsGeeks.com. - Follow him on Twitter here - Visit his personal website

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12 thoughts on “4 Reason’s Why Armando Galarraga Should Be Awarded a Perfect Game

  1. You are dead wrong. Bud made the right call. Baseball should never change! A call by the on the field has always stood the test of time. That is how it is. Live with it!!

  2. “The only precedent set by overturning Wednesday night’s call is for would-be perfect games that ended on an obviously blown call on the last out”

    I think this is the biggest flaw in your argument.

    Let's say we're watching Game 7 of the World Series 2 outs bottom of the 9th, tie game.

    And the same exact play happens.

    And to be less dramatic, lets say it happens in the regular season and a team loses the game off of the same exact play. It could ultimately impact the final standings.

    Personally, I think it's pretty clear to everybody that a. Armando Galarraga threw a perfect game & b. instant replay needs to be expanded in baseball.
    The fact that his name won't be in the record books doesn't bother me as a fan.
    If I was his mother, brother, friend, or teammate I might feel different bout that though.

  3. I see what you're saying, it's definitely not as black-and-white as I, or others are making it out to be.

    In my ideal world, instant replay would go into effect tomorrow, and the situation you speak of will never take place, although that obviously won't happen. Bud Selig will need a congressional investigation to determine whether instant replay is needed.

  4. Right. But considering the options & consequences Selig has before him, I think it makes more sense to shut this down now, rather then create the window later for a case by case analysis.

  5. You are dead wrong. Bud made the right call. Baseball should never change! A call by the on the field has always stood the test of time. That is how it is. Live with it!!

  6. “The only precedent set by overturning Wednesday night’s call is for would-be perfect games that ended on an obviously blown call on the last out”

    I think this is the biggest flaw in your argument.

    Let's say we're watching Game 7 of the World Series 2 outs bottom of the 9th, tie game.

    And the same exact play happens.

    And to be less dramatic, lets say it happens in the regular season and a team loses the game off of the same exact play. It could ultimately impact the final standings.

    Personally, I think it's pretty clear to everybody that a. Armando Galarraga threw a perfect game & b. instant replay needs to be expanded in baseball.
    The fact that his name won't be in the record books doesn't bother me as a fan.
    If I was his mother, brother, friend, or teammate I might feel different bout that though.

  7. I see what you're saying, it's definitely not as black-and-white as I, or others are making it out to be.

    In my ideal world, instant replay would go into effect tomorrow, and the situation you speak of will never take place, although that obviously won't happen. Bud Selig will need a congressional investigation to determine whether instant replay is needed.

  8. Right. But considering the options & consequences Selig has before him, I think it makes more sense to shut this down now, rather then create the window later for a case by case analysis.

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