Perfect game blown call gives a chance for class to surface in Detroit, and throughout MLB.
Umpire Jim Joyce argues the unarguable. He later admitted he blew the call, costing pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game.
Right now, umpire Jim Joyce probably feels horrible. But Jimbo, it's not like you're dumping 19,000 barrels of oil a day into a fragile ecosystem, killing entire species and possibly a way of life for humans.
Dude, you blew a call. Yeah, it cost Armando Galarraga the 21st perfect game in Major League history. The irony is that your namesake, Irish-born writer James Joyce, nearly a century ago wrote a poem that almost fits.
A Memory of Players in a Mirror at Midnight.They mouth love's language. Gnash
The thirteen teeth
Your lean jaws grin with. Lash
Your itch and quailing, nude greed of the flesh.
Love's breath in you is stale, worded or sung,
As sour as cat's breath,
Harsh of tongue.
This grey that stares
Lies not, stark skin and bone.
Leave greasy lips their kissing. None
Will choose her what you see to mouth upon.
Dire hunger holds his hour.
Pluck forth your heart, saltblood, a fruit of tears.
Pluck and devour!
You get the feeling that a lot of Detroit fans would like to "pluck and devour" umpire Jim Joyce's heart.
This time, it's politicalEven the governor of Michigan was outraged by the blown call . . . and Gov. Jennifer Granholm said she's going to do something about it, according to the Detroit Free Press.
"He was robbed," Granholm said of Armando Galarraga's one-call-short of a perfect game Wednesday night. "But I'll declare it a perfect game."
Granholm, speaking at a news conference, said she would press for a resolution noting the day as "a historic moment."
An event like Joyce's blown call can be a good thing, believe it or not. It lets you see whether the little devil on one shoulder is more powerful than the angel on the other. In this case, the angel won, all the way around.
No matter what happens for the rest of his career, Joyce will be known as the ump who cost Armando Galarraga a chance at baseball history.
But more important, Galarraga and Joyce himself also will be known as men of true character. Detroit Free Press sportswriter Michael Rosenberg's story says it all:
I told Galarraga that Joyce said he felt terrible, that he cost Galarraga a perfect game and that he was really beating himself up over it.
Galarraga did not hesitate.
"Tell him no problem," Galarraga said. "I can go tell him."
He smiled. "I should probably talk to him. It will be better." And he did.
Class. Pure class.
Back to workBaseball reportedly gave Joyce the option of not working today's series finale between the Indians and Tigers in Detroit, but the veteran umpire will soldier on and take up his spot behind the plate, according to the Associated Press.
Joyce showed up to work Thursday in Detroit, looking as if he hadn't slept. He appreciated the outpouring of support from umpires, family and friends but lamented strangers lashing out at his wife and children.
"I wish my family was out of this," Joyce said, holding back tears as he spoke nearly two hours before the Cleveland-Detroit series finale. "I wish they would direct it all to me. It's a big problem. My wife is a rock. My kids are very strong. They don't deserve this."
Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said the team will not ask MLB to overturn the call. Selig would likely consult with his top advisers before making such a ruling. St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa says the call should be overturned.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland said MLB gave Joyce the option to not work Thursday's game, but Joyce chose to stick with his job behind the plate. Leyland added that Galarraga would present the lineup card and shake hands with Joyce at home plate before the afternoon game.
More class.
No prob, BobCatcher Gerald Laird could be the Tigers catcher today, and he told John Lowe of the Free Press that he'd have no problem being behind the plate with Joyce.
"It's a new day," Laird said, declaring it won't be hard to work next to Joyce today. "If anyone is going to be all right, it's going to be Jim. I'll just go back there and be the best I can. ... I can't go back there and be frustrated about yesterday's game. Knowing Jim, he'll be out here tomorrow giving his best performance behind the plate. I haven't lost any respect for him."