Shades of Don Denkinger

[billroper]

I've just seen the most untimely blown call since Don Denkinger missed the call at first in the 1985 World Series that led to the Cardinals eventually losing the game and then the whole series.

I was watching tonight's Cardinals / Reds game on ESPN. Because Armando Galarraga was throwing a perfect game for the Tigers, ESPN cut away to cover the visitors' half of the eighth and ninth innings. And went they went back for the ninth, Austin Jackson made a great running catch to save the perfect game. And the second out was an easy grounder.

But the third out required the pitcher to cover first base as Cabrera had to field the ball. And the first base umpire, Jim Joyce, called the runner safe on a play that wasn't close at all.

And that was the end of the perfect game and the no-hitter.

What a travesty.

Of course, it's still possible for this to be converted into a no-hitter by the official scorer. After all, the ball beat the runner to the base, so if he wasn't out, someone must have committed an error.

Got a spot on the scorecard for E-Umpire?

Comments

[jennlk]

I bet the official scorer wishes he could give the Ump an error. :) Unfortunately (at least in this case) the Tigers official scorer respects the game too much to give an undeserved error to a player.

And yeah, wasn't Jackson's catch terrific? In a perfect world, that would be the play of the game, but now? Thanks everso, mr joyce. ;p

[billroper]

Well, it's an undeserved hit or an undeserved error. At least with the undeserved error, Galarraga would still have a no-hitter.

[madfilkentist]

It looks as if the official scorer isn't going to change it.

Michigan's governor intends to "proclaim" a perfect game. Interesting thought, but she really ought to realize she has no more power to proclaim a change in a baseball game than you or I have.

[billroper]

I saw the official scorer's comments. I think he's wrong, because if the ball beat the runner to the bag (which it clearly did), then the pitcher must have committed an error if no out was recorded. (Yes, the world knows that the umpire committed the error, but...)

He's got a choice between recording a hit incorrectly or an error incorrectly because of a blown call. And official scorers slant that sort of decision constantly to suit the circumstances. There's pretty much a standing opinion around baseball that the hit that breaks up a no-hitter needs to be a clean hit, else it's an error. Fielder bobbles a ball slightly and the runner beats the throw -- that's an error if a no-hitter is going.

Except apparently for this guy.

And as far as Michigan's governor, well, that's a different sort of stupidity.

ouch.

[jdonat.livejournal.com]

Terrible call. incredibly bad call.

E -UMP

[jdonat.livejournal.com]

the umpire now admits that he blew the call....bigtime.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/sns-ap-bba-indians-tigers,0,3569248,full.story

[patoadam]

What a shame. Definitely a blown call.

[hms42]

Hopefully they will reverse the call and give the pitcher his perfect game. (Even with an *, explaining the situation, they should give it to him.)

[msminlr.livejournal.com]

There was discussion on NPR about this off and on during the day.

The feeling among most callers-in seemed to be that both the ump and Gallaraga had behaved like gentlemen, and the game will be more famous in baseball history because of the kerfluffle than it would have been as the 3rd Perfect Game of this season.