I was in my chair at my home office watching the ninth inning. I couldn’t believe I was witnessing yet another perfect game! The third of the year! I remember explaining to my wife how they are so rare after Braden threw one, and now I wonder if she thinks I was pulling her leg.
The ball rolled to Cabrera, turned and threw to Galarraga and I was joyous and then shocked! SHOCKED!! I couldn’t believe what I just saw and I still couldn’t believe if after I saw the replay.
All Galarraga could do was smile.
I watch Joyce yell at Cabrera, and I see Cabrera yell back. I actually give him credit for not walking up to Joyce and really getting in his face, but he knew better of it. As soon as that third out was made hell was raised! Umps holding players back, Leyland looked like a man with a score to settle. Joyce looked like he was starting to realize that he may have made a mistake.
Mistake is not even the word to describe what really happened. It was just ridiculous how he could have called safe. There is really just no excuse, none at all. But the umps are human and I guess it’s part of the game.
But why at that moment? Why with a perfect game on the line would you call ‘Safe’? Don’t you give Galarraga the call anyway? A close play should have went to him, and yet an obvious play does not. I would have rather seen a blown call during the World Series the Mets were in before watching any pitcher lose a perfect game due to a blown call. And that is saying alot! I’m as die hard as it gets with the Mets!
A perfect game for a pitcher means Cooperstown immortality. No, not a guaranteed induction, but listed along with all the other perfect games thrown in baseball. That can never be taken away and that was something Galarraga could have shown his kids and grandkids someday in the future.
Now that will never be and Joyce will be the one remembered instead.
