I saw that headline too and thought what a shame both things happened at the same time. I'm not a huge baseball fan, but he was a legend in his own time.
Lost in all this, of course, is that one of the game's top 10 players ever and a true gentleman, Ken Griffey Jr., retired yesterday. God, when he was in his prime he was the perfect example of a five-tool player.
If it makes anyone feel any better, Armando Galarraga was presented with a Corvette on behalf of Chevy and the Tigers before the game today.....
Isn't he about 25 years too young for a Corvette?I guess Chevy gave Armando a Corvette at the game today. They drove it out when he was walking out of the dugout. Also, when Joyce walked out with the other umpires he was teary eyed and received mostly all applause from the fans.
I agree. You can't over turn it. If you do, then you are essentially saying that instant replay can be used if there is enough of a public outcry. The rules are the rules and you can selectively apply them.
A lot of umpires, especially at first, make these close calls based on sound. On this play, the ball was caught towards the top of the web of the glove. It is very possible that he could not hear it and had to rely on what he saw. It is much easier to hear to things happen very close together than see it.
Bad calls are a part of baseball. Just like bad calls are a part of football, hockey, soccer, and just about everything else.
I'm anti instant replay only in that I'm tired of sports (football) that use it to drag out the game. I tell you what...Flyers fans love that there's replay in hockey...that's how to do it with CLASS.
Most umpires watch the ball, and wait for the sound of the (runner's) foot hitting the bag.
All games are played by humans. They should be officiated by humans. Instant replay is just purely stupid in all forms, IMO. We took pure sport and modified it with technology and, I think, ruined it to a certain extent.
Lost in all this, of course, is that one of the game's top 10 players ever and a true gentleman, Ken Griffey Jr., retired yesterday. God, when he was in his prime he was the perfect example of a five-tool player.
All games are played by humans. They should be officiated by humans. Instant replay is just purely stupid in all forms, IMO. We took pure sport and modified it with technology and, I think, ruined it to a certain extent.
Yes.So a sport should be admired for it's flaws?
But replay puts them in the spotlight. So an ump, official, referee, whatever, blows a call. Big deal. It is sport, nothing more (and that's coming from a guy who makes his living off sport).I want the game decided by what the athletes on the field do, not by whether or not an umpire can see something.
There's a reason the players make millions and the umpires don't: we don't want to see umpires, we want them to call games correctly and stay out of the limelight.
Sure, but that makes him not one of the greatest players of all-time how? And not for nothing, but teams kept putting him on the roster.He should have retired about 3 years ago, instead of continuing to eat up a roster spot and salary from the Mariners.
Yes.
But replay puts them in the spotlight. So an ump, official, referee, whatever, blows a call. Big deal. It is sport, nothing more (and that's coming from a guy who makes his living off sport).
Galarraga missed out on an achievement and that's awful. But if after he's dead and buried, the greatest thing that can be said about him is that he pitched a perfect game, well, that's a life not well lived.
Sure. The games are played by people who make mistakes. They are officiated by people who make mistakes. You live with it. Now it seems there needs to be an absolute right and wrong. You always hear that sports are a metaphor for life and teach great lessons (I think that's wrong, BTW; competition relates more closely to what life offers but I digress), like how to handle being wronged either maliciously or not.Care to elaborate on why you feel this way?
No doubt. I was merely accentuating the fact that Galarraga has moved on better than people who weren't remotely involved in this.This isn't about Galarraga's personal life. This is about the game of baseball. We cannot, and should not speculate on what would merit recognition for living a life well lived. Each of us has a different opinion on what that would be.
So what's next? Replacing the home plate umpire with a computer to call the strike zone to the exact letter of the law, from knees to letters? It would be an abuse of Selig's power to undermine a well respected umpire who made a mistake and acknowledged it. Move on. It's over.Galarraga chose pitching to be his career. Pitching a perfect game would be the ultimate achievement for a pitcher. To accomplish this nearly impossible feat, and not be recognized for it, is an abomination. What we should be looking for is the truth. The truth is the runner was out. It's not a judgment call, and shouldn't be. Selig could use his authority to correct an obvious error. It's not an abuse of power and nobody could say he wasn't justified in overturning a call which even the official who made the call, recognized was incorrect.
No, it's not the World Series. I think it's much more important. Not only does someone win the World Series every year, someone HAS to win the world series every year. It's guaranteed!
So forgive me if I don't share you opinion that baseball ought to ignore reality and embrace faulty calls. It should be doing what it can to recognize the truth.
Sure. The games are played by people who make mistakes. They are officiated by people who make mistakes. You live with it. Now it seems there needs to be an absolute right and wrong. You always hear that sports are a metaphor for life and teach great lessons (I think that's wrong, BTW; competition relates more closely to what life offers but I digress), like how to handle being wronged either maliciously or not.
I don't want a sport that is perfect. Nothing is perfect.
No doubt. I was merely accentuating the fact that Galarraga has moved on better than people who weren't remotely involved in this.
So what's next? Replacing the home plate umpire with a computer to call the strike zone to the exact letter of the law, from knees to letters? It would be an abuse of Selig's power to undermine a well respected umpire who made a mistake and acknowledged it. Move on. It's over.
Perfect games are great for those who throw them and those who are involved. But let's face it, of the 20 that have been thrown in MLB history, how many can most people point out off the top of their heads? Very few. The two this year (which goes to show how diluted the talent pool has become), Larsen's game in the 1956 World Series and, well, let's see. Hmmm.
To me, the truth is all games have human elements to them. It should remain that way.
Do you think Jim Joyce wanted Selig to overturn the call? I am sure that is a question he would never answer publicly but interesting nonetheless.
I think, considering his comments and his appearance, he would LOVE for Selig to rule in favor of the truth, if for nothing more than to lessen the threats against him and his family members.
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