It's been awhile since there's been so much to discuss in the world of sports in the same day. Well, I'll try to cover all bases. So, let's start with the obvious.
Jim Joyce Screws Armando Galarraga Out Of A Perfect Game
I actually saw this live. If you have MLB Network at all and you're sitting around bored one night, I suggest you turn it on. It's just as good as getting the Extra Innings package. Yeah, there might be a game going on, and in that instance, you're kind of screwed (Meaningless games were shown during Ubaldo Jimenez's no-hitter and Roy Halladay's perfect game.), but it's a really good way to keep up on what's going on in baseball.
Anyways, if you haven't seen it yet, Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers was pitching the game of his life against the Cleveland Indians going into the 9th inning. Austin Jackson made a great running catch to save the perfect game for the first out. Mike Redmond grounded out to Adam Everett for the second out. Then this happened.
The company line for mistakes like this is "Everybody is Human", but it was more a matter of bad timing for Jim Joyce. That call has been made before, but never on the last out of a perfect game. Don Denkinger also made the wrong call at the wrong time in the 1985 World Series when he called Jorge Orta of the Royals safe at first base in Game 6. Had Orta been correctly called out, the game would have ended. Instead, the Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals in 7 games to win the World Series. This call goes right beside Steve Bartman's interference and Denkinger's messup as the worst calls in baseball history.
So now everyone screams for replay. Replay has worked very well on home run calls, but I think it needs to be expanded. I'll clarify that balls and strikes should NEVER be subject to replay, and if it comes to that, it's absolutely ridiculous. But, is it too much to ask to install the hockey replay system (which is how the home run calls are reviewed) for close plays after the 6th inning?
Using this as an example, Joyce makes the incorrect call. Suddenly a buzzer at his belt goes off that is linked to the office in New York. Joyce looks at the call and reverses it. It's that simple. All I ask is that we aren't debating safe or out in the first inning of the game. I would like it if it only applied to crucial game-changing calls.
News has come out this morning that Bud Selig has the power to overturn the call and give Galarraga the perfect game. I have two gripes with this. First, we're turning this decision over to the man who thought ending the All-Star game in a tie, and Contraction were good ideas. Second, even if Selig does overturn the call, the initial rush and celebration of throwing a perfect game are over. It's like replaying a game from 20 years ago because some guy got hurt.
Look at the bright side. Galarraga is the first man to set down 28 in a row during a single game. (Pedro Martinez actually came close when he threw a 9 inning perfect game vs. San Diego in 1995, but the game went to extra innings and the Padres singled to lead off the 10th inning.) And let's not feel too bad for him. Galarraga got a Chevy Corvette prior to Thursday's game. Guess it pays to play in Detroit. But is the government paying for that car? Hmmm....
Twins fall to Seattle 2-1; Danny Valencia called up
The Twins were victims to bad officiating as well on Wednesday. In the 10th inning, Ichiro Suzuki grounded to Matt Tolbert, who threw to J.J. Hardy and the play beat the runner. Except the umpire called him safe. Play continued, and Ryan Langerhans rounded 3rd and scored the winning run. Awesome. The Twins could have used replay on this night, but there was a positive.
Kevin Slowey pitched very well for the Twins as he gave up one run in seven innings. The Big Slow has looked well over the past couple of starts, and there's a little bit of hope that Slowey not only can turn things around this season, but also become an elite pitcher down the road. (Remember, he won 10 games before he got hurt last season.)
The other big news for the Twins is that Michael Cuddyer has been placed on the Berevement list to attend the funeral of his father-in-law. Cuddyer won't play tonight in the series finale vs. Seattle or any of the three games in Oakland, but should rejoin the team prior to Tuesday night's tilt against the Royals at Target Field.
To replace Cuddyer on the roster, the Twins called up "Third Baseman of the Future" Danny Valencia. Valencia is batting .292 with 0 HR and 24 RBI so far at AAA Rochester this year. I'm a little bit confused why the Twins didn't bring up a right handed outfielder to replace Cuddyer, but whatever. Valencia will get the same thing Plouffe got earlier this month. He'll play a handful of games, then go back down to the minor leagues. The plan seems to be that Valencia will play 3rd and Nick Punto will play at 2nd, as Orlando Hudson continues to recover from a wrist injury. It will be interesting to see how the kid does this weekend.
Ken Griffey Jr. Retires
When I was growing up, there were two baseball players that every kid knew in Rochester. Kirby Puckett and Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey simply was fun to watch over his 21 1/2 year career. You never knew what exciting play he would come up with next. It was a priviledge to watch him play, and if you saw him in person, it was really special.
He always came to the ballpark with a smile on his face, and was always open to talking to younger players, something he learned from Puckett. Puckett reached out to Junior at the beginning of his career, and the two were great friends up until Puckett's death in 2006.
The best thing about Junior was that although he cranked 630 home runs, he never was mentioned once for performance enhancing drugs. If he ever is, it will be the day baseball dies for me. Griffey is someone that all little kids can look up to and admire, and that's a good thing. If it weren't for injury, Griffey might have surpassed Hank Aaron's 755 career home runs for first all time. (I refuse to count Bonds' 762 career bombs until we know more about his alleged drug use.)
The Stanley Cup Playoffs
I think we're going to get a good series here. Although Chicago is up 2-1, you can make the argument that Philly could also be up 2-1. Michael Leighton has played well the past two games, and I think that the series is going to come down to the goaltending matchup between Leighton and Antti Niemi. I'm looking forward to see what happens in Game 4, a game which I think the Flyers can tie the series up. If they can, I fully expect this thing to be a great 6 to 7 game series for the Cup.
The NBA Finals
First, can ESPN please get off the NBA finals for 5 minutes of Sportscenter? I turned it on this morning to talk about the top 10 players in the NBA Finals. Considering there are only 24 players involved, it's a waste of time to talk about who is better than who. Besides, it's just as scripted as pro wrestling. (Which, when you think about it, Jim Joyce could have pulled a great screwjob last night. "Perfect game into the 9th! There's one! There's two! There's...THAT'S THREE...THREE...THREE DAMN YOU THREE!!!! NOOOOO!!!")
The Lakers will win in 6 games and Kobe Bryant will hit buzzer beaters to win Games 1 and 5. Write it down. Also, Kevin Garnett will also drop an F-Bomb over the air to cause many ABC affiliates to be fined big dollars. Then he'll somehow blame the Wolves for not letting him win the series and a second NBA Championship.
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