I was shocked, dumbfounded, wondering how it could happen.  The 21st perfect game and 3rd this season was about to be completed.  I should point out that I did predict at least two more perfect game/no-hitters would be accomplished this year in a previous post, “MLB Review – 2 Month Edition.”  Mind you, I wasn’t being 100 percent serious about it, but I will take credit for it.  Regardless, Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was about to make not just MLB history, but Tigers history with the teams first perfect game.  Alas, it will never be written as happening, but rather should have happened.

There it was.  A ground ball to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.  Galarraga ran on contact towards first beating Jason Donald, who hit the ball, to the bag.  The throw by Cabrera wasn’t perfect, but Galarraga caught it with his foot on the bag.  Donald’s foot about half a step from stepping on the bag, but it clearly showed Galarraga had completed the 21st perfect game ever.  I’m not even going off replay.  That’s how I saw it in real time.  Donald is out.  Game over.

I’ll say that being an umpire, referee, official whatever they’re called in their respective sport is a hard job.  One that many wouldn’t be able to do.  Jim Joyce is now a household name as the man who took away a perfect game.  I like many who saw the play reacted with disgust, as the call was ruled “safe” wanted quick action as to punishing the umpire.  It’s one of those, I hate to say it, “unwritten rules” with umpires.  You don’t make that call in that situation.  Taking away a perfect game is near or right at the top I’m sure.

However, letting time pass to think about it and what this ultimately means for the sport that I love and appreciate more than any other.  I’ve come to the conclusion that this will help in the long run.  Making that call, umpire Jim Joyce will go down as the umpire that took away a perfect game and will usher in the expanded use of instant replay in MLB.  As much as I’d like to fight more instant replay in baseball, I can’t argue against it anymore.  Yes, I’m putting away my challenge flag.

The biggest argument I’ve made against having instant replay is the time factor.  How long will it take to review 2-4 close plays a game?  Baseball is trying to speed up the game, but by adding more opportunities for review will only slow the game down more.  Momentum will be affected and so on and so forth.  The other argument against it is what to review.  Will you want to review ball and strike calls?  Was the ball fair or foul down the line or on the bag?  Was the guy out trying to steal?  Where do you draw the line?

The likely scenario for expanding replay right now is for plays like we saw with Jim Joyce in Detroit.  Right now they can only review if a ball was a home run.  Whether it went over the wall, was inside the foul pole or if a fan interfered.  Now it will include close calls at every base.  There needs to be limits though; time to review the play, who decides to review the play(s)?  Limit the amount of reviews you can do during the game.  I don’t want the constant back and forth of checking and double checking these calls.  Put a cap on how often it’s done and leave it.

It won’t get any further than that.  Commissioner Bud Selig doesn’t want a lot of instant replay, but he does have to implement it for plays like this.  It takes an extraordinary event like a perfect game to wake baseball up and force them to take action.  Jim Joyce couldn’t feel more terribly about his mistake.

“It was the biggest call of my career, and I kicked the (bleep) out of it,” Joyce said, looking and sounding distraught as he paced in the umpires’ locker room. “I just cost that kid a perfect game.”

Armando Galarraga couldn’t have been more sympathetic than he was.  When the call was made, all he could do was smile.  Not a single word, just a smile.  Galarraga received an apology after the game from Joyce and was very gracious about the whole situation.

“You don’t see an umpire after the game come out and say, ‘Hey, let me tell you I’m sorry,’ ” Galarraga said. “He felt really bad. He didn’t even shower.”

The way that both Galarraga and Joyce have handled this historic event, has been nothing short of amazing.  Galarraga has every right to be upset, but knows being angry won’t help anyone.  Joyce has every right not to talk about it and knows without saying it that he blew the call.  He’s done the opposite though in the 24/7 news age we live in to get out in front of it, own it and move on.  Admitted steroid users should take a page out of Joyce’s playbook.

It was a perfect storm that was brewing for a long time in baseball.  It would take a historic time in the sport, with the potential of 3 perfect games in a month happening to force baseball’s hand.  They have to act and whether it will work in the long run is yet to be determined, but one thing is for sure.  What should have been a great moment turned into a spectacular moment.  Showing that the human spirit is to forgive and forget.  It was a game.  A game that children are playing.  Jim Joyce and Armando Galarraga handled an explosive situation with class and dignity.  Turn the page and expand instant replay already.