Umpire blows the call on Armando Galarraga's perfect game, a breakdown
What Happened
On June 2, 2010, Detroit Tigers right-hander Armando Galarraga was one out away from a perfect game against the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park. Center fielder Austin Jackson opened the ninth with an over-the-shoulder running grab, and the 27th batter, Jason Donald, hit a grounder that first baseman Miguel Cabrera fielded before tossing to Galarraga covering the bag. First base umpire Jim Joyce called Donald safe even though replays showed he was clearly out, erasing what should have been the 21st perfect game in MLB history. Joyce later admitted he blew it, and Galarraga reacted with a now-famous half-smile of disbelief instead of anger.
Why This Matters
This is the most cited case for instant replay in baseball history. In 2010 there was no review on bang-bang plays at first, so Joyce was stuck on an island with no recourse. The video makes a fair point: this was the final out, not the first out of the inning, so there's no ripple-effect argument against fixing the record. Commissioner Bud Selig declined to overturn it, and the perfect game still doesn't appear in the books. The aftermath became its own story, with Joyce tearfully apologizing and the two men sharing a respectful moment at the plate the next day. Replay on close calls arrived in 2014, partly because of this night. Galarraga, fighting for a rotation spot, never had a season close to that peak.
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Key Moments
Who / What Is Involved
Players: Armando Galarraga. Teams: Athletics.
Key Terms Mentioned
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentI'm sure a lot of you already know the
ending of Armando Galarraga is perfect
game but let's see how he got there
after two years of breaking camp with
the team and being starter he does not
they traded for Scherzer
Willis and Bonderman were healthy they
get in the rotation he starts with the
Toledo Mud Hens Toledo Mud Hens but
eventually Willis starts to struggle
they don't replace him with Colorado
they replace him with Brad Thomas so
they also trade it for but then Max
Scherzer starts to struggle they send
Max Scherzer down the triple a Galarraga
gets in to the rotation spot he makes
two starts but then gets pulled
Scherzer's back but they trade Dontrelle
Willis now Galarraga he is playing for
that fifth start he made two starts one
relief appearance decent game bad game
good out of the bullpen this is his
fourth outing of the season he's going
for the fifth rotation spot trying to
steal it trying to lock it up he wants
it let's go to the ninth inning here we
are in the eighth nice ground ball he's
cruising actually dirty pitch right
there I know we're in fast-forward cuz
we're just getting to the ninth this is
where the crazy action is first pitch
opens up with an insane catch from
Austin Jackson who they traded for
before over the shoulder grab I mean
look at the replay or the still frame of
how he tracked that ball I love the
little smile galarraga's got going on
holy [ __ ] okay this may actually happen
look at that come on that's insane
that's awesome I know it's not a diving
catch and no it's not like the Y's catch
it's still amazing the last out of the
game coming up one away they're up on
their feet a ground ball Miggy ranges
over gets it over and Jim Joyce calls
them safe and it's a hands on the head
party all around no one can believe it I
love that little smile like are you
[ __ ] kidding me I mean are you
kidding me no replay
I love Miguel Cabrera's reactions really
good here but look at this I don't know
what he could have missed maybe he
thought the ball wasn't in his glove
when his foot was on the bag
no idea yeah no oh no now Leland
probably hasn't seen a replay yet
because he's not fired up he's like just
ask him are you sure are you sure do you
know what's on the line here and Joyce
says yep I'm sure maybe he thought this
ball you didn't have control cuz of the
snow cone I don't know what he saw or
what he didn't see her brain fart
but MIG yours you messed that play you
missed that play you want me to just
give it to him he's like he's out he was
out he's out Jim Joyce probably thinking
I hope this replay backs me up he is on
an island right now a bunch of people
mad at him meanwhile Galarraga like he
had a perfect game that's an out the
play was made it's an out he had the
perfect game it's not the first out of
the ninth inning and then you never know
what would have happened if that didn't
happen that was the end of the game he
had it you know I understand like well
you know if the UMP calls it wrong in
the seventh inning then there's a ripple
effect of everything that happens after
it no there was the last play of the
game he had the perfect he's this is a
man who's pitched a perfect game and now
just has to face an extra batter just
because I've been calm temporary
incompetence gets the out
weird-ass celebration because what are
you celebrating now it no one knows what
to do except all his teammates who run
over to the umpire and just start giving
Joyce hell he was out yeah it's [ __ ]
that's [ __ ] he was [ __ ] out it's
[ __ ] [ __ ] now Leland's gonna gum
it up in his face and cuz now he's seen
the replay and he is livid how the [ __ ]
do you blow a [ __ ] play like that and
he's mad now Galarraga ten years later
he wants it changed to a perfect game
and I am with him because he [ __ ] did
it it's not like it was the first out of
the inning like I said and then you
don't know what happened that dude
pitched a perfect game if there was
replay if Jim Joyce just went to the
home plate umpire and said hey did he
keep his foot on the bag I'm not
positive which they do all the time they
go
a little conference and figure it out if
Jim Joyce just did that it's over
because there's the home plate umpire
just says yeah he was out and sucks