Joyce, Galarraga…
Posted by Andy on June 13, 2010
ESPN.com has a news story on the results of an anonymous survey of 100 major leaugers. Among other things, it says that players overwhelming support MLB's decision not to overturn Jim Joyce's blown call during Galarraga's should've-been-perfect game. I wonder why players voted that way--was it acceptance that umpiring mistakes have always been a part of the game, or perhaps sour apples that players from teams other than the Tigers don't want Galarraga to have the perfect game? Who knows.
A final thought I have on this situation:
Many people have talked about wanting the call overturned so that Galarraga could "get his due" and that otherwise this game was going to be relegated to obscurity. However, what's the first thing that comes to mind when I mention Harvey Haddix? He doesn't have his name on a list of perfect games, but I'm sure a particular performance came to your mind. Now how if I mention Andy Hawkins? You won't find his name on a list of no-hitters, but people always want to talk about a certain game he pitched.
When I mention Kenny Rogers, what you think about? His perfect game? I doubt it. Mike Witt? Len Barker? Some of the more recent no-hitters were pitched by the likes of Bud Smith, Eric Milton, Jose Jimenez, Kevin Gross, Tommy Greene, and Joe Cowley. Do you remember these games as well as you remember the Haddix or Hawkins games?
Readers, can you help list out some other near-miss performances that are better-remembered than the ones that actually appear on the official lists?
June 13th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Ernie Shore
Hippo Vaughn and Fred Toney
Dave Stieb's multiple near-no-hitters in a brief period
June 13th, 2010 at 11:23 am
Everyone remembers Haddix's game, but I hardly ever hear any reference made to Pedro's.
June 13th, 2010 at 11:55 am
I remember Carl Everett breaking up Mussina's attempt with two outs in the 9th.
A few days ago, I tried to put together my own thoughts on the "perfect" game here: http://tthrash.blogspot.com/2010/06/that-perfect-game.html
I mentioned some of the same things in arguing that some perfect games, and perfect-game pitchers, stand out in my mind more than others. A perfect game is a mix of great pitching, great fielding, and luck, with the pitcher getting all the credit. Most every great defensive play that saves these games is forgotten. To me, this contributes to why I feel the on-field call shouldn't be overturned, after the game's conclusion. But, yes, add replay!
Galaragga's game won't be forgotten. His game has already been talked up more than the two official perfect games that took place this season, and the rightfully appearing asterisk already showing up next to his ensures it will be remembered.
June 13th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
good points Andy---
I think Tom Seaver 19-K (including 10 consecutive K) game against the Padres, was far more notable than his no-hitter when he was with Cinci. In fact without looking it up, I cant say who he pitched his no-no against.
June 13th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
As a Cubs fan, a couple stand out: Tom Seaver losing his perfect game in the ninth when Jimmy Qualls (who?) singled. And then there is Milt Pappas' no-hitter, which was a perfect game until he issued a two-out walk in the ninth. To this day he maintains it should have been a perfect game
June 13th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
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I vote against your acceptance theory, or your bizarre 'sour apples' theory. If you had done your research, you would have learned that Jim Joyce was ranked as the 2nd best umpire in SI player polls from 2003 and 2006. These players didn't just become Jim Joyce fans BECAUSE he made a bad call in the Galarraga game. He was already well-respected.
June 13th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
And if you had read my post more carefully you'll see that I'm wondering about why they voted in favor of the non-reversal, not why they voted Joyce first. Nice that you take the time rip me in your comment but not the time to correctly read what I wrote.
June 13th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
I don't remember Eric Milton's 1999 no-hitter, but I remember the following game:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI200407250.shtml
He took a no-hitter into the ninth at home, then gave up three hits that resulted in the score being tied 2-2 with a runner on second with 2 out. At that point, he was pulled, in a situation in which he could get the loss or a no-decision, but no longer the win. Ryan Madson got the final out and then picked up the win when the Phillies scored in the bottom of the ninth.
Another near no-hitter that sticks in my memory is one that I've mentioned here and elsewhere in the past couple of weeks. I remember watching some game with postseason implications on ESPN in the afternoon of the last day of the 1998 season. But the network switched away from that game to a meaningless one between the Tigers and Blue Jays in Toronto. The Blue Jays starting pitcher, a September call-up named Roy Halladay making his second major league start, had a no-hitter going into the ninth inning. However, with two out in the ninth, Tiger veteran and Philadelphia native Bobby Higginson hit a home run that ruined both the perfect game and the shutout. Halladay stayed in the game and won, 2-1. I wondered, though, if this would have a negative effect on his career and if he would ever have the chance to have a no-hitter again. I don't think there was anything to worry about.
I just picked up another Roy Halladay tidbit I never knew before - his real name. I'm sure Harry Kalas would have loved to have called a perfect game by a Phillie named Harry!
June 13th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
I totally forgot about that game, Double Diamond, but I saw it on TV too just like you.
You have an amazing memory.
June 13th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Haddix, Hawkins, et al. used to be on the list, but Selig did a bit of pruning (in 1991?).
Pedro was also part of a perfect game in spring training against Toronto on March 14, 2000. Boston used six pitchers and won 5-0.
June 13th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
How about this one?
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BRO/BRO194710030.shtml
June 13th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Not a pitching "Near Miss", but the first thing I think of is Vic Wertz. Will he ever be discussed for long without Willie Mays being mentioned?
June 13th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
It wasn't Bud Selig who cleaned up the no-hitters, it was Fay Vincent, but you did get the year correct - it was 1991.
June 13th, 2010 at 8:55 pm
I remember listening to this game on the radio while driving. It was May 10, 1989, Mark Langston had a no-hitter through eight innings against the Blue Jays. Langston lost the no-hitter and the game. To me this
game exemplified Langston's career...good but not good enough.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR198905100.shtml
June 14th, 2010 at 12:34 am
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN199506030.shtml
I remember reading about this game on the back of a baseball card... He had a perfect game after 9 innings and gave up a double to the first batter in the 10th
June 14th, 2010 at 2:38 am
When you mention Kenny Rogers, I think, "I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in." If you're under 55, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Dropped_In_(To_See_What_Condition_My_Condition_Was_In)
As for near misses, I'll go with answer 11, above.
June 14th, 2010 at 7:51 am
FWIW, I'm 40, a pretty big baseball fan, and I don't remember the Hawkins game.
June 14th, 2010 at 8:51 am
Think my favorite near miss was Brian Holman. He has a perfecto through 8 2/3 when He gives up a homer to lose the perfect game, no hitter, and shutout all on one swing.
June 14th, 2010 at 9:05 am
Houston no-hit the Yankees with six pitchers - so not a near-miss, but a very rare game indeed. Then there's Eddie Shore's perfect game in relief, coming in after Babe Ruth walks the leadoff man and gets tossed... the Sox caught the runner stealing and Shore set down every one of the 26 hitters he faced.
June 14th, 2010 at 10:04 am
My favorite near no-hitter was when Freddy Garcia gave up just one hit to the Twins. That one hit was a Jacque Jones HR in the bottom of the eighth and the Chisox lost 1-0. Johan Santana gave up three hits over eight innings and Nathan nailed down the ninth. Garcia was great, but not good enough. I was in attendance and cheered wildly as the best chance I've ever had to see a no-no in person went by the boards.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN200508230.shtml
June 14th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Andy,
Don't take criticism so personally. As a matter of fact, I DID read your entire post. Unfortunately, I disagree with you. The two votes (Joyce as best umpire, and the vote not to overturn the Galarraga call) have nothing to do with one another. That's why I thought your question was ridiculous----> (I wonder why players voted that way--was it acceptance that umpiring mistakes have always been a part of the game, or perhaps sour apples that players from teams other than the Tigers don't want Galarraga to have the perfect game?) I am fairly certain that the players who voted for Joyce did so because they think he is a good umpire. I am also fairly certain that the players who voted against overturning the Galarraga call did so because they don't believe in such official scoring changes after the fact. I highly doubt that baseball players on other teams voted against overruling the call BECAUSE they didn't want Galarraga to have a perfect game. That is the question I was answering.
June 14th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
You highly doubt that? I don't. No player would ever publicly say they don't want Galarraga to have a perfect game, but I;m sure many of them feel that way privately. They are all competing for space in the same spot light and for dollars coming from the same pool. I can easily imagine lots of players, pitchers in particular, glad that Galarraga doesn't have that extra bullet point on his resume.
The readers of this blog don't draw much of a distinction between a perfect game and what actually went into the books that day for Galarraga. Either you you slice it, he pitched a hell of a game and was very effective. But most fans, and even perhaps some baseball executives, don't necessarily see it that way. The bullet point--"perfect game"--is worth something substantial in terms of both reputation and and dollars.
Professional athletes are generally aggressively ambitious--you think that doesn't lead to jealousy?
June 14th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
I disagree. From what I've read/heard over the years, I think players tend to be quite supportive of each other, even those on other teams, even those they don't know. They know how hard it is to get where they are, and admire others who have done the same. Unless anyone has a personal animus against Galarraga (hard to believe), I would be very surprised if players simply don't want Galarraga to have the perfect game. (Maybe there's a pitcher in Toledo who wants that spot in the rotation, and he feels a bit jealous over Galarraga's performance. But if Galarraga is struggling again in a couple months, it's not going to make a bit of difference whether it was called a perfect game or not. He'll be back in Toledo and someone else will have his spot.)
June 14th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
JT I agree with what you say as what seems to be the case publicly. Perhaps I am a bit of a curmudgeon but I have significant doubts that behind the scenes there isn't a lot more jealousy. This is what I have observed in "real life" as well--what people say to each other and what they really feel and wish for others is often not entirely similar.
June 14th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Maybe baseball is different because it's (mostly) a meritocracy. Kissing the boss's ass or playing politics isn't going to help. To get promoted or get a raise, you have to produce, and very clear records are kept which show who is producing and who isn't. So there isn't much benefit to trying to make others think you are on their side, while secretly undermining them.
Plus all these guys probably have such confidence, they feel they can succeed by their own accomplishments, and they don't need to root for others to fail (of course, it's zero-sum game, so someone must be failing every time someone succeeds).
Who knows, you may be right. Still, I don't think anyone would begrudge Galarraga a perfect game, because ultimately it's not going to be that meaningful in terms of whether he stays in the majors or his 2011 salary.
June 14th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
"ultimately it's not going to be that meaningful in terms of whether he stays in the majors or his 2011 salary."
I don't agree with that part, as per the argument I put above regarding the power of the 'bullet point'.
I'll tell you something. I get the time every now and then to talk to an actual ballplayer and I never know what to ask. THIS is a question really worth asking, about why the vast majority of players polled didn't want Joyce's ruling overturned and whether jealousy exists. Curt Schilling would be an idea guy to pose this to.
June 14th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Regarding post #16 - It was a different song by Kenny Rogers the singer that produced Kenny Rogers the pitcher's Chris Berman nickname - Kenny "The Gambler" Rogers.
June 14th, 2010 at 8:03 pm
Ouch! For some reason, I felt a twinge of nostalgia {or was it just lumbago?} reading post number sixteen