Less than a month removed from Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden’s perfect game, and less than a week removed from Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay’s perfect game. Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers matched both of them to have the 21st in major league history. Only to have it snatched by a nosy fuck of an umpire, Jim Joyce who has the same complex a lot of professional officials have of arrogance and self-importance. Etching his place in sports infamy by blowing a call at a play to first base in which the replay clearly showed the runner was out by a good step.

Joyce was devastated by the blown call, and Galarraga was compassionate towards him saying “Nobody’s perfect.” But what’s going through Joyce’s head when Miguel Cabrera fields the ground-ball knowing a perfect game is at stake and this is the last out needed to complete it? The game is 3-0, Cleveland is going to lose, and it means nothing to them because they are atrocious and have no chance of making the playoffs. Even if it is debatable why wouldn’t you just rule it an out? Do you think the baseball world would be as outraged as they are now if they made the wrong call in favor of the Tigers? 

Call it an out, let the kid have his perfect game, go home and call it a day. Instead this guy thinks he’s bigger than the game. But when the film completely blows up in his face, he’s sorry now.