Almost Perfect!

A perfect game was thrown to the eye of the Tigers.
As later reply would show, indeed a perfect game was thrown.
Young 28 year old, Armando Galarraga, had 26 of the first outs of the game June 2 before Jason Donald came up to bat.
With all of Detroit fans on their feet they cheered as the last out was recorded for the third and final out, soon to be crushed by first base umpire, Jim Joyce, called Donald safe.
Everyone stunned, because Galarraga beat Donald to the bag.
The Tiger’s manager Jim Leyland came out to argue in a hurry. He gave his two cents in but Joyce still felt he had made the right call.
After the game Joyce saw the replay and realized he was wrong. He told 97.1 the ticket, Detroit’s sports radio, “… I took a perfect game away from that kid. ”
He said during the game he felt that he was correct, but after seeing reply he admitted he missed the call.
Joyce found Galarraga after the game and apologized. He told him he was sorry. Galarraga said that no one is perfect and admired Joyce for coming and finding him. He said that Joyce had tears in his eyes.
Major League Baseball asked Joyce if he wanted to work the following day. Joyce said yes and would take all the heat for his mistake.
The following day Chevrolet presented Galarraga with a brand new Corvette for his performance.
(I would have rather taken the perfect game.)
Joyce was the home plate umpire the next game and guess who presented the Tiger’s line-up card? None other than Galarraga. It was a good way for everyone to move on. Again Joyce had tears from the integrity of the pitcher.
It was one of the worst calls ever made, and that’s how Galarraga’s game will be remembered, but that’s what keeps baseball human.
None of this non sense reply. The game would take too long and it would change the game. You lose some you win some. That’s the point of the game.

Worth the Hype?

A year ago my brother showed me Bryce Harper on You Tube. I thought to myself, “Damn, that’s a hell of a ball player.” He was 16 years old at the time. He is now 17 years young and he was drafted number one in the 2010 MLB draft!
#1 and 17 years old. A risk?
Yes, huge risk. But he’s legit.
Harper crushed junior college pitching at 17 years old.
His hands are the fastest I’ve ever seen and has tremendous power.
We’ll have to wait and see, but he is the best player in draft.
Harper left High School early to finish his GED and to be eligible for this years’ draft.
What do you guys think? Phenom or flop?

Say Good Bye to the 'Kid'

Finally it has come to the day where my favorite player has retired.
Ken Griffey JR retired June 2, 2010 and it was effective immediately.
Ken “the Kid” Griffey JR will go into the hall of fame in five years without a doubt. I will try to attend in Cooperstown, New York.
He will go down as one of the best center fielders to ever play the game.
His smile was just as Hall of fame as his numbers.
He played the game and had fun. He ran into walls, made diving plays and Hit home runs with his beautiful swing but all while smiling and enjoying the game.
That is how I wanted to play the game. I talked trash but it was all in fun, because I could joke about myself as well. When I struggled at times my dad would remind me to have fun playing baseball and not make it a job.
Griffey did just that, played and had fun with the game.
He spent most of his career with the Seattle Mariners where he won 10 gold gloves and racked up 7 Silver Slugger Awards!
His next move was to the Cincinnati Reds. Although most of his years were spent dealing with injuries.
I feel like he moved away and I didn’t even get a chance to say good bye.
I was planning to see him when he came to Sand Diego as Mariner this year but his retirement came too soon.
I will always remember Griffey as the dynamic outfielder making plays that dropped your jaw and made hitters slam their helmets.
Farewell to the Kid.