Twilling's Bonus Blog: American League umpire Jim Joyce cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game and should never umpire another game again

By Rich Twilling

Wednesday, JUNE 2 - 8:06 P.M. (CT)

-In Major League Baseball history, there have been twenty (20) perfect games thrown. It is the most difficult thing to do in any sport, bar none. The last time more than one was thrown in the same season was 1880, until this year. Yes, that is 1880.

Dallas Braden and Roy Halladay have already achieved the feat in 2010. Detroit Tigers' pitcher Armando Galarraga threw the third perfect game of the season, but douchebag umpire Jim Joyce hopefully made the last bad call of his career.

With two outs in the ninth inning, the Indians batter hit a slow ground ball between the first and second basemen. First basemen Miguel Cabrera went way too far to his right to pick up the grounder. If he would have stayed home, it would have been a routine out.

Cabrera backhanded the ball the threw successfully to Galarraga covering first base. Joyce, who botched a call in the bottom of the eighth, had his right hand up to call him out, and for some reason, he changed his mind and called him safe. End of perfect game.

The problem was, Joyce made one of the worst calls I had ever seen. The runner was out by a good step from every replay angle. It was if as Joyce took pride in single handedly ending the perfect game. He even jawed with Cabrera for the next few minutes.

The Tigers' announcer said it was the most disappointed he had ever been after a Tigers' win. After the game, manager Jim Leyland rightfully verbally tore Joyce a new one. The announcers said he would need a police escort. Heck, I hope the Detroit fans get to him.

Memo to Commissioner Bud Selig: Grow a set for the first time in your career and make this right. Fire Joyce and give Galarraga an asterisk perfect game. He earned it. If you don't know or understand baseball very well, it is very unlikely Galarraga will ever come close to doing this again.

If people can get fired for being crappy at their job, then Joyce should never suit up again. Major League Baseball does not need to screw the instant replay rules all up, but damn, have some common sense. If the call is missed, get it right. It's not that difficult.