27 batters up, 27 batters down.
Well, actually ... Galarraga pitched the first ever 28-out perfect game. But I don't want to get into all those messy details. Enough is being said about Jim Joyce today. Galarraga knows he pitched a perfect game, and so does anyone who saw the 27th out. He'll tell his children and his grandchildren that he pitched a perfect game. That's all that matters.
(In baseball, this is called an "OUT")
I want to extend my sincerest and most heart-felt congrats to Galarraga. He's always been one of my favorite pitchers. Last year when he started 3-0 with a 1.85 ERA I jumped right on his Bandwagon and I never jumped off. He has never been afraid to attack the strike zone. Last night that was on full display.
Granted, the Indians offense is woeful, but anytime you pitch nine complete innings and allow zero baserunners, the accomplishment must be celebrated lavishly. I don't care if you're pitching against little leaguers. It's an amazing, amazing feat.
By my calculations, the Tigers have played upwards of 18,000 games as a pro franchise.
And this was the first perfect game.
So forget about the instant replay debate and the demands for Jim Joyce's head on a stick, all I want to say today is that Armando Galarraga is awesome, and he pitched a perfect game when the Tigers needed it the most.
Oh, and as for the rumors that Bug Selig may overturn the "safe" call. I certainly hope so. The achievment deserves to be in the official record books. It would help Joyce sleep at night and keep millions of fans from wanting to kill him. And it would redeem Selig's infamously stupid decision to end the 1997 All Star game in a tie.
Have some balls Bud.
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