NEW YORK — The imperfect game stands.
An umpire’s tears and admission he blew a call failed to move baseball commissioner Bud Selig to award Tigers right-hander Armando Galarraga the perfect game he pitched.
Selig said Thursday that Major League Baseball will look at expanded replay and umpiring, but he didn’t specifically address umpire Jim Joyce’s botched call Wednesday night that cost Galarraga the perfect game — 27 batters up, 27 batters down. No hits, no walks, no errors.
Joyce said he erred on what would’ve been the final out in Detroit, when he called Cleveland’s Jason Donald safe at first base. The umpire personally apologized to Galarraga and hugged him after the Tigers’ 3-0 victory, then took the field at Comerica Park on Thursday in tears.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland picked Galarraga to present Detroit’s lineup card at home plate before Thursday’s game to set up the emotional meeting with Joyce. They shook hands, and the umpire gave the pitcher a pat on the shoulder.
“I didn’t want this to be my 15 minutes of fame. I would have liked my 15 minutes to be a great call in the World Series. Hopefully, my 15 minutes are over now,” Joyce said.
At least one anti-Joyce Facebook page popped up, and was launched. Wikipedia blocked editing to the umpire’s page.
“There’s no doubt he feels bad and terrible,” Galarraga said after the Tigers defeated the Indians 12-6. “I have a lot of respect for the man. It takes a lot to say you’re sorry and to say in interviews he made a mistake.
“I’m sad, but I know that I pitched a perfect game. The first 28-out perfect game.”
