Thursday, June 03, 2010

LOTSA NEWS - SOME GOOD, SOME BAD

***ANOTHER UMPIRE PROBLEM***
But it really isn't. It was a mistake, it happens. Unfortunately, this one cost baseball (and Armando Galarraga) some history, but it's a part of baseball. We don't have to like it, but we have to live with it. Those kind of situations go both ways. It seems generally agreed that the 27th out in Don Larsen's perfect game, was a called strike three on a pitch clearly outside.
Two points that need to be made:
## Umpire Jim Joyce allowed a raucus argument after the play without anyone being ejected and stood up like a man afterward.
## There was some talk about whether or not MLB could step up and reverse that call afterward. In a word, NO! You can't get into that kind of situation with after-the-fact reversal of calls by a third party. Where would it end?
Finally, congratulations to Armando for a beautifully pitched game and sorry it didn't work out the way it should have. And kudos to Armando, manager Jim Leland and umpire Jim Joyce for the classy way they handled the aftermath.

***JUNIOR RETIRES***
It was probably a half of a season too late and that's unfortunate but he was definitely a class act all the way. No PEDs, no on or off the field tantrums, no late night drama, just good baseball. He started his Major League career with somewhat of a reputation for being a brat, but that passed and he was a respected and well-liked teammate. He will be missed.

***YANKS WIN***
Pitching and hitting will do that for you. While this has been described as the "cupcake section" of the Yanks schedule, you still have to perform and they have. ESPN publishes a list of the players ratings, with the top ten on the face page of the baseball website. Robinson Cano hasn't been in the top ten until today (he's #10). It's about time.

***THE PAMPERED PLAYERS ARE WORLDWIDE***
The World Cup is at hand - that's soccer if you live in a cave - and, not to be outdone by rock stars and many American professional athletes, these teams have demands of their own. Such as:
Golf lessons for New Zealanders (Tee times weren't mentioned - will they be surprised). Another team wants their own pool, heated to 90 degrees (must be a cold weather country). Argentina wants 6 PlayStations, unlimited ice cream and 3 choices of pudding. 3 choices of puddings? Did they run out of things to ask for? Mexico is bringing their own priest, ostensibly because they can't bring their own referees. So the Worlds Most Popular Sport also has the World's Biggest Prima Donnas.

***HOW DID I MISS THIS?***
Dwight Perry, noting last Tuesday was National Tap Dancing Day: " Baseball fans celebrated by watching reruns of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa testifying before Congress."

CP-

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