Composure

Lost Week is on a brief hiatus, but it is certainly not over. In the meantime, I want to speak about Armando Galarraga.

As you probably already know, Galarraga threw a perfect game Wednesday night. Or at least he did in spirit. On what should have been the final out of the game, Jason Donald hit a ground ball to first baseman Miguel Cabrera who was pulled off the bag by the hit. Cabrera then tossed the ball to Galarraga who touched the bag and recorded the final out. Unfortunately, the first-base umpire, Jim Joyce, didn't see it that way. In the heat of the moment, Joyce blew the call at first and cost Galarraga the perfect game.

Galarraga was just about to pump his fists when he saw the umpire's call. He was clearly excited. But when he saw Joyce extend his hands to indicate his call, he somehow kept it together. Not only did he not get upset, he simply looked amused by the situation. He then collected himself and got the next batter out.

I don't know what's more amazing: how well Galarraga pitched, or how well he managed to keep his composure. This would have been only the 21st time in baseball history that someone threw a perfect game. It is a monumental achievement. And yet he simply shrugged off Joyce's bad call.

Players blow up all the time over missed calls (or calls that they incorrectly interpret as being missed), even at times where it doesn't matter in the slightest. This was a botched call that prevented Galarraga, for at least one game, from reaching a level of excellence that is so rarely achieved. And he shrugged it off!

I had never heard of this guy until last night. Now I have nothing but the greatest of respect for this man. My hat is off to you Armando Galarraga. You may not have thrown a perfect game, but certainly you have reached some sort of pantheon of class.

(By the way, the catch by Austin Jackson to maintain the perfect game in the 9th was just unbelievable. Needs to be seen to be believed. As was Galarraga's grin immediately thereafter)