I’ve been watching four hours of sports talk radio this morning with “Mike and Mike in the Morning.” The biggest story is of course the blown call by baseball umpire Jim Joyce that cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game on a close play at first that would have been the 27th and final out of the perfect game.
Multiple times this morning I’ve heard that Joyce’s call was the second worst call in baseball history behind Don Denkinger’s controversial call in the 1985 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals.
For those of you that don’t know or remember, here’s a rundown of Denkinger’s call from 25 years ago. It was during the ninth inning of game six with the Cardinals up in the series three games to two and up in the game 1-0 with a chance to win the World Series. Cardinals closer Todd Worrell was on the mound and leading off the inning for the Royals was infielder Jorge Orta. Orta hit a roller to Cardinals first baseman Jack Clark and Worrell was forced to cover the bag. Clark flipped the ball to Worrell who stepped on the bag a half step ahead of Orta, but Denkinger incorrectly called Orta safe. The next batter Steve Balboni singled, putting Orta into scoring position. Royals catcher Jim Sundberg hit a bad sacrifice bunt that Worrell fielded and threw Orta out at third base on. With out the Royals had runners on first and second, but both runners would soon move up on a passed ball by Cardinals catcher Darrell Porter. Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog decided to intentionally walk Hal McRae to load the bases and possibly set up a double play. The next batter Dane Iorg hit a single to score both the tying run and the winning run.
In game seven, Royals ace Bret Saberhagen pitched a five-hit gem and the Royals won the game 11-0 and the World Series.
Now that you’ve been caught up, I’m going to tell you why Denkinger’s missed call is no longer the worst call in baseball history and has now been surpassed by Joyce’s missed call last night.
1) The St. Louis Cardinals have won 10 World Series
At the time of the 1985 World Series the St. Louis Cardinals organization had won nine World Series (they have since won one in 2006), which ranked second all time behind the New York Yankees. When it comes down to it what would another World Series championship really mattered?
Also, the almost exact same Cardinals team had another chance to win the World Series in 1987 when they lost to the Minnesota Twins in seven games, with Twins ace Frank Viola carving them up much like Saberhagen had in game seven of the ’85 series.
2) The Kansas City Royals Have Only Won 1 World Series
The 1985 World Series is the only World Series the Kansas City Royals have ever won … so let them have it. The Cardinals have had multiple chances to win the World Series since then. They’ve been to the World Series three times since the 1985 loss and have won once. The Royals haven’t even been back to the playoffs since their 1985 title and have frankly been one of the worst teams in baseball. Just let them enjoy their one title.
3) The St. Louis Cardinals Gave Up in Game 7
I’ve mentioned that Bret Saberhagen put together one of the finest pitching performances in World Series history against the Cardinals in game seven. Cardinals ace John Tudor, simply did not. Tudor gave up five runs in the first three innings and was lifted for Joaquin Andujar, who was a starting pitcher coming into the game in relief. At this point the Cardinals simply stopped trying and began feeling sorry for themselves. Andujar, not happy about the circumstance, charged Denkinger (who was umping at home in this game) twice to argue the strike zone. Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog came out to defend Andujar and got tossed, after all, you can’t argue balls and strikes (umpiring rule #1). Following Herzog’s ejection, Andujar charged Denkinger one more time and was ejected himself and had to be held back from teammates for fear of attacking Denkinger. The Cardinals essentially let something in game six affect them in game seven.
4) The Cardinals Could Have Easily Gotten Out of the Ninth Inning in Game 6
One infield single to lead off an inning isn’t going to kill a team. Steve Balboni who singled following Orta had previously popped up a fly ball into foul territory that Cardinals first baseman Jack Clark could’ve caught, but dropped. Then when Sundberg’s bad bunt got Orta out at third the Cardinals only needed two more outs with the Royals having runners at second and third. But, then Darrell Porter’s passed ball allowed both runners into scoring position, who ended up scoring on Dane Iorg’s hit. The Cardinals had multiple choices to get out of the inning with the World Series win in their hands, but frankly blew it.
5) Perfect Game Might be the Rarest Accomplishment in All of Sports
Only 20 times in baseball history have perfect games been thrown … so, in a sport that has lasted about 150 years, they obviously don’t come around often. World Series come around every year … heck … the Cardinals have been there three times since ’85. No pitcher in baseball history has ever thrown two perfect games in their career. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely Galarraga will ever get the chance to make history again. Most players don’t get these chances and Galarraga had his taken from him with Joyce’s bad call.
People like to say that Denkinger cost the Cardinals a championship. Honestly he only cost them one out in a game. The Cardinals lost that World Series on their own. Galarraga didn’t lose his perfect game on his own … Joyce lost it for him.
These five reasons are why Jim Joyce’s blown call ruining Armando Galarraga’s perfect game are why it’s the worst call in baseball history. Denkinger’s honestly doesn’t even compare.
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