Perfection and Grace

Armando Galarraga did not pitch a perfect game tonight against the Cleavland Indian, or did he. Umpire Jim Joyce did not work a perfect game, and Galarraga's teammates, coaches, and manager definitely did not display the perfect reaction to what comes down to a simple, human mistake.

Nonetheless, Armando Galarraga was perfect tonight, perfect in his wry smile on his face after the blown call with two outs in the ninth inning, perfect in his controlling his emotions enough to record what was essentially his twenty eighth out in a row, and perfect, not just in his response, or lack thereof, as he walked off the field, but even more so later when interviewed by those professional "pot stirrers" ESPN.

ESPN Interview

In the interview link above you can hear a man that is both comfortable with the fact that people make mistakes, and that umpires are not perfect, and that regardless what the record books say he was in fact perfect. This is a man that has no anger in his voice, no resentment, and a man that sounds truly at piece, happy. In today's world of gross entitlement, based on what happened tonight and Armando's reaction and response to the entire event, I would say that Armando Galarraga was in fact perfect, in the game, and even more so afterward. How refreshing!!

On the same day we saw perfection in multiple ways in Detroit, we saw grace in Seattle.

Ken Griffey, Jr., with no fanfare whatsoever, no press conference, no "victory lap," nothing more than a call to his owner to say that he did not want to "become a distraction," retired from the game of baseball. After 22 years in the game, 630 home runs, thirteen all-star appearances, a streak of ten straight gold glove awards, named to Rawlings All-Time Gold Glove team, and an AL MVP award Griffey simply walked away.

Again in a time of entitlement run a muck, Ken Griffey, Jr., one of the best to ever play the game, did not feel the need for one more clap, one more home run trot, one more high five. Again, how refreshing!!

When I looked at the home run list, after Barry Bonds, the overinflated one, and before Sammy Sosa, a similarly overinflated one, you have four names on the home run list, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Ken Griffey Jr.. Perfection and grace.

Thank you again for getting this far with me.