MLB Sprites

- Ken Griffey Jr announced his retirement from Major League Baseball, today. I don't know what you can say about Junior that hasn't already been said. He is the greatest baseball player that I have had the pleasure to watch in my brief existence. He has been my favorite player since as long as I can remember. I eagerly await five year from now, when he takes his rightful spot in Cooperstown. It is impossible to predict where Griffey would sit statistically among the greats of the game if we was not plagued by injuries after joining the Cincinnati Reds. I want to thank Griffey for making me a baseball fan and congratulate him on a beyond brilliant career. I had the privilege to watch Ken Griffey Jr. hit a home run (in a losing effort) at Shea Stadium, which will remain my favorite baseball memory for as long as I can possibly envision.

- Armando Galarraga threw a perfect game for the Detroit Tigers this evening, getting 27 consecutive outs against the Cleveland Indians. HOWEVER, the 27th batter of the game was not called out by first base umpire Jim Joyce. With two outs in the ninth inning, Jason Donald, of the Indians, grounded to first base. Miguel Cabrera moved to his right to field the ball and flipped it to Galarraga covering first. Replays would show that Galarraga beat Donald to the base by a full step, but that was not the way Jim Joyce saw it. "I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay." I don't mean to attack Jim Joyce, who, according to the Mets broadcast I was watching while this event was happening in Cleveland, is one of the better umpires in the game. There is no cure for the human error that cost Armando Galarraga his perfect game, and cost the Detroit Tigers franchise there first ever perfect game. Joyce felt terrible after the game and apologized to Galarraga, who quickly forgave him, as it was obviously how humbled Joyce was by the revelation of his error. On the bright side, Galarraga will probably get to stay up with the MLB Tigers with a performance like this. He had spent the early part of this 2010 season in AAA.

- Johan Santana threw another 7 shutout innings for the Mets this evening, and finished with another no-decision.


-APT