Every once in a while, a sports-related story comes along that gets plastered all over the news to such a degree that even a sports-disinterested person such as myself is forced to take notice. So it was today with the already infamous botched call costing Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a no-hitter.
First, there's all the kerfuffle about whether instant replay should be expanded into wider use in baseball. I don't really understand the argument. I'm a gamer. Baseball is a game. (It's also a sport, but it's a game.) Games have rules. These rules are meant to be followed. If a tool exists that can ensure a more correct enforcement of those rules, why would you willingly not use it? If you question the rules while you're playing a board game, you go and check the rulebook, or even check online if your question still isn't answered. Arbitration of the rules isn't part of a game; it's completely separate from the game.
No, I found this question completely cut and dried. My question is, if batters can still hit the ball and then be thrown out at base, why the hell do they call that a "no-hitter?" To me, "no-hitter" implies the pitcher single-handedly won the game. (Well, okay, he had to have the catcher there.) Alright, maybe foul balls shouldn't count, but if the ball is hit to another player, who then must take responsibility for getting the batter out? I don't care whether the statisticians mark it in the "H" column or not, it sounds like a hit to me.
3 comments:
Why is it called a strike when you don't hit anything? Baseball terms are often infuriatingly backwards.
start sarcasm filter: heaven forbid they slow down a baseball game by stopping to check the replay. those umpires are *professionals* and shouldn't need to check replays. it's like giving a sniper more than one bullet. of course the sniper would only need one bullet, he's a freakin sniper and won't miss! :end sarcasm filter
the mole
Amen, Mole. I'd just *LOVE* to have a 6 hour baseball game become standard!
This umpire has been doing the job for 20+ years, and he manned up and admitted he hosed the call. Get over it, people. It's a game played by humans and refereed by humans. Everyone would be just as irritated (and more often) if everything was called and reviewed.
If every call in every game was unarguable, games would become very boring very quickly.
Post a Comment